Prior to William Holmes Howland becoming Toronto's 25th mayor, he was a businessman who was elected president of the Board of Trade in 1874-1875.

He turned to municipal politics to try to help the city with problems like drunkenness, slum conditions, filthy streets and to clean up the foul water supply.

Senior officials were arrested for misuse of funds after a coal-supply scandal broke out and a street railway strike that was backed by Howland had the militia brought in after three days of rioting.

During his second term, council's time was occupied with projects like the Don Improvement Scheme, construction of a new city hall and court house (to replace both old city hall and Adelaide Street Court House), waterworks improvements and street paving.

He was finally able to have the number of liquor licences issued by council reduced from 223 to 150 after the passing of the "Fleming Bylaw".