ST KITTS: Air Canada Now Flying To St Kitts

For the first time in the island’s history, Air Canada will fly to St Kitts for a full six months for the 2018-2019 peak season.

The non-stop Saturday flights from Toronto will operate from November 3, 2018, all the way through April 27, 2019.

This is an unprecendented air service expansion by Air Canada that marks yet another historic first for St Kitts, said Lindsay Grant, minister of tourism, international trade, industry and commerce.

I could not be more pleased to welcome this additional flying, which expands the options for visitors and Diaspora from our key Canadian source market to get to island.

From November 3 through December 10, Air Canada will operate a 136-seat Airbus A319-100 Rouge aircraft with 124 economy class and 12 business class seats for the non-stop Saturday flights.

From December 15, 2018 through April 27, 2019, Air Canada will operate a 200-seat Airbus A321-200 Rouge aircraft with 184 economy class and 16 business class seats for these flights.

Air Canada’s decision to expand service into St Kitts is a testament to the strength of our growing tourism sector, said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St Kitts Tourism Authority.

As our airlift from North America expands to accommodate our recently announced new hotel developments and upgrades to existing hotel product which include all-inclusive options, Canadians now have a full range of vacation choices available.

This is truly is a complement to our existing North American airlift and gives us significantly increased capacity for this season and beyond.

Air Canada first began serving St Kitts non-stop on Fridays in peak season from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 2011 and subsequently shifted to Saturday service.

It is the island’s only non-stop scheduled service from Canada. In previous years, the flight operated from late December through early April.

With the expanded service, St Kitts will receive an additional six weeks of non-stop flying that provides the potential for an increase in Canadian air passenger arrivals.


Tourism Observer

CANADA: Former Air Canada Employees Allege Toxic Work Environment

Targeted by threats and intimidation. Spit in the face. Pushed up against a wall. This was part of the employment experience according to some former Air Canada employees, many of whom worked for the airline for years.

But when they denounced their tormentors, they say the company made their lives difficult.

Four women and one man who were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after their time with Air Canada. Four of them were victims of workplace harassment and were fired while on sick leave.

The fifth was diagnosed following her abrupt dismissal, which she says was unfair.

They worked at Air Canada bases in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario as customer service representatives, flight attendants or baggage handlers.

All of them as well as several other current and past employees contacted described a toxic work environment and an employer more willing to get rid of victims than to defend them.

They don't appear to be isolated cases. Documents obtained through an Access to Information Act request show that the Canadian Human Rights Commission has received 462 complaints from Air Canada employees about discrimination or harassment since 1996.

When KS started as a baggage handler at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2000, she immediately felt that she wasn't welcome. She asked to be identified only by her initials to avoid conflict with ongoing legal proceedings related to her employment case.

There was just this women don't belong here kind of attitude, she said. It's a typical situation when you work in a male-dominated field. But it wasn't too bad, at first. The main thing was sexist comments and being treated differently because you were a woman."

Less than six months after she was hired, she hurt her back carrying an overweight suitcase.

After taking time off work, the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) determined that her accident caused permanent limitations and ruled that she be assigned tasks that were less physically demanding.

From then on, she belonged to the class of disabled workers, called "CL2" internally, or second-class employees, KS explained.

Because of her back problems, she applied for a supervisor position, which requires less physical tasks. She got the job. During her training for the new role, she said that a colleague who had failed the supervisor exam cornered her on the upper deck of a Boeing 747.

The guy had me pinned against the wall and started using very abrasive and crude language and sexually explicit language.

I was scared, she says. He had his forearm across my throat area and basically saying I didn't deserve the position even though I had passed the test.

KS said that she reported the incident to a supervisor, who responded by saying that anyway, women don't belong here.

She said she received this type of response several times when she approached union representatives over the years.

I quickly realized I wasn't going to get any help, she says. I faced a lot of verbal abuse and threats throughout my career for just doing my job.

This was echoed by Susan Sproule, a customer service employee who harassed by two superiors after lodging a complaint about poor workplace health and safety practices in Air Canada's Montreal offices.

It was a personal problem. They didn't like me, she said.

Sproule maintains that she never had any problems with her employer or colleagues during her first 22 years of service with the company.

I was rewarded many times by my employer, she said adamantly, pointing out she was even in charge of training new employees.

Her problems began after she requested that an evacuation plan be implemented for the offices, as required by law, in her role as as union health and safety representative.

She believes that her repeated requests were received particularly poorly because she is a woman. They had a problem with women, said Sproule.

Between 2010 and 2012, the situation deteriorated. Sproule claims one of the managers went so far as to spit in her face.

Air Canada was in the headlines this spring when the union that represents flight attendants filed a complaint with the human rights commission, claiming that the airline's uniform and makeup policies are sexist and discriminatory.

In April, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal heard the case of a former Air Canada pilot, Jane Clegg, who alleges that she was subject to sexism on the job. There is no decision yet in the case.

A report from an independent investigation conducted by Keshill Consulting and commissioned by Air Canada lists several incidents where both of Sproule's bosses intimidated her, and even threatened her with retaliation for things she did in her capacity as a union health and safety representative.

The report states that one of the bosses promised Sproule that he would make life very difficult for her after she filed a complaint with Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to call attention to health and safety issues at the company's Montreal office.

Sproule's other boss allegedly reprimanded her in front of colleagues, because she had initiated an evacuation of their offices due to a high level of carbon monoxide.

According to the report, he told his employees that if they couldn't handle the potentially dangerous gas, maybe they aren't cut out for this job and they should think carefully before leaving the office if they want to have a long career with the company.

The report confirms that Sproule was harassed by both men and was subject to a toxic work environment. It also found that the two bosses threatened and intimidated other employees and one of them made sexual advances to certain female staff.

Both bosses actions are in direct violation of Air Canada's Workplace Harassment policy, said the report. Their acts and behaviours represent intimidation, demeaning and condescending behaviours towards their employees in the workplace.

Air Canada declined to comment on Sproule's case because it is going to arbitration soon.

The company spokesman Tim Fisher said that Air Canada does not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace.

He pointed out that Air Canada has an office that deals with harassment questions. We put in place a reliable system and well-defined procedures that may include consulting with external experts, in case an employee feels they are a victim of harassment or discrimination, he said.

For KS, the harassment worsened over the years. It was an extremely toxic work environment. I was constantly belittled for being a woman and for having physical limitations, she said.

Starting in 2006, degrading and repulsive graffiti targeting women and disabled employees began to appear regularly at her place of work. Our superiors just walked right by it without saying or doing anything, KS recalled.

An investigation report by the WSIB confirmed that the graffiti seemed to target CL2s and that KS had communicated her concerns to colleagues and a supervisor who had seen it.

KS believes the CL2s were blamed for the salary cuts Air Canada employees were forced to agree to after the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003.

"Even the managers pointed to us and told the others, 'That's why your salaries were cut by 20 per cent. There are too many employees faking to be disabled and it's hurting Air Canada. If we could get rid of them, you wouldn't have to take a wage cut,'" she recalled.

Things reached a breaking point in May 2010 when the graffiti turned into a death threat. "They wrote: 'Die, bitch' with my name," said KS, her voice breaking with emotion.

That day, she left on sick leave. She was later diagnosed with PTSD resulting from the incident.

Sproule, KS and another employee who spoke to the press were all fired by Air Canada while on sick leave following their individual workplace harassment experiences.

In all three cases, the company never denied that the harassment described in external investigation reports had taken place, but terminated the victims anyway.

Before going on sick leave, KS had filled out a WSIB claim form and corresponded by email with several supervisors to provide them with the required documents.

Yet, she still received three letters from Air Canada warning that she would be fired if she didn't show up at her next shift.

The claims submitted by both KS and Sproule were eventually accepted. But they never returned to work.

They say Air Canada refused to accommodate the functional limitations granted them respectively by the WSIB and the Quebec Commission for Standards, Equity, and Occupational Health and Safety (CNESST).

Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, an employer has a legal obligation to accommodate disabled employees and under the law, situational depression is considered a disability unless they can demonstrate that such an accommodation would constitute undue hardship.

For example, KS needed to be transferred away from Pearson airport in Toronto on her doctor's orders. I was diagnosed with severe PTSD and I was having panic attacks every time I got close to the airport, she explained.

But Air Canada offered her another position in a hangar at Pearson, arguing that that wasn't part of the airport. WSIB determined that the job wasn't appropriate, so she turned it down.

Air Canada was adamant that it couldn't offer her another role that fit her functional limitations in the Greater Toronto Area, said KS. So she moved to Halifax in the hopes that the airline would be able to find her a new position there.

A few weeks later, the airline did offer her a new job in a call centre in Toronto. This was after they repeatedly told me they would never, ever be able to accommodate me in Toronto outside of Pearson, she recalled, still incredulous six years later.

I fell to pieces and had a nervous breakdown. My doctors decided that I wouldn't ever go back to work for Air Canada because the company wasn't taking their duty to accommodate seriously, she said.

Air Canada officially terminated KS in 2013. Five years later, and eight years after taking sick leave, she is still waiting for her case to be heard by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Sproule also filed a complaint with the human rights commission. It was put on hold as they wait for the results of arbitration that is supposed to take place this summer, but she may be referred to the tribunal if there is no resolution.

Sproule says Air Canada refused to take into consideration two doctors' recommendations that her return to work should be progressive and include medical and psychological follow-up, as well as reconciliation therapy and mediation.

Instead, the company offered her up to three years' salary if she agreed to retire immediately. As a result, her pension would have been reduced by more than half and she would have had to agree to sign non-disclosure agreements and renounce any further legal recourse.

Sproule claims Air Canada also refused to reimburse more than $23,000 in medical expenses related to the workplace harassment.

After refusing the offer, she received a letter ordering her to show up to work the following Monday or face termination. Still suffering from serious panic attacks, she stayed home. Less than a month later, she was fired for failing to report to work without a valid reason.

It's not unheard of for Air Canada employees to be fired while on sick leave. In July 2016, the company sent letters to some 300 employees on sick leave, informing them they would be terminated if they didn't show up to work.

At least three unions filed policy grievances and the terminations were halted, pending the arbitrator's decision. Two years later, the case is still before the courts.

Unifor, which represents approximately 100 members affected by the decision, recently lost its case in arbitration. The Canadian Union of Public Employees and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), who represent other employees, are still waiting for their arbitration.

The arbitrator in Unifor's case determined that Air Canada had the right to terminate the employment of workers who had been on disability leave for more than three years. However, the decision noted that verifications have to be made in each case before the dismissal can be formalized.

Although he describes Air Canada's manoeuvre as pretty odious, the Quebec council chair for Unifor, Benoit Lapointe, believes that the majority of employees affected will fare pretty well despite it all because many of them would be entitled to an early retirement package.

It seams that the unions who are supposed to represent them were far from proactive in defending their interests.

Sproule said that Unifor filed no complaint on her behalf before April 2016, almost four years to the day when she submitted her first official complaint to Air Canada's human resources department.

They should have filed a complaint in conjunction with my official complaint; that's their duty, she said of Unifor. Not doing so goes against our collective agreement.

However, an email sent by Lapointe, her union representative at the time, implied that a complaint was about to be sent in.

I too am fed up of waiting for the company and will file a grievance at the beginning of next week if nothing happens in the meantime, Lapointe wrote on Sept. 21, 2012.

Almost four years later, in April 2016, an official grievance alleged that Air Canada violated the Canadian Human Rights Act, as well as the collective agreement, by not attempting to accommodate the return to work of the grievor."

Lapointe says that if Sproule mistakenly believed a grievance had been filed earlier, it's because she doesn't remember what happened at the time very well."

We did talk about filing a grievance, he confirmed. But we didn't need to do it, because a resolution was reached.

He noted that Air Canada agreed to have an external investigator review the case, pointing out that people on the management side lost their jobs. Therefore, the union did not believe a grievance was necessary.

I don't want to go into details, but there was a favourable resolution for Ms. Sproule, said Lapointe.

He also said that Unifor provided Sproule with a litigator free of charge, so she could obtain the CNESST benefits she was entitled to. The union is under no obligation to do that, Lapointe added.

"I understand that Ms. Sproule has some frustration, of course, because what happened to her is deplorable. But to say that Unifor let her down is absolutely wrong. We've been here since the start.

Lapointe thinks Sproule's perception of her union's work is clouded.

I've had to deal with difficult cases in my career, and Ms. Sproule's is one of them. Unfortunately, they are cases where these people have suffered tremendously. And sometimes, they are in a state where they are a bit disconnected from reality and might not see the full picture.

Unifor also took a long time filing a complaint to defend Johanne, whose story is a little different from the others.

The 28 years she worked at Air Canada were happy ones. She liked her work, and she had a passion for customer service, according to a recommendation letter written by a former boss.

She proudly kept all the thank you notes she had received from passengers over the course of her career.

In 28 years, I received no complaints, not a single one. I wouldn't say I was a perfect attendant, because no one is perfect.

But 98 per cent of the time, I was pretty perfect, Johanne said.

Then one event turned her life upside down.

One day when the workload was especially demanding, she remembered, an Air Canada pilot got upset with her after an incident with a group of passengers.

A misunderstanding over a lost stroller turned into an altercation. The group accused Johanne of hitting one of the passengers with her radio, which she denies. She claimed that she had to file a police complaint because one of the female passengers had grabbed her arm.

The pilot, who Johanne claims did not witness the actual incident, apparently threatened to report her behaviour to Air Canada's security department, and subsequently supported the passengers' version of events.

The next day, Johanne was suspended, pending an investigation. Two weeks later, she received a letter of termination.

The news sent her into a deep depression and she was diagnosed with PTSD. I was unable to understand what was happening to me, she remembered, in tears.

She said that neither her union nor the company took into account a video captured by airport security cameras that, in her view, proved that the pilot lied about Johanne's behaviour during the incident.

I later learned that the pilot was a friend of one of the Air Canada vice-presidents, she said.

The events surrounding her suspension and termination are troubling. She believes that Air Canada railroaded her to please a friend of a vice-president.

She claims that her union, Unifor, acted in bad faith and did not defend her the way they are supposed to under Article 47.2 of the Labour Code.

First, the union did not file a complaint when she was suspended, and several clauses of the collective agreement seem to have been ignored. Johanne said she was never informed in writing that her suspension was subject to termination.

She was suspended for two weeks, even though the collective agreement allows for a maximum of three business days, at most, for a suspension pending investigation. The first complaint was filed after her termination.

Without referring to Johanne's case, Lapointe explained that Unifor doesn't always file a grievance when suspensions last longer than the three-day limit, as long as employees continue to be paid.

Johanne's termination letter is dated the day after she was suspended, when no investigation could have possibly taken place because Air Canada did not yet have access to the video. Her union representative brushed it off as - a typo.

She said she saw her perfect employee record in the union office on the day she was fired.

During arbitration, a boss claimed I had had five meetings throughout my career due to complaints. That never happened! I've never had any complaints! Johanne said emphatically.

In the weeks following her termination, she claims that her union actually adopted the company's view about her being a problem employee.

She also blames the union for botching the arbitration by failing to call any witnesses who could have spoken in her defence, and for not submitting the video of the incident as evidence.

Mistakes or deliberate actions? If Sproule prefers giving the benefit of the doubt to her union, Johanne's answer is unequivocal: Unifor is in Air Canada's pocket. They are in collusion.

We are most certainly not conniving with Air Canada, said Lapointe, stressing that Unifor aims to work for its members' interests. We are familiar with Air Canada's arrogance and we know what lack of justice often pervades that company.

KS, represented by IAMAW, shares Johanne's opinion of her own union's efforts.

I spoke to my union several times. They answered that nothing could be done because the union didn't deal with harassment, she said. My union local was, in my opinion, as corrupt as Air Canada."

Fred Hospes, president of IAMAW District 140, countered that the union does, in fact, deal with cases of harassment.

The IAMAW takes harassment seriously and supports its members in obtaining medical benefits it has negotiated on their behalf, Fred Hospes says.

He confirmed that at least one grievance related to harassment of CL2 employees at Toronto Pearson airport had been filed, but declined to give any further details.

Sproule and KS both say that their problems could have been avoided if the company had taken their harassment complaints seriously.

When Air Canada received the results of Keshill Consulting's independent investigation, on July 26, 2012, they could have said to me, Sue, we're sorry. We made a mistake, we trusted the wrong people. I would have gone back to work the next week and it would have been over, said Sproule.

All Air Canada needed to do was identify those responsible for harassing me. They could have installed a camera and identified the people making the graffiti, said KS. Why was I fired when I was the victim?


Tourism Observer

CANADA: Mississauga Is A Populous City And Fairly Safe, But Muggings Can Sometimes Happen

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

Mississauga is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, bordering Toronto.

With a population of 721,599 as of the 2016 census, Mississauga is the sixth-most populous municipality in Canada, third-most in Ontario, and second-most in the Greater Toronto Area.

It is also one of the most populous suburbs in the world outside of Asia.

The growth of Mississauga is attributed to its proximity to Toronto. During the latter-half of the 20th century, the city attracted a multicultural population and built-up a thriving central business district.

It is home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's busiest airport, as well as the headquarters of many Canadian and multinational corporations. Residents of the city are called Mississaugans or Saugans

Mississauga covers 288.42 square kilometres (111.36 sq mi) of land, fronting 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of shoreline on Lake Ontario.

Mississauga is bounded by Oakville and Milton to the west/southwest, Brampton to the north, Toronto to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south/south-east.

Halton Hills borders Mississauga's north-west corner. With the exception of the southeast border with Toronto (Etobicoke Creek), Mississauga shares a land border with all previously mentioned municipalities.

Two major river valleys feed into the lake. The Credit River is by far the longest with the heaviest flow, it divides the western side of Mississauga from the central/eastern portions and enters the lake at the Port Credit harbour.

The indented, mostly forested valley was inhabited by first nation peoples long before European exploration of the area. The valley is protected and maintained by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVCA).

Etobicoke Creek forms part of the eastern border of Mississauga with the city of Toronto. North of there it passes through the western limits of Pearson Airport.

There have been two aviation accidents, in 1978 and 2005 where aircraft overshot the runaway and slid into the Etobicoke creek banks.

In 1954, heavy flooding resulted in some homes along the riverbank being swept into the lake after heavy rains from Hurricane Hazel. Since that storm, houses are no longer constructed along the floodplain.

The creek and its tributaries are administered by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

Most land in Mississauga drains to either of the two main river systems, with the exception of the smaller Mary Fix and Cooksville Creeks which run roughly through the center of Mississauga entering the lake near Port Credit.

Some small streams and reservoirs are part of the Sixteen Mile Creek system in the far north-west corner of the city, but these drain toward the lake in neighbouring Milton and Oakville.

The shoreline of former Glacial Lake Iroquois roughly follows the Dundas Street alignment, although it is not noticeable in some places but is more prominent in others, such as the site of the former brickyard Shoreline Dr. near Mavis Rd.

The ancient shoreline promenteau affords a clear view of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario on clear days.

The land in Mississauga in ranges from a maximum elevation of 214 m (699 ft) ASL in the far western corner, near the Hwy. 407/401 junction, to a minimum elevation at the Lake Ontario shore of 76 m (249 ft) ASL.

Apart from the embankments of Credit River valley, it tributaries and the Iroquois shoreline, the only noticeable hills in Mississauga are actually part of the former Britannia Landfill, now a golf course on Terry Fox Way.

Mississauga's climate is considered to be moderate, and is located in plant hardiness zone 6b. Mississauga has a humid continental climate.Summers can bring periods of high temperatures accompanied with high humidity.

While the average daily high temperature in July and August is 27 °C (80.6 °F), temperatures can rise above 32 °C (89.6 °F). In an average summer, there are an average of 15.8 days where the temperature rises above 30 °C (86.0 °F).

Winters can be cold with temperatures that are frequently below freezing. In January and February, the mean temperature is −6 °C (21.2 °F) although it is common for temperatures to fall to −15 °C (5.0 °F).

In an average winter, there are an average of 3.9 days where the temperature falls below −20 °C (−4.0 °F).

Occasionally, there can be brief periods of warmer weather during the winter season. Compared to the rest of Canada and Ontario, the amount of snowfall received during the season is relatively low.

On average, Mississauga receives 108.5 centimetres (42.7 in) of snow per year and there are 44.4 days with measurable snowfall.

The climate of Mississauga is officially represented by Pearson International Airport but because of its topography and large surface area conditions can differ depending on location.

Fog tends to be more common along the lakeshore and in the Credit River Valley at certain times of year, particularly during the spring and autumn.

During snowfalls when temperatures hover close to freezing, northern parts of the city, such as around Derry Road away from warmer Lake Ontario usually get more snow that sticks to the ground because of the lower temperatures.

The reverse occurs when a strong storm approaches from the south kicking up lake effect snow, bringing higher snowfall totals to south Mississauga.

The city usually experiences 6 months of snow free weather however there is the odd occurrence where snow does fall either in October or May.

The Port Credit and Lakeview areas have a micro-climate more affected by the proximity of the open lake, warming winter temperatures as a result but it can be sharply cooler on spring and summer afternoons, this can also be the case in Clarkson, but with much less consistency.

Most thunderstorms are not severe but can occasionally bring violent winds.

The last known tornado to cause significant damage touched down on 7 July 1985, when an F1 rated tornado struck an industrial park in the Meadowvale area on Argentia Road, heavily damaging some buildings and some parked tractor trailers.

A relatively strong tornado tore a path across Mississauga then part of Toronto Township on 24 June 1923, cutting a swath from present-day Meadowvale to near Cooksville, killing 4 people and causing massive property damage in a time when most of Mississauga was still rural farmland dotted with fruit orchards.

Mississauga has many different neighbourhoods including the incorporated townships. There are 23 neighbourhoods in Mississauga.

- Applewood

- Central Erin Mills

- Churchill Meadows

- Credit Valley

- Clarkson/Lorne Park

- Cooksville

- East Credit

- Erindale

- Fairview

- Hurontario

- Lakeview

- Lisgar

- Malton

- Meadowvale

- Meadowvale Village

- Mineola

- Mississauga Valleys

- Port Credit

- Rathwood

- Sheridan

- Streetsville

Mississauga was a fast-growing city until 2016 when the population growth rate fell below the national average. It is also multicultural city with 57.15% of the city's population identified as visible minorities.

Statistics Canada estimates that Mississauga now has 734,000 people,an increase of 150,000 from the previous decade and the population has roughly doubled in the past twenty-five years.

Also, the Regional Municipality of Peel estimates that as of 2016, the city of Mississauga has a population of 758,000, based on the Canada 2006 Census which as of the Canada 2016 Census, is about 27,000 over expected.

Mississauga is now the third most populous city on the Great Lakes; far smaller than Chicago and Toronto, but recently surpassing the cities proper of Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cleveland.

About 52% of the population speaks a language other than English, and 52.4% of the population are members of a visible minority - non-white or non-aboriginal.

18% of the population is under 14 years of age, compared to those of retirement age; 8.51%. The median (middle) age in Mississauga is 35.0.

Christianity is the majority faith of the city. The 2011 census indicated that 59.9% of the population are adherents, with Catholics constituting 36.9%, while the remaining 23.0% belong to various Protestant, Orthodox Christian, and other Christian groups.

Other practiced faiths were Islam (11.9%), Hinduism (7.0%) Sikhism (3.4%), Buddhism (2.2%), and Judaism (0.3%). Those who claimed no religious affiliation made up 14.9% of the population.

The 2011 census found that English was spoken as single mother tongue by 47.6% of the population. The next most common languages were Urdu (4.9%), Polish (4.1%), Punjabi (3.2%), Arabic (3.1%), Tagalog (2.8%), and Portuguese (2.5%).

Over 60 of the Fortune 500 companies base their Global or Canadian Head Offices in Mississauga. Some of the strongest industries are pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, electronics and computers, Aerospace, transportation parts and equipment industries.

TD Bank also has Corporate IT development centres in the city along with Royal Bank of Canada. Laura Secord Chocolates is headquartered in the city, and Hewlett Packard's main Canada offices are also in Mississauga.

Air Georgian, a regional airline, is headquartered in Mississauga as well. Air Canada Jazz operates a regional office in Mississauga and Kam Air has its North American office in Mississauga.

Mississauga is also an aircraft development hub with Canadian headquarters of Aerospace companies such as Magellan Aerospace and Honeywell Aerospace.

In addition Walmart Canada, Kellogg's Canada, Panasonic Canada, Esprida and NetSuite have their Canadian head offices in the city.

Mississauga has a growing arts community, which is promoted by the Mississauga Arts Council, which holds an annual awards ceremony, called the MARTYs, to celebrate the city's artists, filmmakers, writers and musicians.

Mississauga's largest festivities such as Canada Day Celebration, Mississauga Rotary Ribfest, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and New Years' Eve Bash generally occur in Celebration Square.

The Canada Day celebration was attended by 130,000 people in 2012, the Ribfest has recorded 120,000 visitors in 2012, and the inaugural New Years' Eve in 2011 has attracted 30,000 spectators.

One of the most anticipated events in the city is Carassauga, a festival of cultures that occurs annually during mid-May. It is the second largest cultural festival in Canada.

During 2013, 4014 performances took place and 300,000 people attended. Carassauga attempts to display the different cultures around the world by setting up pavilions for countries around Mississauga.

Visitors get free public transportation with their ticket to tour the city and explore the different pavilions. Various countries showcase their culture through food stalls, dance performances and small vendors.

The event largely takes place in the Hershey Centre, where an outdoor stage is set up amidst many tiny pavilions. Other venues include the Tomken Twin Arena, the Canadian Coptic Centre and the Frank McKechnie Community Centre.

There are also culture-specific festivals held in Celebration Square.

Here Fiesta Ng Kalayaan for the Philippines, Viet Summerfest for Vietnam, Muslimfest for the city's Muslim community, and Mosaic Festival, which is the largest South Asian multi-disciplinary arts festival in North America.

The village of Streetsville holds its annual Bread and Honey Festival every first weekend of June at Streetsville Memorial Park to commemorate the founding of the village of Streetsville.

The festival has been incorporated in 1974, in response to amalgamation with the city of Mississauga. Activities include the Bread and Honey Race, which raises money for charities and local hospitals.

It also has its own annual Canada Day celebrations, which are also held at Streetsville Memorial Park.

Another former town, Port Credit, Ontario holds multiple festivals throughout the year. During the summer, there are street performances on multiple venues scattered throughout the former town during Buskerfest.

The town also holds a grand parade named - Paint the Town Red - during Canada Day. Finally, during August, the town holds the Mississauga Waterfront Festival, which includes concerts as well as family activities.

During September, the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle is being held to celebrate the town's Blues and Jazz Festival, which includes musical performances from local blues and jazz artists.

The community of Malton, which contains a significant number of Sikhs, holds its annual Khalsa Day parade, marching between Sri Guru Singh Sabha or Malton Gurdwara and Sikh Spiritual Centre - Rexdale Gurdwara Sahib, in Toronto. This parade is attended by 100,000 people.

Mississauga has a significant number of Jews, with active community classes, cultural activities and holiday celebrations.

In 2006, with the help of Project for Public Spaces, the city started hosting - My Mississauga - summer festivities at its Civic Square. Mississauga planned over 60 free events to bring more people to the city square.

The square was transformed and included a movable stage, a snack bar, extra seating, and sports and gaming facilities, basketball nets, hockey arena, chess and checker boards including a skate park.

Some of the events included Senior's day on Tuesday, Family day on Wednesday, Vintage car Thursdays, with the main events being the Canada Day celebration, Rotary Ribfest, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Beachfest.

Civic Square has completed its restructuring project using federal stimulus money, which features a permanent stage, a larger ice rink which also serves as a fountain and wading pool during the summer season, media screens, and a permanent restaurant.

It officially reopened at 22 June 2011 and has since been renamed as Mississauga Celebration Square. More events have been added such as holding free outdoor live concerts, and live telecast of UEFA European Football Championship.

The square also holds weekly programming such as fitness classes, amphitheatre performances and movie nights during the summer, children's activities during spring and fall, and skate parties during the winter.

The opening of the square has also allowed the city to hold its first annual New Years' Eve celebration in 2011.

The upper and lower parts of the square used to be separated by a segment of City Centre Drive.

However, pedestrian safety issues and commitment to building a vibrant downtown led the city council to permanently close this segment, uniting the upper and lower parts of the square.

In October 2012, the square had attracted its one millionth visitor.

The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is a public, not-for-profit art gallery located in the Mississauga Civic Centre right on Celebration Square across from the Living Arts Centre and Square One Shopping Centre.

AGM is sponsored by the City of Mississauga, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council.

The art gallery offers free admission and tours and is open everyday. AGM has over 500 copies and is working on creating a digital gallery led by gallery assistant Aaron Guravich.

Mississauga also boasts one of the largest shopping malls in Canada called Square One Shopping Centre, located at the City Centre. It has 350+ retail stores and services and attracts 24 million annual visits.

It is operating on most holidays, apart from Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, making it the only shopping mall in the city and one of the few in the Greater Toronto Area that do so.

The mall is surrounded by several bars and restaurants, as well as the City Hall, the Central Library, and Playdium.

Erin Mills Town Centre, the second largest mall in Mississauga. It is located at the western edge of the city, near Eglinton Avenue at Erin Mills Parkway.

The mall used to be notable by a clock tower placed in the center of the building. As its successor, the clock has been replaced with an iconic glass sphere 283 feet in circumference, as a part of the mall's $100 million redevelopment project.

The mall also used to have a movie theatre, a mini-golf course, and a daycare centre, all of which were converted to retail space

Located at the southeastern corner of the city is the Dixie Outlet Mall, which is Canada's largest enclosed outlet mall.

It opened in 1956, making it Mississauga's first shopping mall, even though the city at that time was still known as Toronto Township, Ontario. Many factory outlets of premium brands are located in this mall.

As a supporter of Bullfrog Power, it operates using 100% renewable energy. Heartland Town Centre is an unenclosed outlet mall with 180 stores and restaurants.

A flea market, the Fantastic Flea Market, is Mississauga's oldest flea market, which opened in 1976.

Erin Mills Town Centre and Dixie Outlet Mall are both closed for most holidays, except for Civic Holiday.

Toronto's Pearson International Airport is the main regional airport serving Canada's largest city, as a result it is reasonably well served by flights from cities across Canada as well as many American cities and several European, Asian, Latin American, African and Oceanian cities.

The Airport is a short taxi ride from anywhere in Mississauga.Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority in the northeastern part of the city, is the largest and busiest airport in Canada.

In 2015, it handled 41,036,847 passengers and 443,958 aircraft movements.It is a major North American global gateway, handling more international passengers than any airport in North America other than John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Pearson is the main hub for Air Canada, and a hub for passenger airline WestJet and cargo airline FedEx Express. It is served by over 75 airlines having over 180 destinations.

Mississauga is served by 4 major expressways.

The 401 links Mississauga with Windsor, Detroit and beyond in the West direction, and Kingston, Ottawa, and Quebec in the East direction.

The 403 links to Hamilton and Niagara Falls in the west, and connects with the 401 and 410. The 410 leads to Brampton in the North.

The QEW links Mississauga with the Gardiner Expressway and downtown Toronto in the east, and connects with the 403 in the west.

The 407 is an East-West toll route running parallel with the 401.

Mississauga is reasonably accessible from Toronto by transit. GO Transit runs trains during rush hour and buses the rest of the day from various terminals in Toronto to several stations in Mississauga.

Square One shopping centre contains the main bus terminal for the city, it is regularly served by GO buses as well as local Mississauga Transit buses.

MiWay is operated by the City of Mississauga. Because of the lack of urban planning in its early years, the city has become too spread out, causing it to be difficult to traverse without a personal car.

As a result, the transit system is still used, yet the routes are somewhat infrequent, waiting times are typically 15 to 45 minutes on week days, and some bus routes are only offered exclusively on week days.

In an effort to increase their number of passengers however, Mississauga has put in major efforts to improve the system, including their Clicknride web page, which plans out the most appropriate trip for the rider as well.

As of April 27, 2015, a ride on a Mississauga Transit bus costs $3.50, and transfers for free entry onto buses within the following one and a half hour since the beginning of the route must be requested when you are paying.

Transfers can also be used for discounts on other public transportation systems in adjacent areas.

The transit system operates two types of services:

MiWay Local which can be recognized by the orange/white bus livery. This operates like the old Mississauga Transit using most of the same routes with new routes being added as more areas of the city get developed.

The current fleet of buses are being replaced with newer hybrid-electric buses.

MiWay Express which can be recognized by the blue/white bus livery. All express routes except Routes 107,109, and 110 operate only during weekday morning and evening rush hours.

These buses travel on expressways and major thoroughfares making a limited number of stops at designated bus stops. Buses are equipped with reading lights and power outlets at each seat.

Route 110 runs throughout the day each day including weekends and holidays. Routes 107 and 109 also operate on Saturdays except holidays.

A 12-station busway similar to Ottawa's transitway is being built along Highway 403 from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Renforth Drive via the City Centre.

This will provide faster service for passengers by cutting commuting times by as much as half. The first phase of the bus rapid transit project has been completed with stations at Central Parkway, Cawthra, Tomken, and Dixie.

The remaining east to Renforth and west to Winston Churchill sections were completed in 2016.

Toronto Transit Commision (TTC) services some of the east end of the city near the Toronto boundary.

Oakville Transit services some of the west end of the city near the Oakville boundary.

Blue & White Taxi

Golden City Taxi

In 2010, the City of Mississauga approved a Cycling Master Plan outlining a strategy to develop over 900 kilometres (560 miles) of on and off-road cycling routes in the city over the next 20 years.

Over 1,000 Mississauga citizens and stakeholders contributed their thoughts and ideas to help develop this plan.

The plan focuses on fostering cycling as a way of life in the city, building an integrated network of cycling routes and aims to adopt a safety first approach to cycling.

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/Bluefest.

Nice Marina and walking paths at the Credit River entrance and along the lakeshore.

Streetsville. This small village is where the renowned mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, resides. 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.

Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM), 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga Civic Centre, Ground Floor.. Monday-Wednesday, Friday 10am-5pm; Thursday 10am-8pm; Weekends 12pm-4pm.

The AGM has over 3000 square feet divided into four gallery spaces, and programmes approximately 10 exhibitions a year of national and international contemporary art. Free.

Parks. Mississauga has over 350 parks of various sizes. Many small parkettes with trees and park benches form green spaces in busy neighbourhoods.

Other large sports parks feature baseball diamonds, tennis courts, soccer and football fields. There is also an authentic Japanese park right in the City Centre as well as 9 picnic parks, many of them offering barbeque facilities.

Wahoosh Falls. To get a sample of the nearby Hamilton waterfalls concentration, head down the ravine at Burnhamthorpe Rd W and Mississauga Rd. A miniature 10ft waterfall is a fair reward after a healthy urban hike.

Playdium A large video arcade that also has wall climbing and go-karting. Some nights you are able to pay a flat fee for three hours of arcade gaming.

Golf. Mississauga features two primary golf courses: The BraeBen Golf Course and The Lakeview Golf Course. The Lakeview features an 18-Hole course, while The BraeBen features a 9 and 18-hole championship course.

Hershey Centre. A sports and entertainment facility which has staged numerous high profile events including regional, provincial, national and world hockey championships, Skate Canada, and concerts.

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.

Scooter's Roller Palace. Just south of the Clarkson GO station, this is a popular option for families and teenagers. Skate rentals available.

West 50 is good for a selection of more than 100 beers on tab.

Square One, Ontario's largest mall.

Erin Mills Town Centre

Heartland Town Centre, a shopping complex located in the eastern part of the city mostly consisting of big box stores.

Old Credit Brewery, 6 Queen St. W. Tel:905-2719888, Open 10-19, Excellent small brewery that sells an ale and a pilsner.

Dixie Outlet Mall

Streetsville. Small shops along Queen Street including accessories for home and garden and vintage clothing.

Starsky Fine Foods, 2040 Dundas St. East, Second location at 3115 Dundas St. West. A bustling local Polish supermarket chain with top quality yet affordable deli meats, cheese and desserts.

Buy Houses for Sale in Mississauga, 30 Eglinton Ave West. Buy Houses for Sale in Mississauga Ontario located in various areas of the city near schools, amenities, transit and shopping.

Axia Restaurant and Bar, 5045 Plantation Place, along Eglinton Ave W near Erin Mills. In the community of Erin Mills. A nicely designed ambient place with fully authentic Asian food being produced from separate kitchens.

Specializes in Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine. Mains $15-20, appetizers $5-10. Fully liquor licensed with unique flavoured Korean soju and alcoholic bubble tea. A must for any Asian food lover and enough variety to last countless visits.

Nirvana, 35 Brunnel Road in the north end of Mississauga close to Brampton. the Flavors of India. Slightly upscale Indian restaurant . It is a friendly place with great food.

Moxie's Classic Grill. Locations in Meadowvale and Square One.

Richtree Market Restaurant. Located in Square One, this market-style restaurant allows you to see your food being freshly made throughout the day. Offers a nice ambiance in the middle of an otherwise hectic area.

The Apricot Tree Cafe, 1900 Dundas St. W., Mississauga, ON The Apricot Tree is on Dundas St. between the Erin Mills Pkwy and Mississauga Rd. Monday 10am-9pm, Tuesday-Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm, closed Sunday.

Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, with a wide range of excellent pastries and cakes for dessert. Features an open kitchen design which allows guests to watch their order being prepared.

Breakfast average $8; lunch mains average $11; dinner mains average $17.

West 50, 50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. The Sussex Centre. Mo-Th: 11am-1am,Fr: 11am-2am, sa:4pm-2am, Su:5pm-2am.

Excellent steaks, salads and desserts. Stylish interior with a huge stainless steel bar on the inside and two rings of tables at different levels around it.

They have more than 100 beers from around Canada and the rest of the world on tap, try a 6-beer sampler menu if cannot decide $20 for mains.

Master Steaks, 5895 Dixie Road, three lights north of the 401. open late. This is about the cheapest place in Mississauga where you can get a steak dinner for less than $20. Portions are very generous for the price.

Atmosphere is somewhat reminiscent of a 70's 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.

Bistro Narra, 3030 Thomas Street, Unit A404, West of Winston Churchill Blvd. Sister restaurant of Apricot Tree. Wonderful bistro-style food, with great desserts.

Especially check out the Prix Fixe and Crepe Fest menus at both restaurants when they are available. Lunch $10-18. Dinner starts at $15.

Arkady Bistro Cafe, 3631 Dixie Rd near Burnhamthorpe. Great Polish cafe that serve generous portions. Excellent mains and salads. Website is in Polish. $11-30.

Song Cook's, 1310 Dundas St E west of Dixie Rd. Mississauga location of a local Korean restaurant chain. Hearty Korean stews and dishes. Great lunch and group specials.

Man Doo Hyang, 169 Dundas St E near Kirwin Ave. Another local Korean chain restaurant. Specializes in dumplings, and has delicious tabletop cooking, including family-sized stews and barbecued meats.

Lucy's Seafood Kitchen, 6905 Millcreek Drive, Unit 8. Cajun-style seafood restaurant, serving lunch and dinner. Friendly, casual atmosphere, with great seafood entrees. Check out their Southern-style desserts as well.

Drink and Club in Mississauga City

&Company, 295 Enfield Place, andcompany.ca. Upscale nightclub in Mississauga City Centre featuring world-class DJ's. Strict dress code which is stylish and sophisticated enforced.

&Company is open Wednesday-Saturday 6pm-2am. Seasonal rooftop bar and patio. Bottle service available.

Blue Suede Sue's, 75 Watline Avenue, Top 40, Hip-hop, R & B, Dance. Open Thursday, Friday Ladies' night, and Saturday nights.

My Apartment Two locations is one in Mississauga and one in Oakville now called Rehab bordering Mississauga.

Sugar Daddy's, 5165 Dixie Road, 4 lights south of the 401, Mississauga. Established in 2003. Club MC is Slick Vic, with DJ Constantine.

Capitol Singles' Dance, Capitol Banquet Centre, 6435 Dixie Road, 4 lights north of the 401, Mississauga. Every Friday night from 7:00pm till 1:00am.

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 50's to the 90's as well as country, swing, waltz, polka, and latin favourites.

She also gladly takes requests. Admission is $15 as conditions apply and includes a buffet dinner served 7:30 till 9:30. Dress code, no jeans or sneakers. Cash bar. Draw and spot dances. Ample free parking.

Accomodations in Mississauga

The Waterside Inn, 15 Stavebank Road South. Waterfront hotel located in Port Credit. Uniquely decorated and furnished guest suites. Wifi, restaurant, and conference rooms.

Novotel Toronto Mississauga, 3670 Hurontario Street. The Novotel Toronto Mississauga is located 25 min from the centre of Toronto and 18 km from Pearson International Airport. 325 Rooms, Wifi, and a restaurant.

Hilton Garden Inn - Toronto/Mississauga, 100 Traders Boulevard. checkin: 3:00PM; checkout: 12:00PM. Guest rooms selected at check-in featuring single or double beds. Free complementary parking, no pets allowed.

Best Western Plus Toronto Airport Hotel, 5825 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Toronto, Ontario L4W 1E8. Complimentary airport shuttle & overnight parking, meeting and banquet fascilities, indoor heated pool, whirlpool, sauna, suites available.

Comfort Inn Airport West Mississauga, 1500 Matheson Blvd. East, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 3Z4. checkin: 2:00 p.m.; checkout: 11:00 a.m.. Complimentary 24 hour airport shuttle, free ample parking, meeting facility, suites and renovated rooms available.

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:

Mississauga Fire - 905-615-3777 Peel Paramedic Services - 1-800-668-7821 Peel Regional Police - 905-453-3311

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

Do not wait to go to Mississauga.


Tourism Observer

CANADA: Sunwing Airlines

Sunwing Airlines Inc. is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Sunwing Airlines offers scheduled and charter services from Canada and the United States to destinations within the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America, and domestic services across Canada during the summer months.

Its main Canadian bases are at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Vancouver International Airport however it also operates seasonal flight services from over 30 local Canadian gateways. The airline is a subsidiary of Sunwing Travel Group.

Sunwing Vacations started its in-house airline in March 2015 using Boeing 737-800s to operate non domestic flights and flights from Canada to the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean. Since then, its president is Mark Williams, who had been president of Skyservice and had worked with Wardair and Canadian Airlines.

On September 29, 2005 Sunwing Airlines' parent company, Sunwing Travel Group, acquired Signature Vacations and SellOffVacations, and subsequently signed a partnership deal with TUI Group which acquired 49% of Sunwing Travel and a 25% voting interest in the venture. As part of the Sunwing Travel Group, Sunwing Airlines was named one of Canada's 100 fastest growing companies by the magazine Profit 100 for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In early 2015 it was announced that Sunwing had finalised a deal to acquire two Boeing 737-800 and four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Air Lease Corporation in a $350m contract. The aircraft are due to be delivered over a four-year period from early 2016. In December 2015, parent company Sunwing Travel Group also acquired Caribbean Nexus Tours (now known as NexusTours), a ground handler and incoming tour operator in the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

Sunwing began operating summer charter flights between Canada and European destinations during the summer of 2015. Two of the Boeing 737-800ER are leased to Thomson Airways, which are based at Dublin Airport and Belfast International Airport. Two Boeing 767-300ERs were leased from EuroAtlantic Airways for these services, which connected Toronto to Lisbon, London, Paris, Dublin, Rome, Porto and Amsterdam, and connected Montreal to Paris.

In the summer of 2015, Glasgow and Barcelona were added to the list of European destinations. Since then, all flights from Montreal to Paris have been operated in partnership with sister company Corsairfly. As of 2015 Sunwing Airlines offers seasonal flights from Toronto and Amsterdam operated by Arkefly in addition to the Paris to Montreal service.

In January 2016 Sunwing Travel Group announced the 100% acquisition of United States-based Vacation Express.

Sunwing Airlines flies to a range of vacation destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba, Central and South America including Varadero, Playa Santa Lucia in Camaguey, Punta Cana, Cancun and Montego Bay. Sunwing Airlines also flies regularly to destinations within the United States, including Orlando and Las Vegas.

During the summer months the airlines services destinations including Cancun, Grand Bahama and Punta Cana from its bases in the United States. As of summer 2015 the airline operated services from Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Nashville, New Orleans, Newark, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. In Canada, the airline operates several domestic routes, including Toronto to Vancouver. Other connections include Stephenville, Gander and St John's from Toronto.

As of summer 2015, there were also regular flights between Montreal and Paris operated by Corsair, and between Toronto and Amsterdam operated by TUI Airlines Netherlands. Sunwing Airlines has codeshare agreements with the Dutch airline TUI Airlines Netherlands on their Summer Boeing-787 Dreamliner service between Toronto and Amsterdam.