North York is a former municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. Until 1998, it was the second-largest of six municipalities that comprised another larger municipal structure called Metropolitan Toronto.  North York is one of the most diverse areas of Toronto, as it contains some of the most affluent areas of the city (The Bridle Path, Hogg’s Hollow, York Mills, Willowdale, Bayview Village) and some of the poorest (Jane and Finch, Flemingdon Park and Lawrence Heights).  The Township of North York was formed on June 13, 1922 out of the rural part of the Township of York. The rapidly urbanizing parts of the Township remained in that township. As North York itself became more urbanized, it became the Borough of North York in 1967, and then on February 14, 1979, the City of North York. To commemorate receiving its city charter on St. Valentine’s Day, the city’s corporate slogan was “The City with Heart”.

Major shopping malls in North York include the Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Fairview Mall. Major health-care facilities, such as North York General Hospital, Humber River Regional Hospital (Finch Avenue Site previously called York-Finch Hospital) and the massive Sunnybrook Hospital complex which includes a veterans’ residence, a regional cancer centre and regional trauma centre are located in North York.

An aircraft manufacturing facility and a former military base are located at Downsview. With the end of the Cold War, much of the land was transformed into a large park now called Parc Downsview Park. Also located in the former airfield is Toronto Aerospace Museum.

Black Creek Pioneer Village, an authentic nineteenth-century village, and the Ontario Science Centre, which boasts over 800 science-oriented exhibits, are North York’s primary attractions. Not far from Black Creek Pioneer Village is York University’s main campus, and the infamous Jane and Finch neighbourhood.