Another major redevelopment has been proposed for an Ontario shopping mall, the latest in an ever-growing list of large retail centres seeking to maximize their vast land assets and bring residential density to their doorstep.
A late December application from developer Pemberton Group outlines plans to redevelop lands at the Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga with a large-scale mixed-use community that would see nine towers ranging in height from 20 to 44 storeys constructed at the western edge of the property.
The proposal site at 5100 Erin Mills Parkway is currently home to a mix of landscaped green space, a 532-space surface parking lot and retail, including Dollarama and HomeSense locations, as well as a retail plaza containing shops and restaurants.
Planned development on the site would be carried out in five phases, allowing for the medium-term retention of the existing retail during the initial phases of redevelopment.
The early stages would focus on the southern portion of the subject lands along Glen Erin Drive, meaning demolition of existing retail wouldn’t be required until the third phase of the community’s construction.
According to planning documents, “existing commercial buildings [will] continue operating […] as required, at the conclusion of the project or once certain lease obligations have ended.”
Phases three through five — which will introduce a public park and an urban public plaza combining for almost two acres of publicly accessible space at the northwest corner of the site — would follow on the portion of lands fronting Erin Centre Boulevard.
The public space will be a key element in the plan’s strategy to improve mall traffic, acting as a hub for pedestrians connecting the intersection and the new community that will lead to an existing pedestrian walkway towards the mall.
Together, the nine buildings would combine to house 213,777 square metres or 2,301,076 square feet of space. For reference, Canada’s current tallest building as of early 2025, First Canadian Place, contains roughly 2.8 million square feet of space.
This vast square footage would accommodate a total of 3,162 residential units, which would prove a notable population boom for this pocket of Mississauga, where smaller-scale developments have already popped up in increasing numbers in recent years.
Though such a project would likely be a boost to mall traffic thanks to nearby foot traffic, planning documents make it crystal clear that residents of the complex would rely primarily on cars to get around, with 4,362 total parking spaces planned in a mix of surface parking and a five-level underground garage.
In addition to the sizeable parking component, over 2,100 secure bicycle parking spaces would also be provided at grade and within the parking garage, giving residents an alternative means to get around.
Erin Mills Town Centre’s configuration amid a sea of surface parking and underutilized green space gives the mall much potential for expansion in the years to come, whether in the form of further residential proposals, or perhaps even growing the shopping centre’s footprint should retail trends reverse.
