Mississauga

Mississauga (/ˌmɪsɪˈsɔːɡə/ ⓘ MISS-iss-AW-gə)[3] is a Canadian city in the province of Ontario. Situated on the western shore of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, it borders Toronto (Etobicoke) to the east, Brampton to the north, Milton to the northwest, and Oakville to the southwest. Although Mississauga was initially a car-centric city, significant strides have been made to improve walkability and add cycling lanes, with most major arteries having bi-directional bike lanes. The city's downtown is home to several transit hubs, such as Square One Bus Terminal, and the City Centre Transit Terminal. With a population of 717,961 as of 2021, Mississauga is the seventh-most populous municipality in Canada, third-most in Ontario, and second-most in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) after Toronto itself.[4][5] However, for the first time in its history, the city's population declined according to the 2021 census, from a 2016 population of 721,599 to 717,961, a 0.5 per cent decrease.[1] The growth of Mississauga was initially attributed to its proximity to Toronto.[6] However, during the latter half of the 20th century, the city attracted a diverse and multicultural population. Over time, it built up a thriving, transit-oriented central business district of its own, which is now known as Mississauga City Centre.[7][8] Malton, a neighbourhood of the city located in its northeast end, is home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's busiest airport, as well as the headquarters of many Canadian and multinational corporations. Mississauga is not a traditional city, but is instead an amalgamation of three former villages, two townships, and a number of rural hamlets (a general pattern common to several suburban GTA cities) that were significant population centres, with none being clearly dominant, prior to the city's incorporation that later coalesced into a single urban area.[9]