Once a part of York Township, the Township of East York was incorporated in 1924. In 1967, the Township of East York amalgamated with the neighbouring town of Leaside, which lead to the creation of the borough of East York. East York remained Canada’s only borough until 1998, when East York became a part of the City of Toronto.

East York has changed a lot over the past century as reflected in its history. In its early years, East York was primarily a white, working class neighbourhood whereby many families of British descent were drawn here by its many affordable small homes with both front and back gardens. In the forties, many new yet inexpensive homes were built in East York and when World War II ended, many veterans and their families also moved to this area.

In the 1970s, East York became popular among new immigrants to Toronto bringing much diversity and culture to the area. Over the past three decades, many of East York’s old, one-storey homes have been renovated and many new shops and restaurants have opened in the area. In 2001, almost half of the population of East York was foreign-born and today, East York still remains a very diverse district of the City of Toronto.