Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is lobbying Pan Am and Parapan Am Games organizers to tout her city over Toronto in a banner that will be displayed when visitors arrive at Canada’s largest and busiest airport.
At a council meeting Wednesday, McCallion asked Pan Am chief executive officer Ian Troop to design a welcoming banner that reads “Mississauga” because most of Toronto Pearson International Airport is located within Mississauga’s boundaries.
According to a Toronto Star report, McCallion told Troop: “I think it’s extremely important that they’re welcomed to Toronto, yes, but to Mississauga first. And then they go to Toronto, OK?”
McCallion made the request after Troop made a presentation to council.
Pearson visitors are currently welcomed by a sign featuring the smiling faces of McCallion, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell.
Toronto is the official host city of the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, but events are being held in a number of other cities, as well, including Mississauga, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Markham and Caledon.
Pan Am organizers say the summer sporting event will bring more than 250,000 people to southern Ontario in 2015.
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