On September 29, 2016, the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel, the cathedral was elevated to a minor basilica.

[5] In addition to worship services, the church sponsors a number of outreach programs for nearby residents.

On September 29, 1848, the cathedral was consecrated after substantial work by the Honourable John Elmsley and his friend Samuel G. Lynn to reduce the debt.

[6] The cathedral played an instrumental role in the founding of nearby St. Michael's Hospital when the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who came to Toronto at the request of Bishop Charbonnel to operate an orphanage and settlement house, responded to the need for care during a diphtheria epidemic in 1892.

The tall arcade, supported by graceful colonnettes, gives the interior space a feeling of openness and adds to the grand sense of scale that the building imposes.

In adherence with the tradition of medieval churches, the cathedral's high altar is in the east end of the building, facing Jerusalem.

[2] The general composition of the building resembles that of a 13th or 14th century Gothic cathedral; however, the design is simplified and does not contain elements such as flying buttresses, transepts, or ribbed vaults.

[15] Conversely, the secondary altars, or side-chapels, divide the cathedral in two down its length, providing a slight outcrop visible from the exterior.

At its tallest point, the tower reaches 260 feet (79 m) or approximately 26 stories above the ground,[2] surpassing the height of many of the surrounding buildings.

From the exterior, the building maintains a distinctly Gothic appearance characterized by its pointed arches, buttressed walls, stone moulding and sharp iron accents.

The western façade houses the main entrance and pinnacle tower, and is arguably the most impressive side of the church.

It faces Bond Street, with the building set back from the property line to create a small forecourt.

Typical characteristics structures of Gothic Architecture include pointed arches called 'ogivals', flying buttresses, transverse arms, clerestory windows, pinnacles, and ribbed vaults, many of which are displayed in St. Michael's Cathedral.

When entering the sacred space of the cathedral, its mass is arranged linearly based on a vertical axis, with two main arcades of stone.

The two main arcades consists of ivory piers with patterned spandrels of blue and red, however, string courses outline the decorated triforium.

Classic artwork like The Last Supper, as well as other religious paintings of Jesus, priests, and John the Baptist hang above the sanctuary.

The deep blue sky with small blood-red squares of glass leading in the regular grid fall into larger and smaller bands of maroon, plum, and purple enlivened by emerald, viridian and gold.

Underneath the stained glass window is an intricate wooden reredos with gold and green detailing.

In 1880, the current three-manual pipe organ was installed in the cathedral's gallery by Archbishop Joseph Lynch.

The dormered windows located on the roof were added some time in the 1890s with the intent to improve the cathedral's appearance; it is believed that architect Joseph Connolly was responsible for their design.

Most of the present paintings that adorn the roof and walls of the cathedral date to 1937, with several smaller ones having been added since, the most recent in 1982.

[2] To the right of the altar, there is a wooden monument for the Blessed Sacrament that is the result of a re-design of 1980 directed by Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter.

In 2011, restorations took place that included the west facade being cleaned, bringing the bricks back to their original yellow colour.

In June 2015, it was announced that the 168-year-old cathedral would be closing for the next nine months to deal with safety concerns over a long-running restoration process.

It was rededicated on the Feast of St. Michael, Thursday September 29, 2016, by Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto.