20 gritty photos of Toronto struggling during the Great Depression

The Great Depression brought a period of immense challenges to Toronto almost 100 years ago, and things looked pretty rough around the edges during the "dirty thirties."

Between 1929 and 1939, the economic crash hit the city hard, as jobs disappeared, paycheques shrank, and thousands of people were forced to rely on government relief to get by.

And yet, life somehow went on.

The Royal York Hotel opened in 1929. Maple Leaf Gardens followed in 1931, the same year the Leafs won their first Stanley Cup. A bunch of big, shiny landmarks like Commerce Court and the Canada Life Building went up while many Toronto residents were struggling to eat.

About one-fifth of Toronto's 631,000 residents were on welfare during the Depression, and in neighbourhoods like Cabbagetown, poverty was on full display. The people who still had jobs saw their wages cut by as much as 60 per cent.

As we've said before, this was the time when the city was "as photographically rich as it was economically poor." Sometimes it's good to put things into perspective and see how far Toronto has evolved from those grimy, dark years. 

Here are 20 photos of what Toronto looked like during the Great Depression.

Sackville St.

179-181 Sackville St. in 1936.

275 Sackville St. in 1936. 

Ontario St.

A decaying bathroom in a home near Ontario St. and King St. in 1938.

 Union Station

Trains entering Union Station in 1930.

Temporary platform in 1930.

Yonge St.

People lined up for bread at Yonge Street Mission in 1933.

1933 traffic on Yonge St. looking south.

Regent Park

Workers at 94 St. David Street in 1938.

Queen St. E.

28-30 Queen Street East in 1940.

Gerrard and Yonge

A demolition at Gerrard and Yonge in 1938.

The corner of Gerrard and Yonge on July 9, 1938.

Elizabeth St.

Rear of 116-120 Elizabeth St. in 1936.

114-120 Elizabeth Street in 1936.

Centre Ave.

The rear 15, 17 Centre Ave. in 1937.

The front of 15, 17 Centre Ave. in 1937.

Dundas St.

Dundas St. north of Bloor St. in 1936.

Old City Hall

Special Tax Office at Old City Hall in 1930.

Canada Life Building

Canada Life Building from Osgoode Hall grounds in 1930. 

Workers atop the Canada Life Building in 1930.

College St.

An empty lot west of 961 College St. in 1931.

Isn't it astounding to see how different Toronto was back then?