Mississauga is the sixth largest city in the country with a population of 720 thousand, of which only 73 thousand are ethnic Canadians. There are few Russians here, according to official data only 7.5 thousand, but sometimes you can hear Russian speech on the streets.

The city center consists of several dozen high-rises, a shopping mall, and a city square, while the rest of the area is occupied by private homes and parks. In the parks and on the streets, you can encounter squirrels, rabbits, geese, chipmunks, otters, skunks, raccoons, and other wild animals that no one bothers.

Olga Ryba, a former resident of Russia, shares her experience of living in Mississauga: "We moved to Canada on a work visa sponsored by my husband's employer. This visa allows working only for one employer. As a spouse, I have a work permit that allows me to work for any company. I just started looking for my first job in Canada and can say that it is more difficult than in Russia. Out of 100 resumes sent, I received just over 10 responses, and only a few led to interviews. They say this is common. Good apartments are taken very quickly. We didn't even manage to see a studio in downtown Mississauga for 1700 CAD (87,002 RUB); it was rented on the day the ad was published. The realtor explained that people come with documents to immediately apply for rent. An immigrant without a credit history and references seems like an unreliable tenant, so you need to be ready to offer a deposit for several months or pay more than stated in the ad. We had to pay $100 more per month and immediately pay for three months. Canadians speak with a clear accent, at an average pace, and articulate clearly. Due to the large number of newcomers, no one is surprised by an accent or small mistakes in the language. People are patient and always ready to repeat or rephrase if they are not understood. When they find out that I am Russian, they often try to remember Russian words. Most often they know "hello," "yes," and "please," and one guy even knew the word "ice cream." In Canada, as in any country, there are pros and cons. Pros: high standard of living, ethnic and cultural diversity, tolerance. Cons: low salaries with a high cost of living, imperfect free healthcare, expensive education, and a northern climate."