Malton first came to prominence during World War II as the site of airfields, where pilots were not only trained, but also where countless aircraft were built. While the Malton of today bears little resemblance to the Malton of the 1940s, homage to this rich heritage is paid in a few rather innocuous ways. There are streets to the north of the village with names referencing the war, including Victory, McNaughton (Andrew McNaughton, commander of the Canadian armed forces in the U.K.), Churchill and Lancaster (named for the famed aircraft of the Second World War).
The predominantly British town was given an Italian and Polish flavour following the war, and its proximity to Pearson International Airport (which was at one time known as Malton Airport) made it a magnet for immigrants in the 70s, 80s and 90s, as well as today. Incorporated as part of the City of Mississauga, it is now an immigrant-heavy, working-class neighbourhood comprised predominantly of Sikhs from the Indian province of Punjab.
In addition to the airport, Malton has great importance as a transportation link between Toronto and its suburbs to the west, particularly Brampton and the other parts of Mississauga. Among other things, the tiny neighbourhood borders the airport, Brampton, Vaughan and Etobicoke. For these reasons and more, it is very strategically placed and important to the flow of people and good throughout the Greater Toronto Area.