The City of Brampton is bordered by Vaughan to the east, Halton Hills to the west, Caledon to the north, Mississauga to the south, and Etobicoke (Toronto) to the southeast.

In October 1818, the chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation signed Treaty 19, also known as the Ajetance Purchase,[8] surrendering the area to the British Crown.

[13] Dale's Nursery became the town's largest[12] and most prominent employer, developed a flower grading system,[13] and established a global export market for its products.

[13] At its height, the company had 140 greenhouses,[14] and was the largest cut flower business in North America,[15] producing 20 million blooms and introducing numerous rose and orchid varietals and species to the market.

[11] A federal grant had enabled the village to found its first public library in 1887, which included 360 volumes from the Mechanic's Institute (established in 1858).

[citation needed] In 1902, Sir William J. Gage (owner of Gage Publishing, a publishing house specializing in school textbooks) purchased a 3.25-acre (1.32 ha) portion of the gardens and lawns of the Alder Lea estate (now called Alderlea) that had been built on Main Street by Kenneth Chisolm in 1867 to 1870.

After several meetings in Clairville Hall, they decided to found the County of Peel Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

[23] The intention was to inspire design projects and community landscaping to beautify the city, adopt a sustainable environmental approach, and to protect its natural and cultural heritage.

[27] The name "Bramalea" was created by the farmer William Sheard, who combined "BRAM" from Brampton, "MAL" from Malton (then a neighbouring town which is now part of the city of Mississauga), and "LEA", an Old English word meaning meadow or grassland.

In addition, it created the present City of Brampton from the town and the greater portion of the Townships of Chinguacousy and Toronto Gore, and the northern extremity of Mississauga south of Steeles Avenue,[28] including Bramalea and the other communities such as Churchville, Claireville, Ebenezer, Victoria, Springbrook, Coleraine, and Huttonville.

The Mississauga council, led by Mayor Hazel McCallion, voted to become a single-tier municipality and asked the provincial government to be separated from Peel Region.

They argued the city has outgrown the need for a regional layer of government, and that Mississauga is being held back by supporting Brampton and Caledon with its municipal taxes.

[citation needed] In 1983, Toronto consultants Woods Gordon reported to the City that, rather than continue "pouring money" into the Heritage, they should construct a new 750-seat facility with up-to-date features.

[citation needed] Carabram was founded in 1982, the result of volunteers from different ethnic communities wanting to organize a festival celebrating diversity and cross-cultural friendship.

[30] Responding to a growing multi-cultural population, the Peel Board of Education introduced evening English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at high schools.

In the late 1980s, Mayor Ken Whillans gained approval and funding for the construction of a new city hall in Brampton's downtown.

The facility expanded in 2014 with the addition of a nine-storey tower at 41 George Street and is connected to the original building by a glass walkway called Heritage Way.

[citation needed] Brampton's 2003 Sesquicentennial celebrations boosted community spirit, reviving the tradition of a summer parade (with 100 floats), and creating other initiatives.

[citation needed] To commemorate the town's history, the city under Mayor Fennell reintroduced floral projects to the community.

[41] In the 2021 Canadian census, people of South Asian origin were the largest ethnocultural group in Brampton - accounting for 52.4% of the population.

Loblaw Companies Ltd.,[57] Chrysler Canada Brampton Assembly Plant,[58] Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories,[59] Mandarin Restaurant,[60] Brita, and Clorox.

It is also the location of the Canadian Forces Army Reserve unit The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment).

[70] A plan by Ryerson University, in partnership with Sheridan College was to establish a new campus in Brampton with a goal of opening in 2022 with $90 million in funding offered by the provincial government in April 2018.

[citation needed] The Rose Theatre far surpassed projections, attracting more than 137,000 patrons in its inaugural year, which exceeded its five-year goal.

Four people from Brampton have received the Order of Canada: Robert William Bradford, former Director of the National Aviation Museum; Michael F. Clarke, director at Evergreen, the Yonge Street Mission for street youth in Toronto; Howard Pawley, professor and former Premier of Manitoba; and William G. Davis, former Premier of Ontario.

Dhalla and British Columbia Conservative MP Nina Grewal were the first Sikh women to serve in the Canadian House of Commons.

Parm Gill was elected as the member of parliament from the Conservative Party of Canada for the riding of Brampton-Springdale in 2011, who was also appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veteran Affairs in 2013.

Authors born in or living in Brampton include Rohinton Mistry, Jesse Thistle, Edo Van Belkom and Rupi Kaur (poet).

Punjabi hip hop artist Sidhu Moose Wala launched his music career while living in Brampton.

Other Brampton-born or affiliated actors include Paulo Costanzo, Jordan Gavaris, Gemini Award winner Kris Lemche, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Sabrina Grdevich, Nicole Lyn, actor and producer David J. Phillips, reality TV star and art dealer Billy Jamieson, performer George R. Robertson, and performer Sidhu Moose Wala.