91

Walk Score

80

Transit Score

Keele

Closest Subway Station

The Vibe

If The Junction were a genre of music it would definitely be Indie. It has a palpable gentrification in progress vibe with hip craft beer breweries, cafes and tons of boutiques taking over most of the original pokey little stores that once dominated Dundas Street West. This is a self-contained neighbourhood with a true village feel.

The Story

Although The Junction is aptly named after the junction of multiple railway lines directly to its north, it was originally named after a junction formed by two trails travelled by Indigenous peoples dating back to 400. It was first established as the Village of West Toronto Junction in 1888, became a town in 1889, the City of West Toronto in 1908 and then amalgamated with the City of Toronto in 1909.



Business was booming in the late 1800’s with many manufacturing companies moving in to the area including the illustrious piano manufacturer Heinztman & Co. Other products included ploughs and pulleys, furniture and mattresses, flour, shoes and hats, nails and wire, and soap. Unfortunately, The Junction was hard hit by the recession from 1893-99 leading to many business closures and devastating poverty. 


By the early 1900’s new businesses and opportunities brought life back to the area, including the first stockyards in Toronto, the catalyst for one of Toronto’s many confusing nicknames -- “Hogtown”. At the same time a large population of Italian, Polish, Macedonian, Croatian, Irish and Maltese families moved in. The area at Dundas and John is now known as Little Malta or Malta Village. 


When people in the area voted to ban alcohol in 1904 to try to dampen the rowdy spirits of local workers, the area became a little stifled again. Since then it has changed in fits and starts until prohibition was finally lifted in the year 2000. Hard to believe you couldn’t buy a cocktail in the area until the new millennium!


Businesses have continued to migrate to this area attracting people to not only enjoy the many restaurants, pubs, and other nightlife activities, but also to purchase real estate in The Junction.

The Convenience

Living in The Junction feels very much like its own community, and it’s not very reliant on many other neighbourhoods for essential amenities. In fact, this sense of civic pride and individualism has come to define The Junction and is one of the main reasons that people move here.

The Residents

The defined sense of community has emboldened young couples and families to make The Junction real estate their home. The fact that The Junction feels like a small village on the outskirts of the city is attractive to those living here, as they have the comfort of being isolated from the hustle and bustle of Downtown – without being too far away from it all. Unlike some of the hipper areas in the GTA, The Junction is very family friendly with families slightly outnumbering young professional couples without kids. 

The Best Part

The best part about living in The Junction has to be the livability factor – you never have to leave. This strip of Dundas Street West is dotted with amazing bakeshops, cafés, restaurants, and cocktail bars providing the ideal boutique shopping and dining experience. It’s eclectic mix of houses, apartments and businesses offers the perfect lifestyle for the young couples and families who call The Junction home. 

Are you thinking about calling The Junction your new home?

Contact us today, and we can get started on finding you a home in this one-of-a-kind Toronto neighbourhood

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