Toronto in the 1980s was a time of significant growth and development for the city. The population of Toronto increased rapidly during this decade, and the city saw a surge in construction and new developments. The 1980s was also a time of economic growth for Toronto, as the city became an important financial and business center. The CN Tower, which was completed in 1976, became one of the city’s most iconic landmarks during this period. In terms of culture, the 1980s was an important time for Toronto’s music and arts scene, with many local artists gaining national and international recognition.
The city became an important financial and business center, with many major corporations setting up their headquarters in the city. This led to an increase in job opportunities and helped to boost the city’s economy. The 1980s also saw the growth of the high-tech industry in Toronto, with many companies in the field setting up operations in the city. This helped to diversify the city’s economy and lay the foundations for its future growth. Overall, the 1980s were a time of economic prosperity for Toronto.
Here are some stunning vintage photos that show street scenes of Toronto in the 1980s.
#1 Don Mills Shopping Centre Looking Northeast, 1980
#2 The Blue Jays playing at Exhibition Stadium, 1987
#3 On the waterfront, 1982
#4 Taken in fall 1985 looking east from around Fort York. Totally different now.
#5 C.N.E. Toronto, 1980s
#6 C.N.E. Toronto, 1980s
#7 Toronto skyline, July 1981.
#8 A view of the CN Tower, sometime in the 1980s.
#9 446 King Street West – Corner of King & Spadina, 1980s
#10 Piling on for a place in history, Sixty-five Centennial College students pile on to a waterbed yesterday at their Scarborough campus in a bid to win a place in the Guinness Book of World Records- 1987
#11 Sunnybrook Plaza, 1980s
From left to right: Dominion (across the road), Becker's on the corner, CIBC, Sketchley's Cleaners, Boots Drug Store, John & Chris Interiors, Sunnybrook Smoke Shop, Black's Photography, Consumers Distributing, Sunnybrook Home Hardware, the Kitchen Table, Woodham's clothiers, Radio Shack, and Loh's Ice Cream.
#12 Just before the condo boom, 1989
#13 View of city skyline from Centre Island, 1984
#14 Yorkville Avenue between Yonge and Bay, 1980s.
#15 Exploring the port in 1981.
#16 26 Berkeley Street, 1980
#17 A woman holding her baby on Brunswick Avenue, 1985
#18 The corner of Jane & Lawrence with what appears to be a Canadian Tire store (now a transmission shop and a Salvation Army thrift store) and a Donut Stop, 1980s
#19 Center island, 1982
#20 C.N.E. Toronto, 1980s
#21 Carey Road in the 1980s.
#22 This is Sid on Dundas Street in Chinatown in 1983.
#23 Some TTC PCC action on St. Clair at Vaughan Road back in 1980, complete with an old-school Pizza Pizza on the corner and early Honda Civic
#24 Eglinton looking east towards Leslie before Inn On The Park was built, 1980s
#25 Looking northeast towards Yonge & Sheppard, 1980
#26 Looking southwest towards Yonge & Sheppard, 1985
#27 Nash The Slash, rock fiddler extraordinaire, staged a surprise motorcade down Yonge St., 1984
#28 Wayne Edward George Shepherd, 1980s
#29 Goodbye Mayor Mel . North York Winter Carnival. Mel, Nork, Shriners, a rickshaw, 1986
#30 Inglis plant, Strachan Avenue, workers on washing machine assembly line, 1989
#31 Inglis plant, looking toward main entrance off Strachan Avenue, 1989.
#32 Inglis plant, Strachan Avenue, rear laneway, looking west, 1989.
#33 Inglis plant, Strachan Avenue, loading dock, south side next to rail corridor, 1989
#34 Yonge St and York Mills Rd, N.E. quadrant, looking S.W., circa autumn 1980
#35 1638 Bloor Street West and 2100, 1980s
#36 The Financial District, 1983.
#37 Looking east to the Financial District, 1983.
#38 Don Roadway & Villiers Street, 1986
#39 The Financial District, 1983.
#40 Looking north on York Street to Union Station, the Royal York Hotel and the Financial District, 1983.
#41 The Golden Nugget at Yonge & Bloor, 1980s
#42 Trillium ferry boat, 1985
#43 Golden Mile theatre about to be demolished in 1986
#44 This is the location that inspired Mark Gane of Martha and the Muffins to write the 1980 hit song at Sunnyside Beach, Toronto, in 1984.
#45 Emergency on Maud! Looking south towards Richmond in 1987.
#46 A view from Ontario Place, 1980s
#47 Dash 8 Series 300 planes, view from the Engineering Computing office at de Havilland Aircraft, Downsview, March 1987
#48 O’Tooles. Indoor water slide at Shoppers World Brampton, 1984
#49 Toronto skyline, May 1986.
#50 When you could still go to the top of the TD Centre and were still able to see the sparkling Royal Bank tower, 1983
#51 The ‘Fuel Marketer’ moored in Toronto’s Portlands as the Canadian Underwater Training Centre, 1981
#52 View looking west from the Toronto portlands, 1981.
#53 Looking southwest to the ‘Wheat King’ moored in the portlands; the Hearn generating station in the distance, 1981.
#54 Mysterious Plant on Thermos Rd., Scarborough, 1981
#55 Adams Brands Ltd., 40 Bertrand Ave., Scarborough, 1981.
#56 The former Rootes Motors building in 1981, being used to sell just about everything.
#57 Looking west to the Toronto Postal Delivery Building, 40 Bay Street, 1982
#58 View looking south east from Victoria St., to Lombard Ave. The grey building in the background is 30 Adelaide St. E., 1982
#59 Not familiar with the building, but ‘The Cow Cafe’ was a vegetarian cafe, located at 165 John St., 1982
#60 Toronto skyline from Ontario Place, 1982
#61 Buildings courtesy of Teperman – Demolition of the Warwick Hotel, 1981
#62 Vaughan Rd, looking north from south of St. Clair Ave W, (corner of Ellsworth Ave) Jan 29, 1984.
#63 238 Augusta Ave., looking north, 1981
#64 View looking north on Augusta Ave. looking north to College St, 1981
#65 240 Augusta Avenue, 1981
#66 220 Augusta Avenue, 1981
#67 Looking north on Augusta Ave. to College St., 1980s
#68 217 Augusta Ave., looking north, 1980s
#69 Portuguese Meat Market, looking east on Augusta Ave. at Oxford St., 1980s
#70 Augusta Ave., looking north from Nassau, 1980s.
#71 Edward Leadlay house, 25 Augusta Avenue, 1980s
#72 Queen’s Quay… probably mid to late 1980s.
#73 31-41 Bishop Street, 1983
#74 72-74 Beverley Street, 1981
#75 70 Berkeley Street, 1980
#76 Berkeley Street & The Esplanade looking northwest, 1985
#77 Berkeley Street, 1982
#78 Berkeley Street, 1982
#79 Berkeley Street, 1982
#80 Berkeley Street, 1982
#81 Berkeley Street, 1982
#82 6 Benlamond Drive, 1989
#83 3 Beaumont Road, 1980
#84 2 Beaumont Road, 1980
#85 23-25 Beaconsfield Avenue, 1985
#86 Addison – 832 Bay Street, 1980
#87 Addison – 832 Bay Street, 1980
#88 610 Bay Street, 1981
#89 132 Balsam Avenue, 1980
#90 93 Balsam Avenue, 1980
#91 387 Balliol Street, 1980
#92 183 Avenue Road, 1985
#93 Looking southwest towards Avenue Road & Bloor Street, 1984
#94 One of my favorite houses in Toronto, 1980
#95 Ashby Place, 1980
#96 TTC double-decker bus No. 1, on special excursion. Photo taken in front of the TTC’s Hillcrest Shops in Toronto, 1980s
#97 Football at the CNE Stadium, 1980s.
#98 High park, Toronto, 1980s
#99 Ted Wickson shot of some brand new Toronto Transit Commission General Motors Diesel Division articulated buses at Thorncliffe Park around 1982.
The buses were essentially 3 buses in one, the front half a 35 foot bus, 40 foot bus behind the articulation joint, and a General Motors Classic model bus at the front. They were actually purchased for the transit agencies by the Province Of Ontario for testing to evaluate articulated buses in different cities. The Government of Ontario signed a $16.3-million contract with General Motors for 53 buses to be used in an articulated bus demonstration program. Four transit agencies participated: Hamilton Street Railway, Mississauga Transit, OC Transpo, and the Toronto Transit Commission. Of those 53, 2 have been preserved, one in the OC Transpo Fleet, and a Hamilton Street Railway bus at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.-
Man those parking lots! I remember walking from Union to the dome from ‘89 through the early ‘90’s and it was like a prison march along Bremner with old rails everywhere, oppressive heat and only concrete as far as the eye could see
I remember a TTC driver telling me the 60s-80s had such rapid growth, you could go to work, go on a lunch break, and end up with a different job.
Bloor and I guess Keele looks pretty unrecognizable in picture 35
#23 is off — Inn on the Park was constructed in 1963.
Photo 15 looks like they’re filming Fraggle Rock.
Yeah that looks like Uncle Travelling Matt. I remember an episode where he went on the Minebuster at Canada’s Wonderland.