Areas of Toronto Explained: The Six Former Municipalities

Toronto is one city made of six places that still hold their own names, and that is part of why it never gets boring.

What are the six former municipalities of Toronto?

The six are East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Toronto and York. On January 1, 1998, they merged into one amalgamated City of Toronto, and the Metro government ceased to exist as a result. The City of Toronto Archives has many resources about all of them.

If you want to explore on foot, start with our neighbourhood explorer and its hubs: Scarborough, Etobicoke, North York and East York. Each one pulls together our stories, maps and local history.

How did we get from thirteen to six?

The story has three dates. In 1953 the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Act set up a regional government called Metro, and the area then had thirteen municipalities. On January 1, 1967, the number fell to six: Forest Hill and Swansea joined Toronto, Long Branch, Mimico and New Toronto joined Etobicoke, Weston joined York, and Leaside joined East York. Then on January 1, 1998, the six became one city.

That 1967 shuffle explains a lot of the names you hear today. Mimico, Leaside and Weston are all places that once stood on their own and are now loved neighbourhoods in a bigger area.

What is the former City of Toronto known for?

The town of York was founded on August 27, 1793 and incorporated as the City of Toronto on March 6, 1834. The Archives notes that Toronto was the commercial and financial hub of its large agricultural county. If you want to touch that early history, Fort York National Historic Site is where British soldiers, First Nations warriors and Upper Canadian militiamen stood together in the War of 1812 to defend the Town of York, now Toronto, and its general admission is free.

What is East York known for?

The Township of East York was incorporated on December 31, 1923, and East York and Leaside became the Borough of East York on January 1, 1967. The Archives says East York left its mark on the rest of Toronto through the red bricks supplied by the Don Valley Brick Works. It also says East York’s riverside parklands have been enjoyed by people from all over the city. The East York hub is the place to follow that thread.

What is Etobicoke known for?

Etobicoke was incorporated as a township on January 1, 1850, became the Borough of Etobicoke with Long Branch, Mimico and New Toronto on January 1, 1967, and was incorporated as a city on June 29, 1983. The Archives describes a mix of landscapes: prosperous farms, resorts clustered on the lakeshore and mill villages on the Humber. The Etobicoke hub is the place for the waterfront, the river and the villages.

What is North York known for?

The Township of North York was created on July 18, 1922, was renamed a borough on January 1, 1967, and was incorporated as a city on February 14, 1979. The Archives sums up its long arc as first an agricultural region of crossroads and villages, then a growing suburban community, and finally a modern city. The City’s own exhibit says North York developed its own identity as “The City with Heart”, complete with its own downtown. The North York hub is where to explore it now.

What is Scarborough known for?

Scarborough was incorporated as a township on January 1, 1850, as a borough on January 1, 1967, and as a city in June 1983. The Archives says it made its name known in the 1950s with the Golden Mile of industry along Eglinton Avenue East and new suburban communities, and that its agricultural history of crossroads villages and mills goes back much earlier. The Scarborough Civic Centre was opened on June 29, 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II, and the City describes its designer, Raymond Moriyama, as a renowned Canadian architect. For a free history stop, Scarborough Museum is made up of four heritage buildings in Thomson Memorial Park and shows how Scarborough developed from land farmed by Indigenous peoples and settlers. The Scarborough hub is the place to begin.

What is York known for?

The Township of York was incorporated on January 1, 1850. York and Weston became the Borough of York on January 1, 1967, and York was incorporated as a city on June 10, 1983. The Archives says that in the 19th century the area was largely agricultural, with grist, lumber and woollen mills along the Humber River, and that in the first half of the 20th century it was a refuge for working-class families earning independence by building their own homes. The City’s Weston Phase 2 heritage study area is in the former Town of Weston, and City Council approved the Weston Phase 1 Heritage Conservation District Plan in 2006.

Why do the old names still matter?

They give you a handy map. A friend who says “I am from Scarborough” or “I am from Etobicoke” is telling you which part of the story they carry, and the Archives holds the records that tie each one to its own past. Use the names as starting points, then wander into the neighbourhoods inside them. The neighbourhood explorer lets you do exactly that.

Send this to the friend you would bring: the one who argues about which part of Toronto is best, and means it fondly.