Plaque City

Toronto is plaque city. Over the last five decades, Heritage Toronto has placed about 950 historical plaques and markers around Toronto covering everything from nightlife to dead raccoons. On this tour you will learn about the history of the plaques program — how it started, how it grew, and how it evolved — and discover some unique highlights and staff favourites in the collection. We’ll also talk about how the plaques program works today and where it’s heading. We’ll visit plaques that tell the story of Toronto in bitsized chunks — from legendary trans artist Jackie Shane to the union of Black railway porters who unionized in 1939 for better pay and career prospects and some of the oldest human archaeological remains. This tour will be led by Chris Bateman and Meg Sutton, Heritage Toronto’s plaques program staff. Chris Bateman is the manager of the plaques program and an award-winning freelance journalist. His work, which focuses on Toronto’s history, has appeared in the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Bloomberg CityLab, and Spacing, among others. He has worked for Heritage Toronto and the plaques program for more than a decade. Meg Sutton is the plaques coordinator. A graduate of the University of Toronto with a Masters of Museums and Masters of Information, she is a passionate storyteller committed to ensuring everyone’s voice is included in the retellings of our past. She’s also the host of Heritage Toronto’s Plaque Friday, the weekly Instagram series that brings Toronto’s more than 950 plaques to life. Tour and plaque presentation in the Dundas + Carlaw neighbourhood, June 2018. Image by Herman Custodio. Eglinton East: The Golden Mile, August 11, 2019. Image by Heritage Toronto. Tour participants take in the Underground Railroad Restaurant plaque, Being Black on King, June 13, 2024. Image by Rachna Shah. Plaques at the Golden Mile on Eglinton East, Scarborough, June 22, 2019. Image by Heritage Toronto. Registration This tour is provided for $8.00/person. The total cost is $10.05 (includes a $2.05 transaction fee). Please note that space is limited on our tours. You may not be able to join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time through our website. Map heading – change value in settings Accessibility This tour is approximately 2.7 kilometres in distance and takes place predominantly on paved city sidewalks and streets. Public washrooms are available along the route at a Starbucks and at HTO Park. FAQs What should I do if I can’t find the group at the start location?+ Our staff and volunteers will be at the tour’s starting location 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the tour to allow time for check-in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location. Sponsors More Like This Feature Plaques Our plaques educate and enlighten the public about the important people, places, and events from Toronto’s past. Started in 1969, we are responsible for more than 900 plaques across the city. Feature 2025 Plaques Program Highlights From freedom-seekers to a dead raccoon, in 2025 our historical plaques embraced a broad view of the stories that have defined Toronto. Feature Conrad the Raccoon We honour and mourn Conrad the viral Yonge Street raccoon who died 10 years ago this month.