St. Lawrence Market
By 1803, the population of York, Upper Canada had increased to the point where a public market was needed.
Upper Canada Lieutenant Governor Peter Hunter established a weekly market day and designated an area.
His proclamation appeared in the November 3, 1803 issue of The Upper Canada Gazette saying, “Whereas great prejudice hath arisen to the inhabitants of the town and township of York, and of other adjoining townships from no place or day having been set apart for exposing publicly for sale, cattle, sheep, poultry and other provisions, goods and merchandise brought by merchants, farmers and others for the necessary supply of the town of York, and whereas great benefit and advantage might be derived to the inhabitants and others by establishing a weekly market at a place and on a day certain for the purpose aforesaid;”[3] The original market was known as Market Square and people gathered there on Saturdays at the corner of King Street and New Street, (today's Jarvis St) stretching west to Church Street and south to Palace (today's Front St), with a creek running through the center from King south to the bay.
[5] The market square was the centre of the city's social life where auctions took place and public punishments were carried out.
[3] In the earliest days of the town, when slavery was still legal, this included auctions of black slaves.
[6] Town bylaws prohibited the selling of butter, eggs, fish, meat, poultry, and vegetables between the hours of 6am and 4pm on Saturdays, except at the market.
In the 1850s, the railways arrived in Toronto, and rail lines were extended along Front Street to the market.
These lines were relocated to the new Esplanade south of Front Street and a passenger station was erected.
The present St. Lawrence Market South building was built in 1845 as Toronto City Hall and was rebuilt in 1850.
The city council has awarded the contract to The Buttcon Limited/The Atlas corporation Joint Venture.
The market was planning on opening Sundays as well, as part of a year long pilot project beginning on March 15, 2020.
