History of Toronto in Timeline

Toronto is Canada's largest city and the capital of Ontario. As the anchor of the Golden Horseshoe, it boasts a large metropolitan area population. A global hub for business, finance, arts, sports, and culture, Toronto stands out as one of the world's most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities.

1903: Relocation of the Stockyards

In 1903, the Stockyards relocated to West Toronto / The Junction.

1904: Industry destroyed by Great Fire of 1904

In 1904, the Great Fire of Toronto destroyed a large amount of industry in the downtown core. Some companies moved west along King Street, while some moved to Dufferin Street.

1904: The Great Toronto Fire of 1904

In 1904, the Great Toronto Fire destroyed a large section of downtown Toronto, damaging over 100 buildings and causing CA$10,387,000 in damage.

1911: Construction of Casa Loma

In 1911, Casa Loma, a castle complete with gardens, turrets, stables, an elevator, secret passages, and a bowling alley, was built by Sir Henry Pellat.

1920: Toronto Real Estate Board Formed

In 1920, the Toronto Real Estate Board, now known as the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), was formed.

1921: Public Ownership of Transit System

In 1921, the public transit system in Toronto passed into public ownership as the Toronto Transportation Commission, later renamed the Toronto Transit Commission.

1924: Establishment of Badminton and Racquet Club

In 1924, the Badminton and Racquet Club was established in Toronto.

1931: Toronto Coach Terminal served as the city's intercity coach hub

The Toronto Coach Terminal formerly served as the city's intercity coach hub from 1931 to 2021, when the terminal was decommissioned.

1934: Toronto Stock Exchange becomes largest in Canada

By 1934, the Toronto Stock Exchange had grown to become the largest in Canada.

1936: Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded

In 1936, the highest temperature ever recorded in Toronto was 40.6 °C during the North American heat wave.

1950: Influence of the Orange Order

By 1950, almost every mayor of Toronto was a member of the Orange Order between 1850 and 1950, reflecting the organization's significant influence in municipal politics.

1951: Toronto's Population Exceeds One Million

In 1951, Toronto's population grew to more than one million as large-scale suburbanization began.

1954: Construction Ban on Floodplains

In 1954, after Hurricane Hazel, construction of buildings on floodplains was outlawed, and private lands were bought for conservation.

1954: Establishment of Metropolitan Toronto and Hurricane Hazel

In 1954, the City of Toronto and 12 surrounding municipalities formed Metropolitan Toronto. Also in 1954, Hurricane Hazel struck the Toronto area, causing 81 deaths and more than CA$25 million in damage.

1958: Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto

In 1958, the Hockey Hall of Fame was established in Toronto.

1959: St. Lawrence Seaway Completion

In 1959, the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway gave ships access to the Great Lakes from the Atlantic Ocean.

1967: Merger of Metropolitan Toronto Municipalities

In 1967, the seven smallest municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto were merged with larger neighbours, resulting in a six-municipality configuration.

1967: First Caribana Festival

The first Caribana, primarily based on the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, took place in 1967 when the city's Caribbean community celebrated Canada's Centennial.

1971: Toronto's Population Reaches Two Million

By 1971, Toronto's population had doubled to two million residents.

1976: CN Tower Completion

In 1976, the CN Tower was completed at a height of 553.33 metres, becoming the world's tallest freestanding structure.

1981: Visible Minority Population in 1981

In 1981, 13.6 per cent of Toronto's residents belonged to a visible minority group.

1985: Wychwood Park Designated Heritage Conservation District

In 1985, Wychwood Park was designated as an Ontario Heritage Conservation district due to its architectural significance.

1986: Start of Molson Indy Toronto

In 1986, the Champ Car's Molson Indy Toronto started.

1990: Closure of Gooderham & Worts Distillery

The Gooderham & Worts Distillery, which produced spirits, closed in 1990 but is now preserved as the "Distillery District."

1991: Previous record year for murders

The previous record year for murders in Toronto was 1991, with 89, at a rate of 3.9 murders per 100,000 people.

1992: Toronto Blue Jays Win World Series

In 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays won their first World Series title.

1993: Toronto Blue Jays Win Second World Series

In 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays won their second World Series title.

1994: Union Stockyards Move Out of Toronto

In 1994, the Junction's Union Stockyards moved out of Toronto.

1995: Toronto Raptors Enter the NBA

In 1995, the Toronto Raptors basketball team entered the NBA.

1996: Restoration of Don Valley Brick Works as park and heritage site

In 1996, the Don Valley Brick Works, a former industrial site that opened in 1889, was partly restored as a park and heritage site, with further restoration being completed in stages since then.

1996: Toronto Olympic Bid

Toronto was a candidate city for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

March 1997: Referendum Against Amalgamation

In March 1997, a referendum in all six municipalities produced a vote of more than 3:1 against amalgamation of Toronto, but the provincial government ignored the results.

1997: Gang-related incidents on the rise

Between 1997 and 2005, there had been over 300 gang-related homicides. This has resulted in the Ontario government developing an anti-gun strategy.

January 1, 1998: Toronto Amalgamation

On January 1, 1998, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto and its six lower-tier constituent municipalities were amalgamated into a single-tier City of Toronto, colloquially known as the "megacity."

1998: Ice Storm of 1998

In December 2013, Toronto experienced the worst ice storm in its history, rivalling the severity of the 1998 Ice Storm. At its height, over 300,000 Toronto Hydro customers were without electricity or heating.

1999: Downsview Park Design Competition

In 1999, Downsview Park initiated an international design competition to create Canada's first urban park.

1999: Lowest number of homicides since 1999

In 1999, Toronto recorded 47 homicides, which was the lowest number the city had recorded since then, until 2011.

1999: January Blizzard and Army Assistance

In 1999, after the January Blizzard dumped 118 centimetres of snow, Mayor Mel Lastman called in the Canadian Army to aid snow removal.

1999: Toronto Rock Appear in Championship

In 1999, the Toronto Rock started appearing in an NLL-record five straight championship games.

May 2000: "Tree City" Winner Announced

In May 2000, "Tree City" was announced as the winner of the Downsview Park international design competition.

2000: Creation of the MaRS Discovery District

In 2000, the MaRS Discovery District was created to capitalize on the research and innovation strength of the province of Ontario.

2000: Condo Construction Boom

Since 2000, Toronto experienced a condo construction boom and architectural revival, with buildings opened by world-renowned architects like Daniel Libeskind and Frank Gehry.

2001: Languages Spoken at Work

In the 2001 Canadian census, Chinese and Italian were the most widely spoken languages at work after English in Toronto.

2003: SARS Outbreak and Blackout

In 2003, Toronto became the center of a major SARS outbreak, and from August 14 to 17, Toronto was hit by a massive blackout.

2003: Toronto Rock appear in Championship

In 2003, the Toronto Rock finished appearing in an NLL-record five straight championship games.

2005: Toronto media coined the term "Year of the Gun"

In 2005, Toronto media used the term "Year of the Gun" because of a record number of gun-related homicides, which were 52 out of 80 homicides in total.

2006: Foreign-Born Population in 2006

In 2006, foreign-born persons comprised 49.9 per cent of Toronto's population.

2006: Toronto homicides dropped to 70

In 2006, the total number of homicides in Toronto dropped to 70. However, nearly 2,000 people in Toronto were victims of a violent gun-related crime, about one-quarter of the national total.

2006: Extended Terms for Toronto Council

Until the 2006 municipal election, the mayor and city councillors served three-year terms.

2007: Safest Banking System Ranking

Between 2007 and 2014, Toronto was ranked as the safest banking system in the world according to the World Economic Forum.

2007: International Bowl in Toronto

From 2007, the International Bowl, an NCAA sanctioned post-season college football game, was played at Rogers Centre annually.

2007: 86 homicides were committed

In 2007, 86 homicides were committed in Toronto, roughly half of which involved guns.

2007: Toronto FC Joins MLS

In 2007, Toronto FC entered the league as an expansion team.

2007: CN Tower Surpassed

In 2007, the CN Tower was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai as the world's tallest freestanding structure.

2007: End of Molson Indy Toronto

In 2007, the Champ Car's Molson Indy Toronto ended.

2008: Buffalo Bills Leased to Toronto

In 2008, Ted Rogers leased the Buffalo Bills to play eight home games in Toronto.

2008: Toronto Public Library Leading Circulation

In 2008, Toronto Public Library averaged a higher circulation per capita than any other public library system internationally, making it the largest neighbourhood-based library system in the world. It also had the highest circulation and visitors in North America compared to other large urban systems.

2008: Toronto Olympic Bid

Toronto was a candidate city for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

March 6, 2009: 175th Anniversary of Toronto

On March 6, 2009, the city of Toronto celebrated its 175th anniversary since its inception in 1834.

2010: Waste Diversion Task Force 2010

Around 2010, there were about 40 subcommittees and advisory committees appointed by the city council, including the Waste Diversion Task Force 2010.

2010: Toronto Hosts G20 Summit

In 2010, Toronto hosted the 4th G20 summit, which included the largest security operation in Canadian history. There were also large-scale protests and rioting, leading to over 1,000 arrests.

2010: Immigrant Arrivals in 2010

In 2010, it was estimated that over 100,000 immigrants arrived in the Greater Toronto Area each year.

2010: Last International Bowl in Toronto

In 2010, the International Bowl was last played at Rogers Centre annually.

2010: Comparison to 2010 Winter Olympics

In 2015, the Pan American Games in Toronto doubled the size of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia in terms of athletes competing.

November 2011: Construction on Line 5 Eglinton began

In November 2011, construction on Line 5 Eglinton in Toronto began.

2011: High-Rise Buildings Count

As of 2011, Toronto had 1,875 buildings over 30 metres tall.

2011: Toronto Ranks Third for Film and Television Production

As of 2011, Toronto ranks as the third-largest production center for film and television after Los Angeles and New York City, sharing the nickname "Hollywood North" with Vancouver.

2011: Visible Minority Population in 2011

In 2011, 49.1 per cent of the residents of the city proper belonged to a visible minority group.

2011: Colonel Sam Smith Trail Opening

In 2011, Etobicoke's Colonel Sam Smith Trail opened, becoming Toronto's first skating trail.

2011: Toronto's murder rate plummeted

In 2011, Toronto's murder rate plummeted to 51 murders—nearly a 26% drop from the previous year.

2011: Impoverished Seniors Increase

The number of impoverished seniors increased from 10.5 per cent in 2011.

2012: Homicide rates remained flat

From 2012 to 2015, Toronto saw a nearly flat line of 57–59 homicides.

2012: Ontario Place Closure

In the spring of 2012, Ontario Place closed after declining attendance. While the Budweiser Stage and harbor still operate, the park and Cinesphere are no longer in use, with ongoing plans for revitalization.

July 8, 2013: Severe Flash Flooding

On July 8, 2013, severe flash flooding hit Toronto after intense thunderstorms, leaving 450,000 people without power.

2013: GO Transit carries over 250,000 passengers every weekday

As of 2013, GO Transit in the Greater Toronto Area carries over 250,000 passengers every weekday.

2013: End of Buffalo Bills Lease

In 2013, the Buffalo Bills lease in Toronto ended.

2013: Child Poverty Rate

Toronto's 2013 child poverty rate was 28.6 per cent, the highest among large Canadian cities.

June 2014: Toronto Hosted WorldPride in June 2014

In June 2014, Toronto hosted WorldPride.

October 2014: Average Monthly Social Assistance Caseload

The average monthly social assistance caseload for January to October 2014 was 92,771.

2014: Safest Banking System Ranking

Between 2007 and 2014, Toronto was ranked as the safest banking system in the world according to the World Economic Forum.

June 2015: UP Express train service began carrying passengers

In June 2015, the Union Pearson Express (UP Express) train service began carrying passengers, providing a direct link between Pearson International and Union Station.

July 2015: Toronto Hosts 2015 Pan American Games

In July 2015, Toronto hosted the 2015 Pan American Games.

August 2015: Toronto Hosts 2015 Parapan American Games

In August 2015, Toronto hosted the 2015 Parapan American Games.

November 6, 2015: USL W-League Ceases Operations

On November 6, 2015, the USL W-League announced that it would cease operation ahead of the 2016 season.

2015: Homicide rates remained flat

From 2012 to 2015, Toronto saw a nearly flat line of 57–59 homicides.

2015: Government promised to fund Line 6 Finch West

In 2015, the Ontario government promised to fund Line 6 Finch West in Toronto, which is to be completed by 2024.

2015: Toronto hosts Pan and Parapan American Games in 2015

Toronto hosted the Pan and Parapan American Games in 2015.

July 2016: Toronto's Unemployment Rate

As of July 2016, Toronto's unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent.

2016: Toronto City Council Standing Committees

As of 2016, the city council has twelve standing committees, each consisting of a chair and several councillors.

2016: Age Demographics in 2016

In 2016, 14.5% of Toronto's population was aged 14 and under, and 15.6% was aged 65 and over, with a median age of 39.3 years.

2016: Visible Minority Population in 2016

In 2016, 51.5 per cent of the residents of the city proper belonged to a visible minority group.

2016: Daily Hive Opens Toronto Office

In 2016, Daily Hive, Western Canada's largest online-only publication, opened its Toronto office.

2016: Toronto Hosts NBA All-Star Game

In 2016, Toronto hosted the 65th NBA All-Star game, the first to be held outside the United States.

2016: Homicides increased to 75

In 2016, Toronto saw 75 homicides for the first time in over eight years.

2016: Toronto CMA Population in 2016

In 2016, the Toronto CMA had a population of 5,928,040.

2016: USL W-League Ends

In 2016, the USL W-League ceased operations.

2016: Common Ethnic Origins in 2016

In 2016, the three most commonly reported ethnic origins overall were Chinese, English, and Canadian.

2016: Knowledge of Mandarin in 2016

In the 2016 census, approximately 55 per cent of respondents who reported proficiency in a Chinese language reported knowledge of Mandarin.

July 2017: Fastest Growing City

From July 2017 to July 2018, Toronto experienced large population growth, making it the fastest growing city.

2017: Toronto FC Wins MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield

In 2017, Toronto FC won the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield for best regular season record.

2017: Homicides dropped to 65

In 2017, Toronto had a drop off of 10 murders to close the year at 65, with a homicide rate of 2.4 per 100,000 population.

2017: Toronto Tech Job Offerings

In 2017, Toronto tech firms offered almost 30,000 jobs, surpassing the combined job offerings of San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

2017: Toronto Wolfpack Joins Rugby Football League

In 2017, the Toronto Wolfpack began play in the Rugby Football League's League One competition.

2017: Local Purchasing Power

In mid-2017, the local purchasing power in Toronto was the sixth lowest in Canada.

July 2018: Toronto Population Growth

Between July 2017 and July 2018, Toronto added 77,435 people.

2018: Tourism in Toronto

In 2018, 27.5 million tourists visited Toronto, generating $10.3 billion in economic activity.

2018: Record number of homicides reached

In 2018, the total number of homicides in Toronto reached a record 98; the number included fatalities from the Toronto van attack and the Danforth shooting, which gave the city a homicide rate of around 3.6 per 100,000 people.

2018: Toronto City Council Composition

Since the 2018 municipal election, the Toronto City Council comprises 25 councillors representing geographical wards throughout the city.

May 2019: CWHL Ceases Operations

In May 2019, the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) ceased operations.

2019: Toronto's Growth

A 2019 study showed that Toronto was the fastest-growing city in North America.

2019: Homicides dropped but shooting incidents increased

In 2019, homicides in Toronto dropped to 80, but shooting incidents increased to an all-time high of 492.

2019: Government released transit plan for Greater Toronto Area

In 2019, the Government of Ontario released a transit plan for the Greater Toronto Area which includes a new 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) Ontario Line, Line 1 extension to Richmond Hill Centre, a Line 2 extension to Sheppard Avenue / McCowan Road to replace Line 3, and an extension for Line 5 Eglinton to Toronto Pearson Airport.

2019: Raptors Win First NBA Title

In 2019, the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA title.

2020: New Union Station Bus Terminal expected completion

Construction on a new Union Station Bus Terminal in Toronto is also in the works with an expected completion in 2020.

2020: Wolfpack Withdraws from Super League

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Toronto Wolfpack withdrew from the Super League in 2020.

2020: Homicides decreased

In 2020, Toronto saw another decrease in homicides with a total of 71 murders for the year.

2020: City of Toronto Approved Budget

In 2020, the City of Toronto had an approved operating budget of CA$13.53 billion and a ten-year capital budget and plan of CA$43.5 billion.

2020: Damage estimate from 1904 fire in 2020 terms

In 2020, the estimated damage caused by the great fire of 1904 was approximately CA$277,600,000.

2020: Toronto Six Inaugural Season

The Toronto Six, the first Canadian franchise in the National Women's Hockey League, began play with the 2020-21 season.

2021: Religious Groups in Toronto

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Toronto included:

2021: Toronto Population in 2021

In 2021, Toronto had a population of 2,794,356, making it the fourth-most populous city in North America. The Golden Horseshoe, surrounding Lake Ontario, had a population of 9,765,188, and the Greater Toronto Area had a population of 6,712,341 in 2021.

2021: Homicides increased

In 2021, Toronto saw an increase in homicides, with the city murders increasing to 85.

2021: Team Wolfpack in North American Rugby League

In 2021, the Toronto Wolfpack's ownership changed, and 'Team Wolfpack' began playing in the newly formed North American Rugby League tournament.

2021: Toronto Coach Terminal decommissioned

The Toronto Coach Terminal was decommissioned in 2021. It had served as the city's intercity coach hub since 1931.

2022: Homeless Deaths in Toronto

In 2022, 187 homeless people died in Toronto, with drug toxicity as the leading cause. Toronto Public Health responded by opening supervised drug consumption sites and advocating for personal drug possession allowance.