Also known as Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Toronto's main airport is the largest airport in Canada, serving an estimated 8.1 million people in the Greater Toronto area, as well as an estimated 32 million transit passengers. The airport, approximately 14 miles northwest of Downtown Toronto, also is Air Canada's largest hub and thus a major airport for airlines affiliated with the Star Alliance. In the city of Mississauga, the general airport area also contains the suburb of Brampton. Planners with groups on the fly will be interested in several of the meeting venues in the Pearson International Airport area.
The first is the 500,000-square-foot International Centre, right by the airport, which has banquet space for 1,400 and reception space for 1,900. The 60,000-square-foot Pearson Convention Center, in the Toronto suburb of Brampton, is approximately five miles northwest of the airport and has six halls that together can host 2,363; while the Mississauga Convention Centre, five miles to the southwest of the airport, is exactly the same size and caters to exactly the same number of guests. (Also in Mississauga is the Living Arts Centre, the size of a convention center at more than 200,000 square feet and with an atrium, three theaters and eight meeting rooms.)
Meeting hotel venues in the Pearson International Airport area include the 474-room Sheraton Gateway Hotel, which is right in the airport's Terminal 3 and has 28 function and meeting venues. Around the airport's perimeter are the 512-room Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport, 287-room Westin Bristol Place Toronto Airport, 424-room Toronto Airport Marriott, 374-room Delta Meadowvale Resort & Conference Centre and 419-room Hilton Toronto Airport.
In Mississauga is Laser Quest Mississauga, where up to 85 guests can find their inner Han Solo in team-building games, and 100 can be looked after for receptions. Approximately eight miles to the northeast is Canada's Wonderland, an amusement park that can host receptions for up to 5,000. Also nearby is Black Creek Pioneer Village, a re-creation of an 18th-century-style pioneer village; amid its butter churns, log cabins and period-costumed employees is space for functions for up to 2,000. The Lionhead Golf & Country Club in Brampton has 36 holes of golf, function space for up to 1,000 persons and banquet space for 136.
Dining venues in the Pearson International Airport area include Alice Fazooli's, which has room for groups of up to 280, while Lucy's Seafood Kitchen hosts dinners for up to 110. In Brampton, the wonderfully named Nexus Exceptional Dining & Piano Bar serves up nouveau-Canadian fare and can do so for parties of 80. Closer to the runways are two steak houses, the Canyon Creek Chophouse, which has a boardroom-style dining room, and the Keg Steakhouse & Bar, which also can host groups.
