Multiculturalism in Mississauga

The Greater Toronto Area is on of the top destinations in Canada for new immigrants because of its low unemployment rate and access to a wide variety of transportation options. The entire area was developed by immigrants, first by Native tribes who migrated over from other continents thousands of years ago, then by English-speaking immigrants from European countries who landed in places like Grand Harbour, Toronto, and now by newcomers from Asian countries who are looking to escape their densely populated homelands. If you belong to an ethnic minority and are thinking of moving to Mississauga, here's some data on Mississauga you may find helpful.

Mississauga currently has a population in excess of 900,000, a number which is continually increasing. In fact, in the last twenty years alone, the population has nearly doubled. That's a lot more people looking for real estate and trying to find a job, but the Greater Toronto Area has managed to absorb all of these new people without incident. Newcomers to Mississauga come from other parts of Canada as well as a variety of countries throughout the world. As a result, the city has one of the largest clusters of ethnic groups in the country.

That means no matter what ethnic group you belong to, you can probably find a way to keep in touch with your roots if you move to Mississauga by interacting with other people who have the same roots. Over 20% of the population comes from Southern Asia, 7% from China, 4.6 % from the Philippines and a further 4% from other places in Asia like Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

Asian ethnic groups aren't the only ones represented in the cultural landscape of Mississauga, however. Nearly 10% of the population comes from Italy, while 6.2% traces their roots back to Africa. 2.5% of the population identifies themselves as Arab and a further 2% come from countries in Latin America. There is even a small percentage of the population, .4%, remaining from the area's very first arrivals, the Aboriginal peoples of North America. Some people belonging to a minority choose to live in an enclave with others of their culture, while many others opt to integrate themselves into the Canadian culture by living in lofts, apartments, or suburban homes.

Linguistically there's a lot going on in Mississauga as well. Though the vast majority of people speak English, either as a first language or a supplementary language learned after immigration, over 46% of residents are able to speak a language other than English.