Skip to content

June Rowlands

Image: Museum of Toronto.

An unstoppable force, June Rowlands was the first woman to be Toronto’s Mayor, TTC Commissioner, and Chair of the Toronto Police Commission.
1924 - 2017 | Toronto's First Female Mayor

June Rowlands was a dedicated public servant, commencing her career in municipal politics with her election to City Council in 1976. In 1991, she made history by becoming Toronto’s 60th Mayor and the city’s first female mayor, holding the position until 1994. She didn’t stop there; she became the first woman to lead both the Toronto Transit Commission and the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission.

Rowlands was a passionate advocate for affordable housing and a tireless defender of Toronto’s ravines and historical neighbourhoods, leaving a lasting impact on the city’s landscape and community.

Explore more women who transformed Toronto.

Explore More

The 52: Exhibition

The 52: Exhibition Building on a multi-year research project, our

Home Game: Toronto Loves Basketball

Our new exhibition tracing Toronto’s deep connection to basketball

Share this Article

Explore More
Content