Hazel McCallion lies in state at Mississauga City Hall

Toronto.ctvnews.ca
Feb. 13, 2023
Abby O’Brien

The City of Mississauga has invited the public to pay their respects to former Mayor Hazel McCallion as she lies in state at city hall Sunday and Monday.

The farewell will take place at Mississauga City Hall, at 300 City Centre Drive.

McCallion, Mississauga’s longest-serving mayor, died on Jan. 29. She was 101.

On Sunday, dignitaries will pay their respects from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., during which the public will not be permitted to attend. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., public attendance will open and anyone can visit city hall to offer their condolences.

A book of condolences has been available at Mississauga City Hall alongside a number of other locations across the city since Jan. 30. They will remain in place until the evening of the funeral.

“Residents and guests are encouraged to share their respects and express their sympathies to the McCallion family through the Books of Condolences,” the city said in a release issued Saturday.

A virtual book of condolences is also available to sign.

McCallion’s funeral will be held on Feb. 14, her birthday. Beginning at 12 p.m., Mrs. McCallion’s family, Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Mayor Bonnie Crombie, among others, will gather at Paramount Fine Foods to honour the former mayor’s life.

Members of the public looking to attend the funeral can access a limited number of tickets on TicketMaster at 12 p.m. on Feb. 9. Tickets are free-of-charge and will be required to attend the in-person event.

For those who opt to pay their respects from home, the funeral will be live streamed on the Ontario Government’s YouTube channel.

Flags at Mississauga City Hall and all city facilities will be lowered to half-mast until the end of McCallion’s funeral, the city says.

In lieu of flowers, the McCallion family has asked that donations be made to Trillium Health Partners Foundation or to the Hazel McCallion Charitable Foundation for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

McCallion served as mayor for 36 years from 1978 to 2014.