The Vibe

Mississauga is a growing city where unexpected pockets of boutique shops, eclectic dining experiences, little historic villages and sprawling parkland meet to create a unique, diverse lifestyle.

The Story

The site of the Mississauga Purchase in 1805 acquired 74,000 acres of land located near the mouth of the Credit River from the local Mississauga tribe. However, French traders had arrived 200 years earlier in the 1600s before migrating south in the early 1700s to settle in the area now known as Etobicoke Creek, Credit River, and Burlington Bay. The city is aptly named Mississauga, meaning “River of the North of Many Mouths.”

In 1818, another 600,000 acres were acquired, making up what we now call the Peel Region. In 1819 the land was surveyed for settlers and divided into five townships including Toronto, Chinguacousy, Caledon, Albion, and Toronto Gore.

Although many settlements continued to pop up in the area, while some thrived, others struggled and became one of the many “lost villages” of Mississauga. In fact, you can still come across random heritage buildings and tiny cemeteries among the city’s modern urban developments as evidence that these areas once existed. These tiny villages, hamlets and crossroads tell the story of the challenges many settlers faced, eventually forcing the residents and businesses to move on to new opportunities.

It wasn’t until 1968 that the Town of Mississauga was created and in 1974 it was incorporated as a city. The town was amalgamated with surrounding villages of Port Credit and Streetsville, as well as some portions of Toronto Gore and Trafalgar and is now the sixth largest city in Canada.

Living in Mississauga offers opportunities in a diverse range of neighbourhoods from the shimmering shores of Port Credit with its historic homes, exciting shopping and entertainment venues to the rare opportunities found in the revitalized village of Meadowvale. Charming villages like 165-year-old Clarkson offer lovely centuries old heritage buildings and parkland while highly desirable upscale areas like Lorne Park feature mature, tree lined streets and secluded homes that mark the area’s exclusivity.

The Convenience

Just 27 km west of Toronto, Mississauga is a city in its own right, offering everything you need to live a good life. Connected with the TTC as well as the GO system, public transit is readily available, while travel via the Gardiner Expressway, Queensway, 401 and 407 are all within an easy drive from Mississauga’s many neighbourhoods.

Schools, shopping, dining, parkland, and recreational facilities are located throughout each of the smaller villages that make up the City of Mississauga, each with its own sense of community and characteristics.

Because of its size, there’s plenty to see and do in Mississauga, especially when it comes to events like Port Credit’s Southside Shuffle and Busker Fest, Streetsville’s Founder’s Bread and Honey Festival and a variety of mouthwatering food fests from ribs to global cuisines. With 495 parks and 22km of waterfront, you can also experience nature both lakeside and inland along scenic trails catching views of the Credit River and Lake Ontario, sprawling woodlands, grassland, and marshes as far as the eye can see.

The Residents

Mississauga is a classic example of Canada’s melting pot, with a highly diverse population representing many cultures, incomes, and lifestyles. Although 50% of the population are of European descent, there is a growing number of Southern Indian, Chinese, and other ethnicities calling this Ontario city home.

The Best Part

A collection of historic villages within a few minutes’ drive from each other offers the unique opportunity to experience a dose of small-town charm whenever the spirit moves you. Whether shopping, dining, or taking in the sites, you’ll never run out of magical discoveries right in your own backyard.