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Toronto taxis have been a staple in the city for a century, but rarely become the focus of photographic endeavours.
Given the ubiquity of cabs in the city, one would think they'd play a more prevalent role in Toronto's visual record.
Between 1931 and 1971 the number of taxis in Toronto increased from just below 1,000 to around 3,000, and yet it's only recently that they've become a more common feature in photographs.
Nevertheless there are fascinating tales to be told about Toronto's cabs and cabbies, including that of Thornton Blackburn, the former slave who escaped to Toronto from Kentucky and set up the city's very first taxi service in 1837.
Blackburn's first cab was reported to be red and yellow, a colour scheme that's still seen on the streets today in the form of Co-Op cabs.
Here's a visual history of Toronto's taxis.
The 1990s, in the Yonge and Summerhill area
Chinatown, 1990s.
The late 1980s, around Yonge and Eglinton
Downtown on Yonge Street, in the 1980s
Yonge and Gould in the 1980s
A Metro Cab, 1980s
Near Avenue and Bloor, 1980s
In the 1970s, near College Park
Metro Cab on Queen West, 1970s
The 1970s, in front of a very dirty Union Station
Richmond and Victoria, late 1960s
Bay Street in front of the Temple Building, in the 1960s
Bay Street again, 1960s
The 1950s, in a bit of traffic
On Ossington, 1950s
Near Davenport and Dupont, in the 1950s
A small taxicab office, 1950s
Taxi stand in front of Union Station, in 1931
Taxi stand by Union Station, 1930
Reed's taxis, on Victoria Street, in 1911
by Staff via blogTO
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