Handout: Toronto and Its Government

• Toronto was formerly named York.
  
  
• William Lyon Mackenzie was Toronto's first mayor.
  
  
• Metro Toronto was established in 1953.
  
  
• In 1967, 12 suburbs became five boroughs.
  
  
• Metropolitan Toronto linked the City of Toronto and 12 suburbs into one.
  
  
• In 1984 every borough except East York became a city within metro Toronto with its own mayor and council.
  
  
• January 1998 saw the creation of an amalgamated city.
  
  
• The six cities and East York were brought together to form one new municipal government called the City of Toronto.
  
  
• There are 57 member on the city council.
  
  
• There are 28 Wards. Metro Hall is the meeting place of the new city council.
  
  
• Toronto has two other municipal buildings: old city hall and new city hall.
  
  
• Before the creation of the new City of Toronto, each municipal government was responsible for such local concerns as: libraries, garbage collection, fire departments, community parks, building permits and by-laws.
  
  
• Metro as it was called, was responsible for policing, public transit, ambulance services, welfare, waste disposal and water.
  
  
• The city council is the main governing body for the city.