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city in Ontario, Canada
North America > Canada > Ontario > Greater Toronto Area > Peel (Ontario) > Mississauga

Mississauga is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is Toronto's largest suburb and Canada's seventh largest city.

Understand

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Visitor information

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Get in

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Mississauga Civic Centre

By air

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Mississauga (YYZ IATA) is home to Canada's largest airport. Located in Malton, Toronto Pearson International Airport primarily serves Canada's largest city, with two crowded terminals and flights from cities across Canada, many American cities and European, Asian, Latin American, African and Oceanian destinations.

The airport is a short taxi ride from anywhere in Mississauga and is served by local buses.

Alternatives to Mississauga's main airport are Hamilton (YHM IATA) and Buffalo (BUF IATA), which both offer a much smaller selection of flights but are occasionally less expensive.

By car

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Mississauga is served by 4 major expressways:

  • The 401 links Mississauga with Windsor-Detroit in the west, following the Windsor-Quebec corridor through Kingston and Montréal in the east, continuing as Québec Autoroute 20 to Rivière-du-Loup. The 401 in Toronto is the busiest highway in Canada if not all of North America.
  • The 403 links to Hamilton and Brantford to the west, rejoining the 401 before London (Ontario). It becomes Highway 410 at the 401, leading to Brampton in the North.
  • The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) links Mississauga with the Gardiner Expressway and downtown Toronto in the east, connects with the 403 in the west, and continues to St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Fort Erie/Buffalo.
  • The 407 is an east-west toll route running parallel with the 401; it is one of the most expensive toll roads in North America. As the tolls are billed to the registered owner of the vehicle, rental companies may refuse to authorize their vehicles to be taken on this privately-operated road.

By train

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See also: Rail travel in Canada

By public transit

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  • GO Transit. GO Transit operates commuter train and bus services connecting Mississauga to the rest of the Greater Toronto Area. Two GO train lines pass through Mississauga: Lakeshore West line and Milton line. The Lakeshore West train line operates 18 hours per day, every day with a frequency of 30 minutes or better in each direction, with 2 Long Branch GO, 3 Port Credit GO and 4 Clarkson GO stations serving Mississauga. Less useful for visitors is the Milton train line, a rush-hour, peak-direction service with trains operating to Toronto during the morning rush hours, returning in the evening. GO buses have a hub at 5 Square One GO Bus Terminal, providing service to Toronto, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Brampton as well as other destinations. GO trains and some GO bus services go to Toronto Union Station where one can connect with Via Rail trains. (updated Feb 2019)
  • MiWay. MiWay route 3 Bloor provides frequent mid-day service between Islington subway station and Square One. (updated Feb 2019)
    • 6 Kipling subway station (Subway Line 2 Bloor–Danforth). Kipling subway station in Etobicoke offers a good selection of MiWay routes, with several going to Square One (City Centre Transit Terminal). Click the Wikipedia link for a list of MiWay bus routes serving this station. Islington (Q1041874) on Wikidata Kipling station#Kipling Bus Terminal on Wikipedia (updated Oct 2022)
    • 7 City Centre Transit Terminal, Square One, Mississauga. Click the Wikipedia link for a list of MiWay bus routes. Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal (Q6878952) on Wikidata Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal#MiWay on Wikipedia (updated Mar 2019)

Get around

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The city is very spread out, and it is difficult to traverse without a car.

By public transit

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MiWay (Mississauga Transit). MiWay provides bus service within the City of Mississauga. MiWay accepts the Presto card for fare payment. Riders may also pay by tapping a credit or debit card on the Presto reader in which case the current adult cash fare price will be charged. Cash fare: $4.25 for persons ages 13-64 and $1.00 for persons ages 65+; Presto fares: $3.40 adult (20-64), $1.00 seniors (65+), $2.65 youth (13-19) , children (0-12) ride fare-free when travelling with an accompanying adult. If they're travelling independently they require a valid child Presto card even though it does not charge a fare.. (updated Apr 2024)

MiWay Local (orange/white bus livery) operate like the old Mississauga Transit using most of the same routes. Waiting times are typically 15 to 45 minutes on weekdays.

MiWay Express (blue/white livery) travel on expressways and major thoroughfares with a limited number of designated stops; the buses are equipped with reading lights and power outlets at each seat but most routes are weekday peak hours only. Routes 110 University Express, 103 Hurontario Express, 107 Malton Express and 109 Meadowvale Express operate 7 days/week. MiWay Express routes 100 Airport Express, 107 and 109 use the Mississauga Transitway, a 12-station busway in the form of bus rapid transit (BRT), running along Highway 403 from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Cawthra Road via the City Centre. Service on the 103 may be affected due to the ongoing construction of the Hazel McCallion LRT (named for Mississauga's longtime former mayor).

MiWay bus 23 runs between Long Branch GO Station and Clarkson GO Station stopping at Port Credit GO Station; it is useful for visiting sights along Lake Shore Road. It also connects with the 501 Queen, 507 Long Branch and 508 Lake Shore streetcars at Long Branch; however, GO Transit trains may make a faster connection to bus 23.

MiWay buses display a route number followed by a one-letter suffix (N, S, E, W) to indicate the direction of the bus. This can be useful for riders at bus terminals where a bus route may pass through in both directions.

Brampton Transit serves Pearson airport's Terminal 1 (route 115) and the Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal (Züm route 502) near Square One mall.

Oakville Transit services Clarkson GO station and the South Common Centre near the Oakville boundary.

Milton Transit services Lisgar GO station at Argentina Road and Tenth Line.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has several bus routes terminating in Mississauga which can be divided into two groups:

  • Routes 900 Airport Express, 52A Lawrence West and 952 Lawrence West Express run from subway stations to Pearson Airport serving Malton east of the airport. Route 32A Eglinton West runs east from Eglinton subway station to Renforth Station with connections to the Mississauga Transitway. The TTC fare applies to these routes.
  • Routes 52B/52D Lawrence West serve Malton beyond Pearson Airport. Do not take buses 52B/52D to go to the airport as both routes bypass the airport. Routes 52B/52D cross the municipal boundary, and use MiWay fares in Mississauga and TTC fares in Toronto. If you pay the fare with a Presto, credit or debit card, you will pay only one fare to cross the municipal boundary; if you pay cash you must pay both the MiWay and TTC fares. Presto tickets are not valid beyond the airport. If crossing the municipal boundary on routes 52B/52D, you pay or validate your fare twice, once when boarding the bus in one municipality. and a second time when getting off in the other.

A fare allows for 2 hours of travel on MiWay including changing MiWay buses, or transferring to connecting buses run by Brampton Transit (including Züm express buses), Oakville Transit, Milton Transit and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). If paying by cash, ask for a "transfer" to use as a paper receipt, except for the TTC which does not accept a MiWay paper transfer. For Presto, credit and debit card users, transfer info is automatically tracked to your card when you tap on, including the TTC. The Presto ticket (as opposed to a Presto card) is not valid outside of Toronto.

If transferring from GO Transit to MiWay to complete a trip, the MiWay fare will be free when using a Presto, credit or debit card. Just tap your card on both transit systems to get the free MiWay fare. When using a Presto, credit or debit card to transfer from MiWay to GO Transit, the MiWay fare will be refunded to your card at the end of your trip.

By taxis

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Mississauga taxis are metered, rates start at $4.25 plus $1.75/km ($2.85/mile) or $0.50/minute, billed in 25-cent increments. There are various taxi or limousine operators which serve just Pearson Airport; these are available from taxi stands at the terminals. A few operators of various colours are available city-wide.

By ride hailing

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  • Lyft. (updated Jul 2022)
  • Uber. UberX service is available via smartphone app throughout the city with fares running roughly half the price of a taxi. An average 5 km (3.1 mi) trip costs roughly $8.25. (updated Jul 2022)

Villages

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Port Credit

Two communities have retained much of their village atmosphere.

  • 1 Port Credit. An older, historic village at the centre of Mississauga's Lake Ontario shore features many intimate small restaurants, cafes and bars. Annual events include the Waterfront Festival and Jazz/Bluesfest. Nice Marina and walking paths at the Credit River entrance and along the lakeshore. Port Credit (Q7230570) on Wikidata Port Credit on Wikipedia 
  • 2 Streetsville (along Queen St S). This small village is where the late renowned mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, used to reside. It has many shops, restaurants, and green areas to explore. Visit in June to enjoy the Bread and Honey Festival or in winter months for Remembrance Day services and the Santa Claus Parade. Streetsville (Q7623156) on Wikidata Streetsville, Mississauga on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2023)

Galleries

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  • 3 Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM), 300 City Centre Drive (Mississauga City Hall/Civic Centre, Ground Floor), ☏ +1 905-896-5088. M-W F 10AM-5PM; Th 10AM-8PM; Sa Su noon-4PM. The AGM has over 3,000 ft² (280 m2) divided into four gallery spaces, and programmes about 10 exhibitions a year of national and international contemporary art. Check the website for closures due to installations. Free. Art Gallery of Mississauga (Q17985611) on Wikidata Art Gallery of Mississauga on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2019)
  • 4 Blackwood Gallery (University of Toronto Mississauga), 3359 Mississauga Rd (MiWay bus 199). M-F noon-5PM, W noon-9PM, Sa noon-3PM. Contemporary art gallery with works by professional artists. (updated Mar 2019)

Parks

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  • 5 Kariya Park, 3620 Kariya Dr (City Centre). Kariya Park contains authentic Japanese gardens, and is named after Mississauga's twin-city, Kariya in Japan. (updated Feb 2019)
  • 6 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden, 300 City Centre Dr (at south-west corner of City Hall). A small but attractive flower garden and park dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. (updated Jun 2019)
  • 7 Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, 660 Lakeshore Rd W (at Shawnmarr Rd; MiWay bus 23). 18 acres (7.3 hectares) lakefront garden specializing in rhododendrons. Best seen in May and June. (updated May 2019)
  • 8 Port Credit Memorial Park, 20 Lakeshore Rd E (north side of Lakeshore Rd E). Waterfront park with trails, picnic grounds and views of the Credit River. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 9 Lakefront Promenade Park, 115 Lakefront Promenade (south of Lakeshore Rd E at Montbeck Cres; MiWay bus 23 from either Long Branch or Clarkson GO). Located on a peninsula jutting into Lake Ontario; base for marinas and boating clubs. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 10 Jack Darling Memorial Park, 1180 Lakeshore Rd W (MiWay route 23). Waterfront picnic park with swimming in Lake Ontario. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 11 Erindale Park, 1695 Dundas St W (at Nanticoke Rd; MiWay bus 1). Walking trails, views of the Credit River and ravines, bird watching. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 12 Lake Aquitaine Park & Trail, Aquitane Ave (east of 2700 Aquitane Ave). Scenic lake, walking trails. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 13 Rattray Marsh Conservation Area, 660 Bexhill Rd (800 metres south of Lakeshore Rd W; MiWay bus 23). Nature area on Lake Ontario with trails, boardwalks & birdlife. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 14 Riverwood Park (The Riverwood Conservancy), 4300 Riverwood Park (Burnhamthorpe Rd W & The Credit Woodlans; MiWay bus 6). 150 acres (61 hectares) nature area with trails, wildflowers and 160 bird species, plus heritage structures and MacEwan Terrace Garden. (updated Mar 2019)

Museums

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  • 15 Bradley Museum, 1620 Orr Road (in Meadow Wood Park). F-Su noon-4PM. The museum features the restored 1830s home of early settlers in Mississauga. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 16 Leslie Log House, 4415 Mississauga Rd (in Hewick Meadows park; MiWay bus 44). W Su 1-4PM. Built in 1826, the Leslie Log House today contains the archival and artifact collection of the Streetsville Historical Society. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 17 Benares Historic House, 1507 Clarkson Rd N. F-Su noon-4PM. The house was built in 1857 and was restored to the World War One era. It contains original artifacts of the Harris family that occupied it for four generations. (updated Mar 2019)

Landmarks

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  • 18 Marilyn Monroe Towers (Absolute World), 60 Absolute Ave. Absolute World is a condo development containing two towers (50 and 56 storeys). Because of their very distinctive curves, the buildings were nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe Towers. Absolute World (Q332518) on Wikidata Absolute World on Wikipedia (updated Feb 2019)
  • 19 Mississauga City Hall (Mississauga Civic Centre), 300 City Centre Dr. M-F 7AM-7PM. The City Hall clock tower is a landmark at City Centre along with the Marilyn Monroe Towers. Although modern, the whole building seems to have the heft of a castle with the cylindrical structure at the building's south-east corner to house the council chamber. Mississauga's City Hall rivals Toronto's in grandeur; be sure to see the huge marble-clad atrium inside the building. Mississauga Civic Centre (Q6878956) on Wikidata Mississauga Civic Centre on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2019)
  • 20 Port Credit Lighthouse, 105 Lakeshore Rd E, Port Credit. This functional lighthouse was built in 1991, and can cast a beam 15 miles long over Lake Ontario. The structure has a visitor deck offering views of the Credit River, the harbour and the village of Port Credit. (updated Feb 2019)
  • 2 Paramount Fine Foods Centre, 5500 Rose Cherry Pl. A sports and entertainment facility which has staged numerous high profile events including regional, provincial, national and world hockey championships, Skate Canada, and concerts. Also home to the NBA G League team Raptors 905, the development side for the NBA Raptors. 
  • 3 Scooter's Roller Palace, 2105 Royal Windsor Dr. Just south of the Clarkson GO station, this is a popular option for families and teenagers. Skate rentals available. 
  • Golf. Mississauga features two primary golf courses: 
  • Fishing. The Credit River is a jewel set in the heart of southern Ontario, Canada. The Credit boasts huge runs of Chinook salmon and steelhead as well as some coho, pink and Atlantic salmon. 
  • 1 Square One, Hwys 10 and 403. Ontario's largest mall, near Mississauga city hall. One of two main transfer points for MiWay buses (the other is TTC's Islington subway station). 
  • 2 Erin Mills Town Centre, 5100 Erin Mills Pkwy. Two-storey indoor mall. Erin Mills Town Centre (Q5389193) on Wikidata Erin Mills Town Centre on Wikipedia 
  • 3 Heartland Town Centre, 6075 Mavis Rd (at Britannia Rd). A shopping complex mostly consisting of "big box" stores spread out on all four corners of Mavis & Britannia. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 4 Old Credit Brewing, 6 Queen Street West, ☏ +1 905-271-9888. M 1-7PM, Tu-Sa 10AM-7PM, Su noon-5PM. Excellent small brewery that sells an amber ale and a pilsner. Also has a seasonal Holiday Honey beer. 
  • 5 Dixie Outlet Mall, 1250 South Service Rd. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Major stores include Michael's Arts & Crafts, and Winners. 
  • 6 Lindt Warehouse Outlet Boutique, 7090 Kennedy Road, ☏ +1 905-696-8143. M-F 9:30AM-7PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Great selection of chocolate at a discount. 
  • 7 Skiis & Biikes, 1945 Dundas Street East, ☏ +1 905-896-1206, . 10AM-8PM. Bike shop, sale and rental, repairs, accessories and expert bike fitting. (updated Mar 2015)
  • 1 Axia Restaurant and Bar, 5045 Plantation Place (Along Eglinton Ave W near Erin Mills), ☏ +1 905-608-2942. In Erin Mills, wide variety of fully authentic Asian food, specialising in Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine. Fully liquor licensed with unique flavoured Korean soju and alcoholic bubble tea. Mains $15-20, appetizers $5-10. 
  • 2 Nirvana, 35 Brunel Road (in the north end of Mississauga close to Brampton), ☏ +1 905-501-5500. Flavours of India. Slightly upscale, friendly place with great food. Mains $13. 
  • 3 Apricot Tree Café, 1900 Dundas St. W (The Apricot Tree is on Dundas St. between the Erin Mills Pkwy and Mississauga Rd.), ☏ +1 905-855-1470. M 10AM-9PM, Tu-F 10AM-10PM, Sa 9AM-10PM, closed Su. Open kitchen design which allows guests to watch their order being prepared, wide range of excellent pastries and cakes for dessert. Breakfast $8; lunch $11; dinner $17. 
  • 4 Master Steaks, 5895 Dixie Road (three lights north of the 401), ☏ +1 905-670-3313. open late. Generous portions for its price range, one of the few where you can get a steak dinner for less than $20. The atmosphere is somewhat reminiscent of a 1970s fast food eatery where you place your order at the till and wait until your number is called. Very popular with the after-hours bar crowd. Look out for specials under $15. Licensed. Take out available. $7-25. 
  • 5 Desi Bar & Grill, 925 Rathburn Rd E, L4W 4C3 (Tomken Plaza), ☏ +1 905-232-6788, . 5PM-midnight. Flavours of India. Slightly upscale, friendly place with great food, drinks and music. Mains $15. (updated Oct 2024)
  • 6 The Hakka Club, 7030 St Barbara Blvd, L5W 0E6 (in Derry Village Square), ☏ +1 905-565-1144. 5PM-midnight. Relaxed eatery fixing up Indian and Chinese staples such as meat, seafood & veggie dishes, plus momos. 15. (updated Oct 2024)

Port Credit

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  • 7 Huevos Gourmet, 241 Lakeshore Rd E, ☏ +1 905-274-1394. 8AM-4PM. Mexican inspired brunch, for example Taco Benedict and Huevos Rancheros. Moderately priced. (updated May 2022)
  • 8 Posta Italbar Cucina, 31 Lakeshore Rd E, ☏ +1 905-891-0193. Tu-Th 4-11PM, F 4PM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-11PM. Italian cuisine; view of harbour. Expensive. (updated May 2022)
  • 9 Scoops Ice Cream, 82 Lakeshore Rd E, ☏ +1 905-278-2653. Su-Th noon-9PM, F Sa noon-9:30PM. In-house artisan ice cream (updated May 2022)

Drink

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  • 1 Sugar Daddy's, 5165 Dixie Road (4 lights south of the 401, Mississauga), ☏ +1 905-602-4990. Established in 2003. Club MC is Slick Vic, with DJ Constantine. 
  • 2 Capitol Singles' Dance, 6435 Dixie Road (4 lights north of the 401). Every Friday night from 7PM till 1AM. All singles 19 and over welcome; however, the majority of attendees tend to be the 30+ after-work crowd. DJ Dianne plays a mix of today's dance hits with the greatest hits from the 1950s to the 1990s, country, swing, waltz, polka, and Latin favourites. She also gladly takes requests. Admission is $15 (conditions apply) and includes a buffet dinner served 7:30PM till 9:30PM. Dress code - no jeans or sneakers. Cash bar. Draw and spot dances. Ample free parking. (updated Feb 2019)

Sleep

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Airport hotels

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There are a pair of hotels at Pearson Airport or on the airport grounds:

A series of large hotels on Toronto's Dixon Road serves Pearson Airport (Dixon Road, Toronto becomes Airport Road in Malton). See Etobicoke.

Stay safe

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Mississauga is a fairly safe city, however, use common sense and vigilance at night like any other large city, as muggings can sometimes happen. The local police are friendly, trustworthy, and approachable, so any issues you have you can ask them for help.

On the weekend, clubs and bars in Mississauga can fill up with people fast. If you see a confrontation in a bar or club, it is best not to get involved, as these can escalate quickly.

For life-threatening emergencies, dial 9-1-1 to be connected to Police, Fire, or Ambulance. For non-emergency inquiries, you can dial the following:

On the whole, Mississauga is a safe city, and for the average tourist, you should have no problems.

Go next

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Routes through Mississauga
Kitchener ← Brampton ←  W  E  → Toronto → END
Hamilton ← Oakville ←  W  E  → Etobicoke → Toronto
London ← Milton ←  W  E  → Etobicoke → Toronto
Hamilton ← Oakville ←  W  E  → Ends at
Hamilton ← Milton ←  W  E  → Brampton → Markham
Owen Sound ← Brampton ←   N  S  → Ends at
END ← Vaughan ←   N  S  → Etobicoke → Toronto
Kitchener ← Brampton ←  W  E  → Etobicoke → Toronto
Toronto ← Etobicoke ←   N  S  → Oakville → Niagara Falls
END ← Milton ←  W  E  → Etobicoke → Toronto


This city travel guide to Mississauga is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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