Morality Police

Toronto’s Morality Department was established in 1886 by Mayor William Holmes Howland as a way to “root out vice,” ensure the “cleanliness of the city,” and supposedly uphold the moral purity of “Toronto the Good.” In actuality, it would target same-sex relationships, interracial relationships, and women deemed improper. Later, it would be reimagined as a vice squad to enforce Prohibition and other drug bans.