Square One Shopping Centre
A major shopping centre in Mississauga, Ontario, and one of Canada's largest enclosed retail complexes.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Square One Shopping Centre is a large enclosed shopping centre in Mississauga, Ontario, situated in the city's central business and civic district near the intersection of Highway 403 and Hurontario Street. Since opening to the public in 1973, it has developed from a conventional suburban mall into a broad retail, dining, entertainment, and transportation destination serving Mississauga and the wider Greater Toronto Area. The centre was excavated beginning in 1969 and opened with four principal anchor tenants: Woolco, Simpson-Sears, The Bay, and Dominion. Its retail mix has changed repeatedly as Canadian department-store chains and international brands entered, consolidated, or withdrew from the market. The late 1990s and early 2000s brought the Cityside expansion, while the 2010s saw substantial redevelopment associated with the departures and replacements of Zellers, Sears Canada, Target Canada, and other tenants. Square One's modern format includes hundreds of stores and services, large-scale fashion and specialty retail, restaurants, food-hall concepts, entertainment, and department-store anchors. Major additions during the 2010s included a Grand Centre Court concept, a south expansion containing Holt Renfrew and other retailers, and a west expansion that introduced brands such as Uniqlo, The Rec Room, and The Food District. The Food District added a locally oriented food-emporium component to the centre's traditional food-court and restaurant offering. The mall is closely integrated with Mississauga City Centre. It is adjacent to the Mississauga Civic Centre, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga Central Library, City Centre Transit Terminal, Square One Bus Terminal, and a Peel Regional Police community station. The surrounding district contains numerous condominium towers and functions as one of the city's principal urban concentrations. The centre's transit connections give it a catchment area extending beyond the immediate neighbourhood. Reference material describes Square One as having more than 2.2 million square feet of retail space, over 360 stores and services, and annual visitation exceeding 24 million customers. It is also noted for operating on most public holidays, with Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day identified as exceptions. A future Hurontario light-rail-transit connection is planned to serve the City Centre area and link with nearby MiWay and GO bus facilities, potentially strengthening the mall's regional accessibility.
History
Square One Shopping Centre was developed as a major retail project in the emerging centre of Mississauga. Excavation began in 1969, and construction was completed in time for the mall's public opening in 1973. Its original anchor lineup consisted of Woolco, Simpson-Sears, The Bay, and Dominion, reflecting the department-store and supermarket structure common to large Canadian shopping centres of the period. The mall's role expanded as Mississauga City Centre developed around it. The site is positioned near Highway 403 and Hurontario Street and became closely connected with the city's civic, cultural, residential, and transit infrastructure. Nearby facilities include the Mississauga Civic Centre, Living Arts Centre, central library, municipal transit terminal, regional bus terminal, and police community station. Condominium development around the centre further reinforced its function as an urban destination rather than a stand-alone suburban retail property. The tenant mix changed significantly in the late 1990s. Some smaller or established retailers, including Ashbrook's and Mark & Spencer's as identified in reference material, were removed to make room for the Cityside expansion, completed in the early 2000s. Eaton's bankruptcy in 1999 also affected the Canadian department-store landscape and led to the closure of the chain's Square One location. Zellers took over that space in 2000. A further period of change followed the arrival and departure of Target Canada. Target acquired leases for many Zellers locations in 2011. The Square One Zellers store closed in June 2012 and was converted into a Target store, which opened on March 30, 2013. During the same period, the mall began a major renovation of the main corridor between the Target area and the centre court and food court. The works expanded the food-court area, required the closure of Burger King and Bowring, removed a scenic elevator and fountain, and replaced them with escalators. The renovation was completed in autumn 2013 and included the Grand Centre Court concept, adding substantial new floor area. Department-store restructuring continued when Sears Canada announced in 2013 that its Square One store would close in March 2014. Most of the former Sears premises was subsequently allocated to La Maison Simons, whose flagship Square One store opened in spring 2016. Target Canada's national withdrawal then created another major vacant space: the Square One Target store closed in April 2015 after Target announced the closure of all its Canadian locations. The south expansion was completed on March 1, 2016. It introduced additional retailers and a Holt Renfrew anchor while displacing or replacing some earlier occupants, including Dollarama and Home Outfitters. In June 2018, Square One announced a west expansion using the former Target area. The phased project opened between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 and added Uniqlo, The Rec Room, and The Food District, a 34,000-square-foot food-emporium concept emphasizing a broader dining and prepared-food offer. By the period covered by the reference material, Square One was described as Ontario's largest shopping centre and Canada's second-largest, behind West Edmonton Mall. It had more than 2.2 million square feet of retail space and over 360 stores and services, with reported annual visitation of more than 24 million customers. Its operating model combines retail, dining, leisure, and services, while its central location and transit links support a broad regional customer base. A planned Hurontario light-rail line is expected to include a City Centre stop connected with the MiWay City Centre Bus Terminal and the Square One GO Bus Terminal.
- 2019
West Expansion phased opening concludes
[1]The west expansion opened in stages from autumn 2018 through spring 2019, adding retail, entertainment, and food concepts.
- 2018
West Expansion announced
[1]Square One announced a west expansion in the former Target space.
- 2018
Uniqlo opens at Square One
[1]Uniqlo opened its Square One store on November 2 as part of the west expansion.
- 2016
South Expansion completed
[1]The south expansion opened on March 1 and added new retailers and a Holt Renfrew anchor.
- 2015
Target Canada store closes
[1]The Square One Target store closed in April as part of Target Canada's withdrawal from Canada.
- 2014
Sears Canada store closes
[1]The Sears Canada location closed on March 9, creating space later occupied largely by La Maison Simons.
- 2013
Target opens and corridor renovation begins
[1]Target opened on March 30, and Square One began a major corridor, food-court, and Grand Centre Court redevelopment.
- 2012
Zellers closes during Target conversion
[1]The Square One Zellers store closed in June as the premises were prepared for Target.
- 2000
Zellers takes over former Eaton's space
[1]Zellers assumed the former Eaton's premises at Square One.
- 1999
Eaton's location closes
[1]Eaton's bankruptcy resulted in the closure of its Square One location.
Products and positioning
A large regional shopping and lifestyle destination combining major fashion and department-store tenants with dining, entertainment, services, and multimodal transit access in Mississauga City Centre.
Retail category
Fashion and apparel retail
Square One's fashion offer spans department-store, specialty, and international apparel retail. The centre's redevelopment has been used to introduce new fashion concepts and replace older department-store formats, with Uniqlo and La Maison Simons identified among the later additions.
Retail category
Department stores and luxury retail
Department-store and premium retail have been central to Square One's identity since its opening anchors included Simpson-Sears and The Bay. Later redevelopment brought La Maison Simons and Holt Renfrew into prominent positions, while Eaton's, Sears Canada, Zellers, and Target illustrate the changing structure of the sector.
Dining and food hall · 2019
The Food District
The Food District is a 34,000-square-foot food-emporium concept introduced through the west expansion. It broadens the centre's dining offer beyond a conventional food court by combining prepared foods, local-oriented vendors, and a more destination-focused eating environment.
Entertainment · 2019
The Rec Room
The Rec Room was added during the west expansion as an entertainment component. Its inclusion supports Square One's positioning as a lifestyle and leisure destination rather than a centre focused exclusively on shopping.
Shopping-centre destination · 2013
Grand Centre Court
Grand Centre Court was developed as part of the 2013 renovation and added at least 220,000 square feet of space. The concept formed part of a broader reconfiguration of the main corridor, centre court, and food-court areas.
Brand decisions
2018
West ExpansionStrategyBackground
The former Target premises became available after Target Canada's 2015 withdrawal from the Canadian market.
Action taken
Square One redeveloped the area and introduced Uniqlo, The Rec Room, and The Food District, with openings phased from autumn 2018 through spring 2019.
Aftermath
The expansion diversified the centre toward international fashion, entertainment, and destination dining.
2016
South ExpansionStrategyBackground
The centre used redevelopment to refresh its tenant mix and add new retail capacity after major department-store changes.
Action taken
The south expansion opened on March 1, adding numerous retailers and a Holt Renfrew anchor while removing or replacing Dollarama and Home Outfitters locations.
Aftermath
The project strengthened Square One's premium and fashion-oriented offer and expanded its role as a regional shopping destination.
2013
Main corridor and food-court redevelopmentStrategyBackground
Square One undertook a major renovation between the Target area and the centre court and food court as part of a broader effort to modernize circulation and dining space.
Action taken
The project expanded the food-court area, removed a scenic elevator and fountain, installed two escalators, and incorporated the Grand Centre Court concept.
Aftermath
The renovation was reported as completed in autumn 2013 and added substantial new retail floor area while requiring the closure of some existing tenants.
- Transit-oriented regional accessStrategy
Background
Square One is adjacent to Mississauga's central municipal and regional bus facilities and is located within the city's principal civic and residential district.
Action taken
The centre continues to operate beside the MiWay City Centre Transit Terminal and Square One GO Bus Terminal; a planned Hurontario light-rail connection is expected to add a City Centre stop.
Aftermath
Improved transit integration is expected to support access from across Mississauga and surrounding parts of the Greater Toronto Area.
Sources1 sources
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