River of the North was commissioned by the Mississauga Pops Concert Band to commemorate their 45th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the City of Mississauga, which lies just west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  In the language of the indigenous Anishinaabe people, Mississauga means “River of the North of Many Mouths”  and refers to the Credit River.

River of the North is meant to convey the energy, dignity, and growth of both the city and the band.