Block by Block: Reimagining Toronto
A hands-on city-building experience where creativity meets community. Help reimagine Toronto—one block at a time.
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.
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The 52: Live Theatrical Experience
The 52 Live is a powerful performance of monologues and music spotlighting Toronto women who transformed the city — staged in partnership with Luminato Festival.
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Block by Block: Reimagining Toronto
A hands-on city-building experience where creativity meets community. Help reimagine Toronto—one block at a time.
The 52: Live Theatrical Experience
The 52 Live is a powerful performance of monologues and music spotlighting Toronto women who transformed the city — staged in partnership with Luminato Festival.
The 52: Exhibition
The 52: Exhibition Building on a multi-year research project, our newest exhibition will celebrate the lives of 52 women who have shaped Toronto as we know it. Spanning from the
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