In the past, Harbord Village was often been referred to as Sussex-Ulster or the South Annex, the later mainly due to its close proximity to the renowned Annex area of Toronto to the north. In the late 1800s, Harbord Village was largely a middle-class area of Toronto and it was a neighbourhood that was sandwiched between the richer, more affluent Torontonians living to the north in the Annex and the mainly poorer immigrant area of Kensington Market to the south.

By the early to mid 1900s, Harbord Village had started to change a lot as many new immigrants moved here as well as many students who were attending the University of Toronto. The neighbourhood retained its quaint, historic charm however, its residents were now more mixed. In 1983, a Business Improvement Area (BIA) was established on Harbord Street and the community underwent a lot of revitalization. Today, Harbord Village is a pleasant neighbourhood of Toronto that is quiet while still being located right in the heart of everything.