Formerly known as Dayton, Emery Village was once a small, farming hamlet that slowly extended out from the crossroads of Finch Avenue and Weston Road. As the community grew, its name was changed to Emery in order to avoid confusing it with Dayton, Ontario and Dayton, Ohio.

Sometimes also referred to as Humbermede because of its close proximity to the Humber River, Emery changed dramatically in the 60s as it transitioned from a primarily rural area into the more residential and industrial area that it is today. In 2003, Emery became a Business Improvement Area (BIA) and this helped Emery to continue to grow and expand steadily into the 21st century. Today, Emery has close to 2000 businesses and it is the largest BIA in the city.