Suburbs Growing Twice as Rapidly As Toronto Itself – 1932

Date: Feb 22, 1932

Population Increase in Environs 50 Per Cent.  Greater in 1931 Than Whole City at Incorporation in 1834

868,297 NOW LIVE IN GREATER AREA

Those suburbs of Toronto are “comers.”

If all these communities on the outskirts of the city haven’t got as large a population as their “big brother,” Toronto, today, nevertheless they are on their way.

Just wait!

This year the increase in population in the suburbs has been double the increase of population in Toronto.

And, another thing!  Just in case Torontonians should feel a little patronizing about the strides of its environs-this increase in suburban population alone during the past year is 50 per cent, greater than the whole population of Toronto when it was incorporated in 1834.

Directory Statistics.

These wholesome reminders of the relatively growing importance of the suburbs are contained in the statistics of the new Might Directory for 1932.

But, whether you are a metropolite, and reside in the city, or a suburban.., and enjoy only the proximity of basking in the fainter glow its bright lights cast over the outskirts-here is good news, Greater Toronto has leaped again to greater population figures even in a year of so-called depression.

The official estimate of the directory is that the population of greater Toronto is 868,297.  That represents an increase of 17,962 over the preceding year.  These latest population figures are made up of 716,798 for Toronto City proper, and 151,499 for the suburbs.

(remember these are 1932 numbers)

The reason advanced in the directory’s statistical section for the greater growth in population in the suburbs is that the density of population in the City of Toronto proper is greater than in most large cities on this Continent.  In the City of Toronto proper there are 32.9 population per acre, while in Winnipeg the ratio is only 14.64, in Cleveland, 19.98 and in Buffalo, 23.02.

3,637 Per Cent. Increase.

The increase in Toronto’s population in the last 87 years, the directory says, has been 3,637 per cent.  Its present population is 716,798, so you can just figure out what it was 87 years ago;  if you have time.

The answer is in the new directory.

In the section devoted to Toronto statistics, the prediction of imminent annexations to the city is made in the following words:  “The city evidently is becoming fairly well filled up and from past experience we believe these figures indicate that annexation of some areas adjacent to the city’s boundaries is not far distant.”  One reason advanced for people living outside the city is “income tax collection in Toronto is exceedingly efficient as compared to other cities.”  Another reason is the lower public school tax in suburban areas which do not have to carry the burden of educational costs for poorer city districts.

The directory this year carries…. 372,344 names, 312,564 in the city…..proper and 59,780 in the suburbs………Names of children and the wives of……householders are not printed, although they are included in the population analysis.  This section of the analysis remarks:  “A surprising fact is that one of the areas of lowest average size families is in the suburbs in that area bounded by Vaughan Road, north from St. Clair…..running north to Wychwood; east and then south following the ravine back to St. Clair Avenue east of Bathurst Street.”

Unsettled times in spite of population’s growth are indicated by the observation that “never in the history of almost one hundred years of directory publishers seen such a tremendous change in the listings in one year’s time.  In the Alphabetical Directory alone there are 219,165 changes.  In the Classified Business lists, 5,033, or almost one in four firms listed.  In the Street Guide and Home Owners’ Directory there are 69,740 changes.  One public utility corporation, serving a big proportion of the homes in Toronto, claims that they in this one year have a record of over 58,000 changes of address in their records alone.  The reason for this enormous switch-over apparently is to be found in the present business conditions with their attendant effect on the normal living conditions of the employees earning their livelihood from the industrial, commercial, financial or professional activities located in the city.”

Suburban Populations.

The various Toronto suburbs, together with their population are listed in the directory as follow:

Birch Cliff…………………………………………5,040                                            Earlscourt………………………………………..1,387                                            East York……………………………………….32,463                                            Fairbank…………………………………………17,189                                          Forest Hill Village………………………………5,237                                            Humber Bay……………………………………3,100                                            Lambton Mills………………………………….8,246                                            Leaside…………………………………………..1,305                                            Mimico……………………………………………7,597                                          Mount Dennis…………………………………..9,785                                          New Toronto…………………………………….7,227                                          North York……………………………………….1,867                                            Oakwood………………………………………….8,282                                          Runnymede……………………………………..6,975                                          Scarboro’…………………………………………6,985                                          Silverthorn……………………………………….5,966                                          Swansea………………………………………….5,707                                          Westmount………………………………………….705                                          Weston……………………………………………..5,815                                      Wychwood………………………………………10,621

Total……………………………………….151,499

 

 

 

 

 

 

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