Why do you love your community?

The people of Brampton share what makes their community so great

Words and photography by Nicholas Jones

We love our communities—and we know you do, too. That’s why we decided to hit the streets of the GTA to get the inside scoop on what the locals enjoy most about where they live. We’ll be visiting lots of neighbourhoods in this region—if you see us out and about, say ‘hi!’

First up? Historic downtown Brampton. Did you know that it’s the fourth largest city in Ontario? Still, it’s managed to maintain its small-town charm with its own multicultural milieu. Here’s what makes Brampton so special for the people who live and work there.

Brampton residents Tina and Sidra on main street downtown

“What I love most about the community in Brampton is that it’s multicultural.” – Tina
“It’s the same with me. I lived in Ottawa for a while, and it was very different from how Brampton is. I love it here.” – Sidra

Brampton resident Chaminique on main street downtown

“It’s safe. I love that there are a lot of family-owned businesses I can go to, like great restaurants. I just love it!” – Chaminique

Brampton resident Charlene on main street downtown

“I love the diversity, for one thing, as well as the small-town feel Brampton is still able to have, despite growing to be pretty large. Brampton feels like a hub for me, and it lets me live close to everything. If I want the large-city feel, I can head into Toronto. If I feel like being outdoors, that is close, too.” – Charlene

Brampton resident Monique on main street downtown

“What I like about my community is that it’s multicultural. I also really enjoy the opportunities to give back to the community through volunteering and encourage my children to do the same.” — Monique

Brampton resident Nadine on main street downtown

“Brampton is not pretentious. The ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’: we’re all on the Züm bus together. We’re all in Gage Park, skating together. That’s what I like about the community.” – Nadine

Brampton residents Wendy and Brandon on main street downtown

“I like the transit, it’s really good.” – Brandon
“I like the parks. They’re really pretty!” – Wendy

Brampton resident Jenna on main street downtown

“It’s a close-knit community, and you always see friendly, familiar faces.” – Jenna

Brampton resident Paul on main street downtown

“I like how accessible everything is, and it’s easy to get around.” – Paul

Brampton resident Mankanwar on main street downtown

“From day one when I came here, I didn’t necessarily have to speak English. I could speak whatever language I wanted, and that made me feel more comfortable—like this place was home. This is the thing I really like about this place: I feel like it is a bouquet made up of flowers of every different colour.” – Mankanwar (with intrepid reporter, Nicholas)

Brampton resident Marry on main street downtown

“Brampton is a really small community, so you can have closer connections with the community around you.” –Marry