Old Toronto

Old Toronto
Skyline of Old Toronto from the Toronto Harbour
Skyline of Old Toronto from the Toronto Harbour
Nickname(s): 
Toronto the Good, Queen City, Hogtown
Motto(s): 
Industry, Intelligence, Integrity
City of Toronto before 1998 in red
City of Toronto before 1998 in red
Coordinates: 43°39′09″N 79°22′54″W / 43.65250°N 79.38167°W / 43.65250; -79.38167
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
CityToronto
Established6 March 1834 (City of Toronto) from Town of York
Changed Region1 January 1954 Metropolitan Toronto from York County
Amalgamated1 January 1998 into Toronto
Government
 • MayorList of mayors of Old Toronto
 • Governing BodyToronto City Council
Area
[1]
 • Total97.15 km2 (37.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)[1]
 • Total797,642
 • Density8,210.4/km2 (21,265/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)416, 647, 437

Old Toronto is the part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that corresponds to the boundaries of the City of Toronto prior to 1998. It was incorporated as a city in 1834, after being known as the town of York, and being part of York County. Toronto periodically grew in size by annexing adjacent land and municipalities.

In 1954, the City of Toronto and the surrounding suburban towns and townships of York County were joined in a federation known as the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (Metro). Later, the lower-tier city annexed two towns until it reached its final boundaries in 1967. In 1998, the municipalities of Metro Toronto were amalgamated into the present-day single-tier City of Toronto, which continues legally from the predecessor City of Toronto, although the by-laws of each municipality remained in force.

Historically, "Old Toronto" referred to Toronto's boundaries before the Great Toronto Fire of 1904, when most urban development was to the east of Yonge Street. Since the 1998 amalgamation, the 1967–1998 city proper is referred to as "Old Toronto" or the "former city of Toronto". It is sometimes less accurately referred to as "downtown" (Downtown Toronto is located within Old Toronto) or as "the core". Old Toronto has a population density of approximately 8,210 residents per square kilometre, which would rank as Canada's densest (North America's second-densest) city with a population over 100,000 if it were still a distinct city.