The Hurricane That Raised a City A Full-Length Feature Documentary
1921–2023

Hazel McCallion

Hazel Mary Muriel McCallion, CM OOnt — the third mayor of the City of Mississauga, and the longest-serving in its history.

Her Life

“Hurricane Hazel”

Born Hazel Journeaux on 14 February 1921, she was the youngest of five children in the small fishing village of Port Daniel on Quebec’s Gaspé coast. From her mother, Amanda Maud, she acquired the toughness and strong will that would carry her through four decades in public life.

She earned her nickname for an outspoken political style — and for the hurricane of 1954, which had left its own considerable mark on the region.

She was a successful candidate in twelve municipal elections, having been acclaimed twice and re-elected ten times, outlasting nine Prime Ministers and nine Ontario Premiers during her time in office.

Hazel McCallion in a red maple-leaf hat, waving a Canadian flag as she walks a Canada Day parade route.
A formal black-and-white portrait of Hazel McCallion as a young woman.
Before Politics

Hockey, engineering and Streetsville

Before marriage, McCallion played professional women’s ice hockey while attending school in Montreal. She then worked for the engineering firm Canadian Kellogg, and was transferred to Toronto in 1942.

She moved to Streetsville in 1951 and left the business world in 1967 to pursue politics. She served as mayor of Streetsville from 1970 to 1973, prior to its amalgamation into Mississauga.

A Life in Brief

One hundred and one years

  1. 1921

    Born in Port Daniel

    The youngest of five children, born 14 February in a small fishing village on Quebec’s Gaspé coast.

  2. 1940s

    Montreal, and the ice

    Plays professional women’s ice hockey while studying, and joins the engineering firm Canadian Kellogg. Transferred to Toronto in 1942.

  3. 1951

    Moves to Streetsville

    Settles in the village that would later become part of Mississauga.

  4. 1970

    Mayor of Streetsville

    Serves until 1973, prior to Streetsville’s amalgamation into Mississauga.

  5. 1978

    Elected Mayor of Mississauga

    First elected in November. She would hold the office for 36 years.

  6. 1979

    The Mississauga train derailment

    Early in her tenure, she helps oversee the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents from the resulting explosion, fire and spill of hazardous chemicals.

  7. 2005

    Order of Canada

    One of many honours, alongside the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

  8. 2014

    Retires after 36 years

    She leaves office having overseen Mississauga’s growth into one of the largest cities in the nation, run without debt for more than three decades of her tenure.

  9. 2014–2023

    A public figure still

    Serves as the first chancellor of Sheridan College and sits on the Greater Toronto Airports Authority board. Appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2020.

  10. 2023

    A state funeral

    She died on 29 January at the age of 101, and was given a state funeral on what would have been her 102nd birthday.

Honours

Recognition

Member of the Order of Canada (2005). Member of the Order of Ontario (2020). Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). Honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto and from Toronto Metropolitan University, then Ryerson University.

The World Stage

Respected internationally

In 2005 Mayor Hazel McCallion of Mississauga won runner-up in the World Mayor contest out of 550 contestants, and it highlighted the national and international relations she developed on behalf of Mississauga during her 36-year reign as the longest-serving mayor of a major Canadian city in the country’s history.

Hazel won 12 elections in a row. After the first one in 1978, she stopped campaigning and directed any political donations to charities.

Hazel McCallion, in her mayoral chain of office, shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth II on a red carpet.
Greeting Queen Elizabeth II
Hazel McCallion shaking hands with Bill Clinton.
With Bill Clinton
Hazel McCallion, wearing the Order of Canada insignia, seated beside Jean Chrétien at a black-tie event.
With Jean Chrétien
Photographs

A life in pictures

Hazel McCallion as a young child, holding a cat.
A campaign sign reading Hazel McCallion for Mayor.
Hazel McCallion holding up a newspaper, in black and white.
Hazel McCallion skating with the puck in a red hockey jersey.
Hazel McCallion in her chain of office at a Mississauga parade.
Hazel McCallion holding a paddle aboard a boat.
Hazel McCallion seated on a motorcycle.
Hazel McCallion gesturing over a scale model of downtown Mississauga.
Hazel McCallion standing among the Terracotta Army warriors in Xi’an, China.
Hazel McCallion in a Team Canada hockey jersey, arms raised in a packed Olympic arena.
Hazel McCallion seated outdoors surrounded by a group of children.
Your Turn

Everyone has a Hazel story

If you met her, worked with her, or simply watched her run your city for four decades, we would love to hear from you.

Share Your Story