Why Mississauga is an Amazing Place to Live

Dec. 20

Mississauga has a tendency to fly under the radar due to being overshadowed by its larger next-door neighbour, Toronto. Non-locals are often shocked to discover that Mississauga’s population of 721,000 eclipses that of much more notable cities including Denver, Nashville, Boston, Atlanta and Baltimore. We explain why people are so drawn to Mississauga and why it’s such a wonderful place to live, work and play.

IS MISSISSAUGA A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE?

In short, yes, Mississauga is a fantastic place to live. Mississauga is the sixth largest city in Canada and continues to grow and thrive. Its diversity, strong job market and copious amenities continue to attract new residents from across Canada and abroad. There are 7 reasons why we believe Mississauga is one of the best cities in Canada to live:

Mississauga offers World-Class Post Secondary Education
Mississauga is home to the world renowned University of Toronto’s second largest campus (University of Toronto Mississauga). The picturesque campus sits on 225 protected acres of greenspace adjacent to the Credit River. UTM has a diverse student population of over 14,000 and offers 148 academic programs.
Sheridan College which is internationally recognized and one of Ontario’s leading post secondary schools offers the Hazel McCallion Campus in Mississauga. The HMC is home to over 5000 students studying in 38 unique programs, including the Pilon School of Business.
Mississauga Offers Copious Transportation & Travel Options
Mississauga is home to Pearson International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Canada and second busiest in North America after New York’s JFK International Airport. In 2019, Pearson handled 50.5 million passengers on 473,000 flights. An amazing feature of the airport is the UP (Union Pearson) Express, a train that runs from Pearson International to downtown Toronto’s Union Station in just 25 minutes. Trains run every 15 minutes and are available 7 days a week.
Mississauga has 5 GO Train stations which not only makes it easier to get around Mississauga but keeps the city connected with the entire Golden Horseshoe from Oshawa to Niagara Falls.
Residents can move freely throughout the city via the MiWay bus system which has over 100 routes that make Mississauga highly accessible. Mississauga is served by over 7 major highways which makes driving easy and convenient.
Mississauga has a Robust Economy Abundant With Employment Opportunities
Mississauga has a strong and diverse economy that employs over 450,000 people. Canada’s 6th largest city is home to over 90,000 businesses including 1400 multinational corporations and 75 Fortune 500 companies.
Some of Mississauga’s top employers include: Air Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, Citi Canada, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Hewlett-Packard (HP), Maple Leaf Foods, McDonald’s, Royal Bank of Canada, TJX Canada and Wal-Mart Canada.
According to the city’s Department of Economic Development, Mississauga generates $55 billion annually in economic output. This equates to an output of $77,000 per person, which is 38% higher than the Ontario average of $56,000 per person.
Mississauga has Beautiful and Unique Architecture
While some Canadian cities have been criticized for having bland architecture, the same certainly cannot be said about Mississauga. The city’s downtown core is abundant with an array of unique buildings and skyscrapers that give the city wonderful character.
Absolute World South & North stand as the tallest buildings in Mississauga at 56 and 50 floors respectively. These residential condominiums are often dubbed the Marilyn Monroe towers because of their characteristic curves.
One Park Tower standing at 38 floors is another iconic building in downtown Mississauga. Built in 2008, this tower closely resembles the classic New York early 20th century style look, such as the Empire State Building and Chrysler building.
Mississauga has an Incredibly Diverse Population
Mississauga’s 721,000 residents represent a wide array of ethnic backgrounds, cultures and religions. Located next door to the world’s most culturally diverse city, Toronto, Mississauga follows suit and is a place where people coming from across the world and from all different walks of life live harmoniously.
Mississauga Offers some of Canada’s Best Shopping
Mississauga is home to the Square One mall, the largest shopping center in Ontario and second largest in Canada at 2.2 million square feet. It features 330 stores including iconic fashion retailers such as Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen, Salvatore Ferragamo and Michael Kors. Patrons can enjoy some of the best cuisine in Mississauga at The Food District, a 34,000 square foot food emporium featuring high quality, eclectic dining options from around the world.
Bargain hunters will have a great experience at the Dixie Outlet Mall, one of Canada’s largest enclosed outlet shopping centers at over 570,000 square feet. Shoppers can find fantastic deals at over 140 brand name outlet stores including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Nike, Reebok and Adidas.
There Are Plenty of Entertainment Options and Things To Do In MississAuga
The Paramount Fine Foods Centre (Formerly Hershey’s Centre) in Mississauga is a sports and entertainment complex with 5400 seat capacity that has hosted over 3000 events and 4 million guests since its inception in 1998. The Centre is home the Raptors 905, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, and the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Families love Celebration Square located in the heart of downtown Mississauga which hosts hundreds of free events, concerts and festivals every year. It has the city’s largest outdoor fountain and a giant ice skating rink in the wintertime.
Residents can experience arts and culture at the Living Arts Centre, a 225,000 square foot multi-use facility and performing arts center that features iconic theatre performances, concerts, symphony orchestras and comedy shows. The LAC’s designer was awarded an Award of Merit in the City of Mississauga’s urban design awards in 1998, the year after the complex was built.