Forest Hill, Toronto

History and Development

The area now known as Forest Hill was originally called Spadina Heights, a name derived from the Ojibwe word 'ishapadenah,' meaning a hill or sudden rise in land. It was incorporated as the Village of Forest Hill in 1923, named after the summer home of John Wickson. The village operated with a reeve as its leading municipal official rather than a mayor. For decades, it maintained a distinct identity and certain privileges, such as doorstep garbage collection, a service that continued after amalgamation until public scrutiny led to its discontinuation in 1993. The original village boundaries were Bathurst Street to the west, Upper Canada College to the east, Eglinton Avenue to the north, and Lonsdale Road to the south.

The planned route would have bisected the neighbourhood and the Annex, requiring the demolition of many homes. Widespread local protest helped raise public awareness of the issue. In June 1971, Ontario Premier Bill Davis announced the cancellation of the expressway, citing concerns it would increase traffic congestion and pollution. This decision preserved the neighbourhood's character and physical unity. The Forest Hill War Memorial, designed by Page and Steele Architects, was erected at Eglinton Avenue and Vesta Road in 1980 to honour residents who died in the World Wars.

Neighbourhood Character and Architecture

Forest Hill is often compared to Rosedale as one of Toronto's traditional enclaves of wealth and prestige. The neighbourhood is divided into two distinct areas, Forest Hill South and Forest Hill North, each with its own character. Lower Forest Hill, or Forest Hill South, is known for its tree-lined streets and upscale, architect-designed brick and masonry mansions built primarily in the 1920s and 1930s. Building codes from that era required homes to be designed by an architect and to have a tree in the front yard, resulting in a uniformly manicured and grand streetscape. The architectural tone has been described as shouting 'grandeur' compared to Rosedale's 'history.'

Upper Forest Hill, the part of Forest Hill North north of Eglinton, developed later, with most homes built in the 1940s and 1950s on lots left by the old Belt Line Railway. Houses here are often smaller but sit on similar-sized lots, featuring Tudor, Georgian, French Colonial, and English country manor styles. Luxurious details like sculpture gardens, porte-cochères, and gated entrances are common. Old Forest Hill Road is noted for a domestic architectural style described as 'Stockbroker Baronial.' The area continues to see significant renovation, with some original homes being replaced by large neo-classical or neo-traditional mansions.

Geography and Subdivisions

For administrative and social policy purposes, the City of Toronto officially divides Forest Hill into two neighbourhoods. Forest Hill South is neighbourhood 101, bounded by Eglinton Avenue West to the north, Tichester Road to the south, Bathurst Street to the west, and Avenue Road and Oriole Parkway to the east. Forest Hill North is neighbourhood 102, extending from Briar Hill Avenue in the north to Eglinton Avenue West in the south, and from Latimer Avenue in the east to Allen Road and Marlee Avenue in the west. The commercial heart of the area is Forest Hill Village, a small shopping district at the intersection of Spadina Road and Lonsdale Avenue, which sits within Forest Hill South. The designations 'Upper' and 'Lower' Village refer to the height of land along Spadina Road, not cardinal directions.

The streetscape contributes significantly to the neighbourhood's unique character. Most residential interior streets are wide and lack sidewalks, featuring stop signs at intersections rather than traffic lights. The main thoroughfares for transit and commerce are Spadina Road, Eglinton Avenue West, and St. Clair Avenue West. The February 2026 opening of the Line 5 Eglinton light rail transit line, with a station at Eglinton and Bathurst, represents a major recent change, improving east-west connectivity and spurring new development at that northern edge of the neighbourhood.

Demographics and Community

Forest Hill is one of Toronto's wealthiest neighbourhoods. As of 2011, the average income for income recipients aged 15 and over was $157,600 in Forest Hill South and $89,700 in Forest Hill North, both figures substantially higher than the Toronto and Canadian averages. The demographic profile is bimodal, featuring both affluent families in large detached homes and a denser, more renter-heavy population in apartment buildings along the northern edges, particularly near Eglinton and Bathurst. Education levels are high, with well over half of adults holding a university degree. The neighbourhood has a long-established and significant Jewish community, with wealthy Jewish families beginning to move in during the 1930s.

By 1961 the Jewish population had grown to about 11,000. The 2021 census for the combined Forest Hill areas recorded 8,925 people identifying their religion as Jewish, representing 38.5 percent of the population. In terms of ethnic or cultural origin, the top responses in the 2021 census for Forest Hill South were Jewish, Polish, English, Irish, and Russian. In Forest Hill North, the top origins were Jewish, Filipino, Polish, Russian, and Canadian. Family structures in Forest Hill are predominantly couple-based, with married couples making up 88.2 percent of couple families in Forest Hill North and 84.8 percent in Forest Hill South according to 2021 data.

The majority of married couples in Forest Hill have children. In 2021, the average number of children in census families with children was 1.8 in Forest Hill North and 1.9 in Forest Hill South. Common-law couples represent a smaller proportion of family households in the area. The neighbourhood also has high average incomes, with figures of $157,600 in Forest Hill South and $89,700 in Forest Hill North. The social fabric is further defined by a distinct cultural community, as shown by the significant Jewish population.

Education and Institutions

Forest Hill is notable for hosting several of Canada's most prominent private schools, which anchor its identity as an educational centre. Upper Canada College, a leading independent school for boys, and The Bishop Strachan School, an independent school for girls, are both located adjacent to Forest Hill Village. St. Michael's College School, another private Catholic boys' school, is also situated within the neighbourhood. These institutions attract families from across the Greater Toronto Area and contribute to the area's character. Public education is provided by the Toronto District School Board, with schools including Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and Forest Hill Junior and Senior Public School.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir have jurisdiction but do not operate schools within Forest Hill. Public schools in the area include Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and Forest Hill Junior and Senior Public School. Private schools include The Bishop Strachan School, St. Michael's College School, and Upper Canada College. Notable landmarks in Forest Hill include the Eglinton Theatre, Grace Church on-the-Hill, and the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church.

Commerce, Transit and Amenities

The primary commercial hub is Forest Hill Village, a compact collection of boutique shops, cafes, bakeries, specialty food stores, salons, and services at Spadina Road and Lonsdale Avenue. It offers a walkable retail experience with establishments like What A Bagel and Aroma Espresso Bar, providing a focal point for daily errands and social interaction. A wider variety of shops, restaurants, and food stores lines Eglinton Avenue West between Bathurst Street and Allen Road. The Loblaws grocery store at Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West is a major amenity, though its transfer from St. Clair West subway station has been noted as inconvenient due to the walking distance involved.

Transit access has been substantially enhanced with the opening of Line 5 Eglinton in February 2026. The Forest Hill station at Eglinton and Bathurst provides new east-west light rail connectivity across midtown. The neighbourhood is also served by the Spadina Road bus route, the St. Clair Avenue West streetcar line, and is a short distance from the Yonge-University subway line. For drivers, major routes like Avenue Road, Bathurst Street, Eglinton Avenue West, and St. Clair Avenue West provide access to downtown Toronto and other parts of the city. Green space is provided by the tree-canopied residential streets themselves, with the Cedarvale Ravine and the Beltline trail located a short walk to the west.

Politics and Notable Residents

As a former village, Forest Hill was governed by a reeve. Notable reeves included Frederick Goldwin Gardiner, who later became the first Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto, and Laurie T. Simonsky, a past president of Holy Blossom Temple. The village was amalgamated into Toronto in 1967. Politically, the area tends to support conservative parties, both federally with the Conservative Party of Canada and provincially with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. The riding of Toronto, St. Paul's, which encompasses much of Forest Hill, has been a competitive seat. Conservative support in the 2024 byelection was partly attributed to the party's stance on international affairs relevant to the large Jewish community.

Forest Hill has been home to many notable Canadians. These have included businessman and philanthropist Peter Munk, who founded Barrick Gold. Other residents have been theatre producer David Mirvish and Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels. The list also includes musician Drake and hockey player Zach Hyman. Philanthropist Suzanne A. Rogers has also been a resident. The neighbourhood is a traditional home for Toronto's elite.

Questions about Forest Hill, Toronto

Where exactly is Forest Hill located in Toronto?

Forest Hill is located in Midtown Toronto, west of the Yonge Street corridor. It is centred around Forest Hill Village at Spadina Road and Lonsdale Avenue. The official neighbourhoods of Forest Hill South and Forest Hill North are bounded roughly by Tichester Road to the south, Briar Hill Avenue to the north, Bathurst Street to the west, and Avenue Road to the east. It sits above the South Hill neighbourhood and borders Humewood-Cedarvale to the west.

Why is Forest Hill considered a wealthy neighbourhood?

Forest Hill is considered one of Toronto's wealthiest neighbourhoods. It had an average income of $157,600 in Forest Hill South and $89,700 in Forest Hill North. This compares to the $59,250 average income in Toronto's Census Metropolitan Area. Along with neighbourhoods like Rosedale, it is a traditional home for Toronto's elite. The area features large homes on grand lawns.

What is Forest Hill Village?

Forest Hill Village is a small shopping district within the Forest Hill neighbourhood. It is located at Spadina Road and Lonsdale Avenue. The Village contains boutique shops, a small grocery, and banking services. It serves the local community with various retail and service establishments.

How good is public transit in Forest Hill?

Public transit in Forest Hill has improved significantly with the February 2026 opening of the Line 5 Eglinton light rail line, which includes a Forest Hill station at Eglinton Avenue and Bathurst Street. This provides excellent east-west connectivity across midtown. The neighbourhood is also served by the Spadina Road bus, the St. Clair Avenue West streetcar line, and is a short distance from the Yonge-University subway line. This multi-option access makes commuting to downtown Toronto and other areas relatively convenient.

What is the demographic and cultural makeup of Forest Hill?

Forest Hill has a diverse but affluent demographic profile. It has a large and historically significant Jewish community, with 38.5 percent of the combined population identifying their religion as Jewish in the 2021 census. Ethnically, the top origins include Jewish, Polish, English, Irish, Russian, and Filipino. The neighbourhood features a mix of wealthy families in large homes and a renter population in apartment buildings, particularly in the north. Education levels are very high, with a majority of adults holding university degrees.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.