Here is a list of helpful resources for geospatial (GIS) and numeric data pertaining to Toronto within the Map & Data Library collection. Unless access to a resource is specifically listed as “public”, any resources listed here are restricted for use by University of Toronto faculty, staff, and students.
Theme |
Resource Location, |
Format and File Extension |
Temporal Extent |
Details and Usage |
Administrative and Political Boundaries Elevation Facilities/Services Land Use Structures Transportation Networks Waterbodies |
CanMap Content Suite Accommodations, Building Footprints, |
Shapefile (.shp) |
2015–2017 |
Contains comprehensive and precise (but not limited to) street, Default projection: WGS 84 Coverage: Varies Instructions to download data for the CMA of Toronto available here Notes To access more content beyond what is listed among the resources, |
Shapefile (.shp) |
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 |
Contains comprehensive and precise Projection: WGS 84, NAD 83 (older datasets) |
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CanMap RouteLogistics – Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) Subset |
2002 5.1 2002 6.2 2004 8.2 2004 v2005.3 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 |
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Enterprise Stereoscopic Model (ESM) Topographic Mapping 3D Toronto |
DWG |
N/A |
Contains (but not limited to) street, rail, and topographic Projection: MTM Coverage: University of Toronto St. George Campus Access: University of Toronto IP addresses only |
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Administrative and Political Boundaries |
Cartographic Boundary Files |
Shapefile (.shp) |
1951 1961 (Census Tracts) 1971 1981 (Census Tracts) 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 |
Download boundary files, produced by Statistics Canada, Default projection: WGS 84, NAD 83 (older datasets) Coverage: Varies Instructions to download data for the CMA of Toronto available here |
Digital Boundary Files |
1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 |
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Administrative and Political Boundaries Postal Code |
Forward Sortation Area (FSA) Boundaries
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Shapefile (.shp) CAD KML |
2001–2014
2006–2014 |
Download postal code boundaries at the FSA or LDU levels. Postal codes contain six alphanumeric characters and are utilized by the Canada Post Corporation to sort and deliver mail. The FSA is contained within the first three characters of the postal code and is used to identify an urban or rural geographical area. The LDU is contained within the last three characters and represents neighborhood areas associated with six digit postal code assignments. The LDU can describe either a specific address or a group of addresses within a FSA. Default projection: WGS 84 Instructions to download data for the CMA of Toronto available here Notes The postal code conversion file (PCCF) available here can be used to match six-digit postal codes to standard census geographies. The most recent census year we have at this time is 2011. |
Census/Survey Economic Data Housing Income Population and Demography |
CSV |
1961–2016
2011 |
Generate custom tables from the Census of Canada (Census) from 1961-2016 and the National Household Survey (NHS) from 2011. The interface enables the selection of relevant variables and census geographies, providing access to data down to the DA level Coverage: Varies Instructions to download data for the CMA of Toronto available here |
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Census Custom Tabulations |
Beyond 20/20 Table (.ivt) |
Various custom tabulations of the Census of Canada (Census) or National Household Survey (NHS) Census geographic unit: CT, DA, FSA Access: Public via Statistics Canada Open License Agreement |
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Census/Survey Opinion Poll Politics Relationships |
Forum Research Political Poll – Municipal Issues (Toronto) |
TAB File (.tab) |
This survey is a Toronto municipal opinion poll with general political questions as well as a focus on relationships, marital status and issues Coverage: Toronto municipality |
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Elevation |
ASCII |
2014–2015 |
Contour lines at 0.5m intervals generated from accurate and precise Digital Elevation Model (DEM) layers obtained via remote sensing techniques Projection: UTM Zone 17N |
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Imagery |
Toronto Orthophotos Index |
TIF |
1997 2003 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 |
Explore air photos that have been orthorectified or corrected to ensure uniform scale and no distortion Projection: UTM Zone 17 N (2003 only) and MTM Zone 10 Access: To access the 2015 index, please contact or visit the Map & Data Library during reference hours |
Paper BW |
Varies |
Explore large-scale air photos that cover small areas of ground features in greater detail Scale: 1:480, 1:500, 1:2,000 Coverage: Toronto (pre-amalgamation) Access: Please contact or visit the Map & Data Library during reference hours |
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Paper 1:480 |
1968 |
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Paper 1:500 |
1981–1985 |
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Paper 1:500 |
1988 |
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Paper 1:500 |
1993 |
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Paper 1:2,000 |
1995 |
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Economic Data |
Conference Board of Canada, GDP at Basic Prices by Industry, Toronto |
Excel (.xls) |
1987–2017 |
Quarterly data from 1987-2017 (projection) of GDP at basic prices by industry |
Land Ownership Land Use Structures Transportation Networks Utility Networks |
Property Data Maps Index |
DWG |
Depicts topographic and parcel mapping (i.e. boundary ownership) features Projection: NAD 83 |
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JPG |
1910–1969 |
Urban maps that depict physical characteristics of a structure to be insured. Details of the maps include (but not limited to) drawings and symbols on the construction of buildings, height and occupancy or use of buildings, street widths, street addresses, property lines, water pipes or mains, and more Projection: UTM Zone 17N Access: To access indexes containing listings to more recently published and/or revised plans, please contact or visit the Map & Data Library during reference hours. Indexes listed as “Out of Copyright” are available to the public Notes All Fire Insurance Plans in the Map & Data Library collection have a copyright period of 90 years from the plans’ publication dates. Furthermore, this copyright period of 90 years is also applicable from the plans’ revision dates. |
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JPG |
1889–1918 (Vol. 1) 1910 (Vol. 2) 1911 (Vol. 3) 1910 (Vol. 4) 1890, 1907 (Vol. 5) 1913 (Vol. 6) 1912, 1916, 1922 (Vol. 7) 1916 (Vol. 8) 1897 (Vol. 9) |
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City of Toronto Fire Insurance Atlases Index (Out of Copyright) |
JPG |
1884–1923 | ||
Administrative and Political Boundaries Historical Transportation Networks |
PDF |
1929 |
Depicts proposed new and improved through streets, street extensions and widenings, and general plan of existing auto and streetcar streets, and few more Scale: 1:18.000 Access: Public (Out of Copyright) |
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Administrative and Political Boundaries Historical |
Shapefile (.shp) |
1834–1914 |
Depicts historical ward boundaries including their annexations Projection: None Access: Public |
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Historical Transportation Networks |
Shapefile (.shp) |
1818–1884 |
Depicts historical streets Projection: NAD 83 Access: Public |
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Shapefile (.shp) |
1861–1961 |
Depicts historical streetcar routes and data such as dates the route started and/or ended, type of service provided, length of the route, the owner of the route, and a few more Projection: UTM Zone 17N Access: Public |
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Administrative and Political Boundaries Facilities/Services Historical Land Ownership Land Use Structures |
Don Valley Historical Mapping Project | Shapefile (.shp) KML KMZ |
1850–1950 |
Documents historical changes in the landscape of the Don River Valley by drawing from the wide range of geographical information available for the Don River watershed (and the Lower Don in particular), including historical maps, geological maps, fire insurance plans, planning documents, and city directories Projection: NAD83, UTM Zone 17N Access: Public |
Historical Utility Networks |
Sewers | Shapefile (.shp) | 1835–1920 |
Depicts historical sewage line features Projection: UTM Zone 17N Access: Please contact or visit the Map & Data Library during reference hours Notes The Map & Data Library collection does not have access to any updated and/or a comprehensive database of underground utility features of Toronto such as the Digital Map Owners Group (DMOG) maps at this time |
Crime Structures |
Marijuana Grow Operations | Shapefile (.shp) | 2006–2007 |
Depicts locations of marijuana grow operations as point features Projection: NAD 83 Access: Public |