Early Indigenous Presence
Long before Mississauga became the thriving city we know today, the region was home to Indigenous peoples whose history stretches back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows that the first inhabitants lived here more than 9,000 years ago, when Lake Ontario’s shoreline was much lower than it is today. Early communities followed the rivers and creeks, such as the Credit River and Cooksville Creek, taking advantage of the spawning runs of fish and the natural abundance of nuts, berries, and wild rice.
During the Archaic and Woodland periods, the population steadily grew. Pottery appeared, villages became semi-permanent, and agriculture flourished with crops like corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. Over time, longhouses and fortified settlements took shape, marking the beginnings of organized communities. The Credit River valley became a focal point for trade and daily life, linking Mississauga to broader cultural networks across the Great Lakes.
The Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, and European Contact
In the 1600s, the region saw dramatic change. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy pushed into the area during the Beaver Wars, displacing earlier groups. Not long after, the Anishinaabe Ojibwe settled in the Credit River valley, and the people became known as the Credit River Mississaugas. European traders soon arrived, meeting annually with local bands at the river’s mouth to exchange goods and extend “credit” for the coming year. This practice left a lasting mark, giving the Mississaugas their name.
By the early 1800s, British officials formalized land purchases through a series of treaties, including Treaty 14 and Treaty 19. These agreements saw large portions of Mississauga land transferred to the Crown, laying the foundation for what became Toronto Township.
Founding Villages and Early Settlement
Throughout the 19th century, small villages grew in what is now Mississauga. Clarkson, Cooksville, Dixie, Erindale, Port Credit, Lorne Park, Sheridan, and Streetsville were among the most notable communities. Many settlers were United Empire Loyalists, granted land as compensation for losses during the American Revolution. They cleared farmland, built mills, and established churches, schools, and businesses that gave each village its distinct identity.
As more land was surveyed and granted, new hamlets such as Britannia, Meadowvale, and Derry West took root. Indigenous Mississaugas, however, were increasingly displaced, and by 1847, they were relocated to a reserve in the Grand River Valley.
From Farms to Suburbs
For much of the 19th and early 20th century, Mississauga was predominantly agricultural. Fruit orchards, grain fields, and dairy farms defined the landscape. Along Lake Ontario, modest cottages served as summer getaways for Toronto families.
A turning point came with the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in the 1930s, one of the first controlled-access highways in the world. Around the same time, land in Malton was sold to build what would become Pearson Airport—Canada’s busiest airport, forever transforming the area.
After the Second World War, suburban development accelerated. Applewood Acres became one of the first planned subdivisions, and large new towns like Erin Mills and Meadowvale followed in the late 1960s. By the early 21st century, farmland had largely given way to neighbourhoods, parks, and shopping centres.
Becoming a City
In 1968, Toronto Township was officially renamed Mississauga, a choice made by residents through a public vote. At first, Port Credit and Streetsville remained independent towns, but in 1974 both were amalgamated as Mississauga was granted full city status. That same year, Square One Shopping Centre opened, quickly growing into one of the largest malls in Canada.
One of the city’s most dramatic moments came in November 1979, when a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed near Mavis Road and Dundas Street. The accident forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents with the largest peacetime evacuation in North American history at the time. The swift and orderly response became a model for emergency management in other cities.
Modern Mississauga
Today, Mississauga is Canada’s seventh-largest city and one of the most diverse communities in the country. Its economy is powered by finance, technology, and global headquarters, while its neighbourhoods offer a balance of green spaces, cultural hubs, and recreational facilities. Pearson Airport continues to connect Mississauga to the world, while the Credit River and Lake Ontario waterfront remain treasured natural features.
From its ancient Indigenous roots to its role as a modern, multicultural city, Mississauga’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and community spirit. It is a place where history meets progress, and where every neighbourhood adds its own chapter to the city’s ever-growing story.