Moving to Canada? These are the Top 5 Reasons to Live in Mississauga, Ontario

Canada has long been a popular destination with immigrants for many reasons. It’s a country known for its welcoming embrace of newcomers, the breathtaking landscapes and its bustling urban centres that are ripe with opportunities to provide a comfortable life for your family.

If you’re considering calling Canada home, Mississauga embodies all those same qualities and, consequently, has become the country’s seventh most populated city. Being right next door to Canada’s largest city, Toronto, has historically played a significant role in its popularity. But as you’re about to learn, there are plenty of other reasons you may want to check out available properties, hire a Mississauga real estate lawyer and settle in the city that’s “leading today for tomorrow.”

A City of Industry

Mississauga experienced much of its early growth largely due to the scores of suburbanites that wanted to live close enough to commute to Toronto, but preferred not to (or couldn’t afford to) live in the big city.

Since then, however, it has become one of Canada’s largest business centres withover 75 of the Fortune 500 companies choosing Mississauga as their base of Canadian of operations. Mississauga is also home to over 98,000 businesses and 1,400 multinational firms.

Mississauga is known globally for its diversified economy, highly-skilled talent pool (approx. 14% of Mississauga workers have STEM degrees) and its business friendliness. It attracts leaders in knowledge-based industries such as advanced manufacturing, information and communications technology, financial services, life sciences and smart logistics. In fact, Mississauga is consistently ranked at the top of fDi Intelligence’s Americas Cities of the Future list for mid-sized cities and at or near the top of their overall list. In addition, Canada’s immigration policies are designed to attract skilled workers from around the world, making it an attractive destination for those seeking to advance their careers or improve their quality of life. The Canadian federal government startet a LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) program that assesses the impact of hiring a foreign worker on the Canadian labour market. To apply, an employer must complete a LMIA application and submit it to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), along with the required fee and supporting documentation. The application must include information about the job offer, the qualifications of the foreign worker, and the recruitment efforts made to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill the job. The ESDC will review the application and, if approved, will issue an LMIA that the employer can use to support a work permit application for the foreign worker. The LMIA process can be complex and time-consuming, so it is recommended that employers work with a professional immigration consultant to ensure that their application is complete and meets all the requirements.

A Global Village

Mississauga’s diversity provides a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, religions and people from around the world. Of its roughly 720,000 residents, nearly half are immigrants that speak English as a second language. Mississauga’s communities feature representation from Europe, South Asia, East and Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Middle East and Latin America.

This diversity is reflected in Mississauga’s eateries, retail businesses and cultural events. The bottom line is, no matter where you’re from, you’re likely to find people who speak your language while making friends with people from places you’ve only heard about.

Something for Everyone

Mississauga is known as a safe, family-friendly city with great schools, community centres and public transportation. It also has over 495 parks and 22km of waterline on Lake Ontario. If you’re looking for something to do, there’s plenty to choose from. Some of its more popular destinations include:

• Celebration Square – A gathering place in the downtown core that hosts events every weekend during the summer months such as concerts and festivals and has a wading pool fountain that converts into an ice-skating rink in the winter.
• Square One Shopping Mall – Canada’s largest shopping centre.
• Port Credit – A popular neighbourhood on the waterfront built nest to a historical harbor and lighthouse. You’ll find recreational boating, charter tours and fishing in Port Credit. It’s also home to plenty of parks, beach areas, shops and restaurants.

Find out more on the City of Mississauga’s Events and Attractions page.

Location

Not only does Mississauga share a border with one of North America’s largest cities, but it’s also home to Pearson International, Canada’s busiest airport. This is a major convenience factor for anyone who travels frequently for work or pleasure. Friends and family members who visit from outside of Canada will also appreciate how little time it takes to get home after their long flights.

Mississauga’s location also provides an easy one-hour drive to the world-famous Niagara Falls and its border with the United States.

Experience Four Distinct Seasons – Comfortably

Mississauga’s weather is considered moderate with summer temperatures between 20°C and 30°C and winter temperatures around -6°C. You’re sure to get snow in the winter and heat in the summer, but without extremes of either one. As an added bonus, you get to enjoy the leaves changing colour in the fall and the flowers blossoming in the spring.

For more on living and working abroad, visit https://thesmartlocal.com for more.