Toronto, 1793-1993

The Canadian Natives who sold the land upon which Toronto would be built would never have imagined all that would occur afterward; 200 years later, Toronto is a thriving metropolis and proud site of the world's tallest freestanding structure, the CN Tower. It was concern about American hostilities that was largely responsible for choosing the site. Although John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, favoured the spot of today's London, Ontario, it did not meet all the necessary criteria. A capital needed to be readily accessible, located on the lower lakes, have a good harbour and situated not too close to American guns. Simcoe arrived in late August 1793, and in celebration of the Duke of York's victory in Holland, the new capital was christened "York". It reverted to Toronto in 1843, at the time of incorporation as a city. Fears of an American attack were realized in 1813 when American troops captured and looted the settlement twice. Then they sailed away, never to return. The Napoleonic Wars provided a much needed increase in population. "Muddy York" achieved a 70 percent growth in the period 1815-1820. But then, growth slowed into the early 20th century; it was subsequently aided by the opening of the Canadian West, and prosperity in the mining and forestry industries in Northern Ontario. Following the Second World War, a second wave of European immigration created tremendous growth with the arrival of Italian, German, Polish and Ukrainian people. In the past decade, during yet another large immigrant arrival, the emphasis has switched from Europe to Asia and South America. Celebrating its bicentennial, Toronto has grown to become Canada's largest metropolitan area, the nation's financial capital, and a cosmopolitan city with a network of head offices.