Toronto City Hall

Smashing IT!👒 Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillip Square Garden. Historical Landmark home of the mayor and city council members. Also the place where one obtains permits for various requests and requirements. The city staffing clerks are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. "Designed by Viljo Revell and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965. The building is located adjacent to Nathan Phillips Square, a public square at the northwest intersection of Bay Street and Queen Street.was designed and officially opened alongside Toronto City Hall. Toronto City Hall replaced the neighbouring Old City Hall, which was occupied by the municipal government since 1899 and continues to house municipal offices and courts. The building also served as the seat for the Metropolitan Toronto regional government from 1965 to 1992." Nestled in the heart of the downtown core, it's home to nearby shopping malls, bars, cafes, restaurants, and so much more. Toronto City Hall is the venue for many fun attractions such as ice-skating in the winter, winter festivals, and many other family fun events. Including the iconic News Years Eve celebrations with free concerts and a very impressive fire works to usher in the new year! In the summer months, enjoy sitting by the water fountain. Any time of the year and any time of the day Nathan Phillip Square Garden is packed with fun adventures to attend or to just sit back and enjoy the city.

I’m a wedding photographer, and there’s something special about a Toronto City Hall wedding. No frills, no fuss, just two people, a few loved ones, and the city humming in the background. The quiet moments before, the celebratory walk out, the way the city streets become part of the story. For couples who want something intimate but iconic, this place just works.

Celebrating Canada’s Flag Day at Nathan Phillips Square! 🇨🇦 Despite the cold, the warmth of Canadian patriotism was on full display at Nathan Phillips Square today for the Canada Flag Day ceremony! Proud Torontonians braved the winter chill to honor the symbol of our unity, strength, and diversity. Mayor Olivia Chow led the celebration with grace and passion, reminding us all of the values that make Canada special. From the raising of the flag to heartfelt speeches, it was a moment of national pride and reflection. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our beautiful maple leaf! Happy Flag Day, Canada! 🇨🇦❤️ #CanadaFlagDay #Toronto #ProudlyCanadian

Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto is an absolute must-visit! The iconic "TORONTO" sign is a perfect photo spot, especially when it lights up at night. The square is always buzzing with life, hosting cultural events, concerts, and art exhibits throughout the year. During winter, the reflecting pool transforms into a lively ice-skating rink, offering a magical experience. Its central location near City Hall and the Eaton Center makes it super convenient. The blend of historic and modern architecture around the square adds to its charm. Whether you're a local or tourist, this place truly captures Toronto's vibrant spirit!

Wish to have more flowers around and make it more inviting. Your old benches should be updated. Will be a good ideas to install umbrellas with chairs around fountains( for some reason I didn’t see them working this summer 2024) 📍New Indigenous spirit garden opens outside Toronto city hall. October 1, 2024 Looks beautiful and inviting

Our Toronto City Hall is in the shape of a UFO! 🛸 That alone puts it on the map for a destination location. 🍁 Nathan Philip Square boasts the public skating rink ⛸️ in the winter as well as a huge Christmas Tree 🎄, which has been a holiday tradition for as long as I can remember. In the summertime, NPS hosts numerous events and on Queen Street you’ll find a vast array of food trucks 🌭🌮🍔🍕. I have attended my best friends wedding 💒💍 at City Hall and when you leave the space ship, well, there are those moments where you feel transported at times. The Toronto sign along with the Indigenous Wheel and Maple Leaf, those are photo ops waiting to happen. If you’re visiting Toronto I highly recommend City Hall and Nathan Philip Square for some classic but distinguishable tourist shots and if you live here, same rules apply! 📸🛸🍁 Update: June 18, 2025 I was beyond moved today when a friend from Agnutmaqan and visited the Spirit Garden for the first time. The Turtle, Spirit Canoe, Teaching Lodge, Two-Row Walkway and the Three Sisters Garden were magical!!

Downtown Toronto City Hall is a must-visit spot for both locals and tourists. It's the perfect place to capture stunning photos with its iconic architecture as a backdrop. Conveniently located near a subway station, it’s easily accessible. The area is bustling with a variety of fast-food options, making it easy to grab a quick bite. Plus, it's just a short walk from the Eaton Centre, making it an ideal starting point for a day of shopping and exploration.

Came on Doors Open. Not super fancy but the important location for us people :p

This is one of the most emblematic pictures of Toronto because of the modern buildings and also because of the large TORONTO Sign. When we went there was a Filipino festival going on....this space is used for many activities and festivals all year round. The building is located adjacent to Nathan Phillips Square, a public square at the northwest intersection of Bay Street and Queen Street, that was designed and officially opened alongside Toronto City Hall.

City Hall. At one point, I think that it was called New City Hall to make the distinction between it and Old City Hall across the street. Similar to being the new employee at a company, eventually the new label died and it's simply known as City Hall these days. City Hall was built in the mid-60's. In the 70's, the city government moved their offices from Old City Hall to City Hall. It has been the case ever since. When you look at the architecture of City Hall, it was cutting-edge for the 60's. You've got a spaceship saucer-like structure in the middle where you often have Toronto City Council members discuss and debate issues. It's cool that the council chamber is a semi-circle, to be a fitting subset of the saucer. There are two towers on either side of the saucer. They are not the same height, which I appreciate to change things up. The one on the east is taller than the west one. Both are curved, which I am sure wasn't typical back then. It's awesome. I probably appreciate our City Hall more these days. I recently visited Elma, IA. With a population closer to 400 people, that City Hall was essentially a bungalow. I have many fond memories of visiting City Hall. It has a library. As someone who frequented many libraries as a student, I enjoyed coming here to check out the books and quietly study. One year, there was a lunar new year celebration in the lobby of City Hall. I thank my mom for pulling me out of elementary school so that we should check it out. It was exciting to learn more about my heritage and to be plucked out of a waspy neighbourhood for a day. We were a handful of Asian families in the Beaches back then. In grade 11, we had a Friday off from school. Three friends and I headed downtown. I remember all of us walking up the east ramp that leads you to the top floor of the saucer. There was a running track. We actually ran for kicks, and I still have photos of our athleticism or lackthereof. Ah, so many ways to blackmail people... lol. I haven't checked out this top floor since being in high school. I don't even know what it's called. A rooftop? I think the track is gone, but I can't confirm. Next time when I'm down there, I'll need to take a look. Things are a bit different in front of City Hall. The large Toronto sign is nice. I was recently there at night and it was my first time seeing the sign lit up in all its glory. I loved it. Nathan Phillips Square is still there. You can still rent skates and use the rink in the winter. You still see the fountains in the summer. There is a snack stand there with washrooms across from it. Of course, there are food trucks by Queen Street West for drinks and food. A few weeks ago, I was parked below City Hall for a concert, but I had also had dinner and shopped for a bit in the area. Parking rates are pretty cheap for being downtown. It's open all the time. I felt safe both times that I have parked here. Whether you are a tourist or a local, it's cool to check out City Hall and admire it. (197)

Who would have accurately foretold in 1965 that this city structure would become the home of The Six? Certainly not me and I think I'm a pretty smart guy! Please keep the laughter to a minimum. New City Hall post amalgamation of cities and boroughs is home to Toronto's municipal government managing the affairs of nearly 3 million city dwellers. Many a mass protests as well as huge celebrations have been and continue to be held on the grounds. It's a place for people to come together for a cause whether it be socializing or social movement. Street vendors, buskers, skating enthusiasts, street food, fountain watching, etc are some things happening on the outside while our politicians are expected to work for us on the inside.

Meh Skating is fine in winter Toronto sign, tourists like Overall a lot of Land with very little on it The city hall driveways have been closed for ages. Interior is old and outdated

Great photo opportunities! Live bands playing and a very peaceful atmosphere. It was a quick stop and photo opportunity for us. If you get a chance stop by but if not you really aren't missing anything

I love Toronto City Hall, there's so much space and so much history, I always try and soak it all in when I'm there. One of the most memorable experiences there was when I was invited to have a meeting with Mayor David Miller. Prior to the meeting I went around and had my own little tour with two friends, just heavenly. Inside the Mayor's office, he showed us the huge necklace that is worn by the Mayor, everything. It was a moment I'll never forget. The TORONTO sign, fireworks, and live bands throughout the years have been amazing, too. This is definitely a place to visit if you're local or a tourist. It'll never disappoint. I recommend taking transit unless you work for the city and are given free parking (for councillors and some other Toronto city employees) as parking is a bite in the wallet. REP THE 6IX BORN AND RAISED 5/5

The TORONTO sign is beautiful at night!! As a tourist, this was on the top of my list to check out in the city. From what I hear, the maple leaf sign is fairly new. The TORONTO sign has lights that change colors every few minutes--the best is when it's the rainbow colors. Pictures are best with no flash (at night) otherwise the flash washes out the color and you are left with just a white color sign. There are lots of people here taking pictures as well, so you have to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to take your pictures.

Infested with homeless, the bad kind of homeless people: aggressive and causing troubles. It may be alright for a tourist but is by no means a good location for locals. I've seen: 1. A homeless yelled at if not verbally abused a perfectly polite employee of the Torotoan Libray-City Hall branch 2. A homeless yelled at me. etc Before you, social justice warriors, jump to attack me, understand that I've been homeless before and endured "difficulties" of being homeless myself.

2016-12-29. Toronto is one amazing City! It's one of my favourite cities in the World and the only one that's worthy of rivaling NYC. Took the kids skating and they loved it. The place is packed (as always), and they were setting up for New Years Eve. While it lovely in the day, the night scene is pretty nice too. A very diverse city, Toronto is truly a melting pot of cultures. If you're a foodie, this is definitely a place to visit and there will be plenty of good eats for you to try. They're not quite up to par with the food trucks yet (as NYC is), but there are plenty of excellent restaurants both in the city and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) to satisfy any craving. While the city is pricey, the place is also filled with hidden gems where you can find great food at a decent price. If you're the tourist type, there's also plenty for you to check out regardless of season. They have beaches in both the East end of the city (Woodbine) and West (Mississauga). They have nightlife (Entertainment District), Live Performances (Downtown), Harbourfront (Queen's Quay), History (Distillery District). If you're into diverse cultures, they have 2 Chinatowns (old in Riverdale and new at Spadina), Little Italy (Palmerston), Little Portugal, Greektown (Danforth), Little India (Greenwood). If you're into shopping there are major malls (Eaton Centre, Yorkville/Bloor (high end), Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens). If you're willing to venture out of town, Square One (Mississauga), Vaughan Mills (Vaughan/Maple), and Premium outlet shopping (Halton Hills). If you want to save some green on the parking rates from place to place, Toronto has a great transit system as well. Transfers from the Underground Subway to Street Cars and Buses are included provided it's one continuous trip. As a tourist, look at the rates for an all day pass (at a subway collector booth) or family pass should you want to sight see or snap some scenes. Also Check out the P.A.T.H., the World's largest underground shopping complex, it's Toronto's underground pedestrian walkway. It encompasses over 30 km (~20 mi) of distance linking 50 downtown office towers and major tourist attractions like the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Air Canada Centre, the CN Tower, and more. Another tip: look for online deals for a Toronto City Pass if you plan on attending several attractions (Ripley's Aquarium, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, CN Tower, Ontario Place, Ontario Science Center, the Toronto Zoo, etc.) and you can save as much as 40% off admissions prices. Much like NYC, there's plenty to do and see; and like NYC, it's expensive! Stay for as long as you can afford to in order make the most of your trip.

I normally do not pay attention to review milestones but this my 500th review so I decided I'd save it to review Toronto's City Hall. I was born in the city of Toronto and to my own knowledge I have never had the pleasure of stepping inside the building itself. This is pretty remarkable considering I've been a courier for 2 different companies for a total of about 5 years and I've never technically lived outside Metropolitan Toronto or what is considered Toronto proper these days since the amalgamation. I mention this point because how can I rate a city hall without ever stepping food inside? Well this review is strictly for the aesthetics of the structure and not for anything else. I can't simply rate what goes on in this place because the business of government is far too dynamic and political to be limited to only 5000 characters. So now that I've burned about 1/5 of my allowed characters explaining myself... here we go. As far as recognizable city halls out there go ours is probably in the top 5 of all in North America and probably top 20 in the world if I had to give some sort of conjectured guess with no basis whatsoever. There probably is no such metric or list but for my personal list it's in the top 3 of ones I know and appreciate. The other 2 are for the cities of Philadelphia and San Francisco who both have beautiful and ornate architecture for their respective municipal governments. Our city hall is very unique. There's no rotunda, clock tower or spire. There's nothing that would say old school like the original Old City Hall structure right across the street on Bay. Ours is a more modern architectural response to a more established, conservative looking government building. This is a very unconventional building to suit a very unconventional city. In order to see the front view of city hall you'd have to be on the Queen street side looking north. From Queen to the actual building itself has a huge plaza otherwise known as Nathan Phillips square. This public area has a stage on the left side as well as a Hero burger take out stand as well as restrooms and a place to rent skates in the winter months. The pool and fountain which takes of the southern portion of the square is frozen in the cold months and becomes an ice rink in which people skate for fun. Now while I can only really review what I visually like about our city hall it also has a decent parking lot and is one of the few wide open space (albeit concrete) in the city. The entrances for parking are southbound on Bay before Queen street on the right side and also on the north side of Queen just east of the end of York Street which are both down ramps to the underground entrance. Huddled along the north side of Queen street at the front of city hall are usually a collection of food vendors which mostly consists of French fry trucks who also have such things as burgers, hot dogs and a variety of sausages. What I've love to see is a more diverse mix of food trucks here. I don't care about licensing or whatever, let's get some different things along this stretch in the future if possible.

If you want to know what a spaceship looks like, well look no further than Toronto's City Hall. That's exactly what it reminds me of when I visited it a few weeks ago for a wedding. Typical government building - boring looking on the inside and confusing. I was trying to find the elevators but they are tucked around a corner...of course no signage closer to the doors...you have to walk inside a bit and then see a tiny side. Frustrating...but typical. Between this and the newer ROM addition....not sure which is worse...lol

Such a pretty place, lovely buildings, everything it's so centric, not a lot of food trucks but taxis, Ubers and busses go often

Such a beautiful place, especially during night time the place lights up because of those lights beautiful with different colors. This is our first time to visit this place but stunning and beautiful.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the "look" of this building. I get that back in the days it was considered "modern" and groundbreaking, but it hasn't aged well. The "spaceship" portion contains the city council chambers...where back in the day, Rob Ford danced. The two towers which surrounds the main portion are just offices for overpaid city workers. I prefer the old city hall (next door), but that's strictly from a visual and historic standpoint. Huge underground lot....usually finding parking is not a problem here.

i cant think of a more historical land mark then our own city hall. opened in 1965 and designed by Finnish artist Viljo Revell, i really find the design of the building still relevant to this day, was able to get to do the "doors open toronto" experience, and i found it absolutely breath taking, as you can see in the photos i uploaded, this place has a lot of art, and the view from the top of the tower is amazing. if anyone reading this has an opportunity to actually do the inside of the building and see the inner workings, its awesome. generally speaking, i do believe its been open every doors open. lots of movies and t.v. shows have been filmed here, and a fair bit of renovations have been done over the year, it is also home to one of the largest green roofs in the city. every time i come here i find a new portion of the building that i fall in love with, as well as finding the city of Toronto logo with the outline of city hall is a wonderful homage to the building it self.

Came here to apply for Marriage Licence. It was okay, but could have been better. The actual service lady was amicable. Firstly, no food or drink in there, so I left my coffee at the information desk. There's not really any signage to know where you're supposed to go. And saw a waiting area, and two desks at the top of the L shape. There were 2 people in line waiting for someone - so I figured I may as well hang out there. Someone called out, marriage licence, so I got to skip the line as she checked over my form. Then I was given a number to sit and wait. A huge tv screen tells you the current number being served. And dings when it changes. I was next, and waited about 10 mins. My slip told me T603. The counters were numbered 1-6. And confusing on which number belonged to which counter. Myself, along with the girl after me, had to ask exactly where T603 is. Apparently it's Counter 5. Maybe that's what the sign said - but clearly it was confusing. A good tip: Fill in the application for the licence online. If there requires any changes (like adding my full complete 2 middle names), she just prints it out from the system. In addition, they reprint all the same information on the actual marriage licence itself. I would imagine if you filled out the form by hand, she'd have to retype it all in - probably annoying for her, and longer wait for you. Everything including the $140 payment was done (all types of payment accepted) in about 10 mins from when I sat down. She also gave me info about name changes and what to do next. The officiant will take the form and submit it into the city, then 12 weeks later, you have to submit a request for a marriage certificate, which, of course, comes with another fee. Oh, and only one of you has to go, as long as you have all the proper IDs (2) for both parties.

T.O. City hall isn't a futuristic as it used to be, but it's still cool to look at. I've been here in the winter and summer, and my only regret was not strapping on some skates.

Well folks. Bobby Buick did it. He's outdone himself this time, and now our City Hall is the stage for political jokes around the world. I wanted to circle back to this review and update it, because I said if anyone could top himself it was Ford, and eff did he ever. To keep it Useful: Food trucks out front are still doing a swell job, try the poutine at the blue fry truck. Good cheese curds.

It's a seasonal landmark for different events and activities. Winter - skating Spring/ Summer - water show (uploaded a photo) lots of people walking and sitting around chatting while eating street meat, sometimes you get shows and promo stuff going on. Fall - Nuit Blanche It's always fun to walk by and see who's around city hall :)

So I need to change my social insurance card because of the new last name... I had a doctor's appointment in the morning near the area so thought I could kill 2 birds with one stone by going to City Hall earlier. I checked their website and it said opened at 7:30! Perfect - I wouldn't need to take any extra time off work and just go get this done before my doctor's appointment. I arrived at City Hall just after 8... to find no one at Service Canada - but I thought City Hall opened at 7:30? there was no indication that different departments had alternate hours. So I see a sign at the front desk that says that starting January 3, 2012, the desk opens at.... 8:30!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me? What a waste of my time. Well luckily at 8:30, they did open their desk for inquiries and I was first in line. I bring my documents only to find out that AN ORIGINAL COPY of my citizenship card is required. I thought I had clearly read that only a copy was required but clearly I will take full fault for not reading Services Canada properly *FIST SHAKE*....At least the gentleman did seem apologetic although he was not able to use my copies as proof of identification. What I did find out is that you do not need to change your SIN card unless you leave your employment, or if you go on maternity leave... guess I can wait.

I love the modern look of the new city hall. It stands out as a unique design, with the two towers surrounding the main portion. The huge TORONTO lighted sign draws many tourists and locals alike for a unusual photo op. It was opened in 1965 and was designed by the finnish designer Viljo Revell.

Laura C.'s very thorough review covers everything you need to know about getting your wedding licence. I need to maintain my quota for the November challenge though, so here we go. The bureaucratic machinery churns fairly smoothly for this municipal money-maker. You can and should fill out the paperwork beforehand (available online) to speed things along. Once signed by both parties and armed with sufficient ID (again for both parties), only one half need proceed to City Hall in person. This was my task. The application desk is just off to the left as you enter on the main floor. Don't be put off if there's a large crowd in the waiting area; this holding pen is shared by both the City and Service Canada, and the majority of people seem to be there for the latter. To that end, there are two reception desks as you enter this area; the left desk is for federal purposes, the right for municipal. Once processed by the welcome desk (they review your paperwork for completeness), you'll be gifted with a ticket. Again, despite the large crowd, my number was next for municipal services. Eat it, suckers. Actual review and entry of the wedding licence form is painless, and takes about ten minutes. I encountered no issues. They'll hand you a manilla envelope with the licence (provide this to your officiant), and an application form for your marriage certificate (to be processed via the province, and only should you require the certificate for change of name purposes, etc.). 3/30

I've never actually been in Toronto City Hall, but I went yesterday for Nuit Blanche 2008. They had the Cavalcade of Lights, where City Hall lights up and there's a lights show happening using the building as a pixel board. It's actually neat to look at. I'm not sure how they did it, but it's pretty cool. The Cavalcade of Lights happens every year from the end of November into December. There's fireworks too the first three Saturday's in December, so a good thing to check out if you're in the area.

Very interesting administrative place. Had to go there in order to get SINs done. It is located right near to the old city hall that is really magnificent.

Go married here, it was sweet. Hella fast, easy, just perfect. Lines went quickly, people working were professional & sweet. Only thing was the elevators are wild here. Took us ten minutes the first time to find out how to get to are floor. Lol.

A Toronto landmark and icon (appears on all mail from city), Toronto's modern City Hall is a sight for the eyes. Impressive modernist architecture make these buildings a must on things to see in Toronto. Located next to Old CIty Hall, and within walking distance from the Eaton Centre, City Hall is home to the administrative offices to the mayor, city councillors, and many administrative offices. The presence of a Service Canada location allows residents to access federal services such as Old Age Insurance and Social Insurance without having to travel further north to the St. Clair Avenue federal office. Many marriages take place here and you'll often see newlyweds taking photographs in and around the buildings that make up this complex. There's a restaurant at the base of the building that gets busy with the lunch day crowd. With the exception of Mayor Rob Ford (ugh), City Hall definitely is one of Toronto's memorable landmarks and must see for tourists.