List of people from Toronto
This is a list of notable people who are from Toronto, Ontario, or have spent a large part or formative part of their career in that city.
A
- Abdominal – hip hop musician
- Barbara Amiel – journalist, socialite
- Enza Anderson – writer, political activist
- Gordon Stewart Anderson – author
- John Andrews - architect
- Mark Andrews – swimmer
- Lou Angotti – former NHL player
- Anvil – heavy metal band
- Syl Apps – former NHL player
- Will Arnett – actor
- Yank Azman – actor
B
- Thomas J. Bata – businessman
- Robert Bateman – painter
- Isabel Bayrakdarian – opera singer
- Charles Best – scientist
- The Birthday Massacre – rock band
- Christine Bentley – CTV News Anchor
- Samantha Bee – actress and comedian
- Billy Talent – rock band
- Conrad Black – media mogul
- Hédi Bouraoui – poet, novelist and academic
- Liona Boyd – classical guitarist, composer, songwriter and singer
- Shary Boyle - artist
- John McEntee Bowman – founding president of Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corp.
- Christopher Britton – actor, stage actor, and voice actor
- Broken Social Scene – band, indie rock
- Chester Brown – alternative cartoonist and Libertarian Party of Canada candidate
- Marty Burke – former NHL player
- Theresa Burke – journalist
- Jim Butterfield – tech whiz
- Rob Burgess – tech CEO
C
- Barry Callaghan – historian
- Morley Callaghan – journalist, writer
- June Callwood – social activist, journalist
- Bill Cameron – journalist
- Neve Campbell – actress (Party of Five, Scream series)
- Nicholas Campbell – actor
- Cancer Bats – punk band
- John Candy – comic actor
- Jim Carrey – comic actor
- Anson Carter – professional hockey player
- Gino Cavallini – former NHL player
- Paul Cavallini – former NHL player
- Choclair – hip hop musician
- George Chuvalo – boxer
- Austin Clarke – writer
- Matt Cohen – writer
- Carlo Colaiacovo – NHL player
- James Collip – scientist
- Enrico Colantoni – actor
- Alex Colville – painter
- Douglas Coupland - writer, artist
- Brian Conacher – former NHL player
- Charlie Conacher – former NHL player
- Pete Conacher – former NHL player
- Roy Conacher – former NHL player
- The Constantines – band
- Jack Kent Cooke – industrialist
- Cowboy Junkies – musicians
- Deborah Cox – singer
- Harold Scott MacDonald Coxeter – the world's best known geometer
- David Cronenberg – film director
D
- Da Grassroots – hip hop group
- Leslie Dan – businessman
- Robertson Davies – writer
- Clifton Dawson – NFL player
- Death from Above 1979 – band, indie rock
- Simone Denny – singer
- Jack Diamond – architect
- Wayne Dillon – former NHL player
- DL Incognito – hip hop musician
- Do Make Say Think – band, post-rock
- Fefe Dobson – singer
- Cory Doctorow – blogger, journalist and science fiction author
- The Dope Poet Society
- Drake - hip hop performer
- Kris Draper – NHL player
- Dream Warriors – hip hop band
- Rob Ducey – MLB player
- Rick Dudley – former NHL player
- Kyle Bobby Dunn – composer, arranger, performer
- George Dunning – animator, director
- Steve Durbano – former NHL player
E
- Timothy Eaton – retail proprietor
- Tim Ecclestone – former NHL player
- Tom Edur – former NHL player
- Gary Edwards – former NHL player
- Atom Egoyan – film director
- David James Elliott, Hollywood actor
- Bob Essensa – former NHL player
- George Evans – jazz singer, producer, recording artist
- Gil Evans – jazz musician
F
- Percy Faith – composer
- George Faludy – poet
- Leslie Feist - singer/songwriter
- Timothy Findley – writer
- Melanie Fiona – R&B musician
- Joe Flaherty – comic actor
- Patrick Flatley – former NHL player
- Adam Foote – former NHL player
- Dave Foley – comedian
- Megan Follows – actress
- Dwight Foster – former NHL player
- Lou Franceschetti – former NHL player
- Barbara Frum – journalist, news anchor
- Northrop Frye – literary critic, academic
G
- Frank Gehry – architect
- Jack Gelineau – former NHL player
- General Idea - art collective
- Ghetto Concept – hip hop group
- Paul Gillis – former NHL player
- Ken Girard – former NHL player
- Graeme Gibson – writer
- Malcolm Gladwell, writer (Tipping Point, Blink!)
- Brian Glennie – former NHL player
- Fred Glover- former NHL player and coach
- Warren Godfrey – former NHL player
- Brianna Goldberg – journalist (National Post)
- Emma Goldman – political activist
- Kat Goldman – Singer-Songwriter
- Glenn Goldup – former NHL player
- Larry Goodenough – former NHL player
- Allan Gotlieb – ex-Canadian diplomat
- Sondra Gotlieb – writer
- Glenn Gould – pianist
- Katherine Govier – writer
- Barbara Gowdy – writer, fiction
- Aubrey Drake Graham – actor/hip-hop artist
- Kathryn Greenwood – actress
- John Greyson – filmmaker (Proteus)
- Group of Seven - art collective
H
- Ian Hacking – philosopher
- George Hainsworth – former NHL player
- Moshe Hammer – violinist
- Rick Hampton – former NHL player
- Ned Hanlan – rower
- Stephen Harper – Canadian Prime Minister
- Billy Harris (ice hockey b. 1935) – former NHL player
- Billy Harris (ice hockey b. 1952) – former NHL player
- Lawren Harris – painter
- Richard Harrison – poet
- Dale Hawerchuk – former NHL player
- Ronnie Hawkins – rocker
- Dan Hill – singer, songwriter
- George Hislop – gay activist
- Steven Heighton – novelist, poet
- Murray Henderson – former NHL player
- Lionel Hitchman – former NHL player
- Clive Holden, Poet, film director and visual artist
- Kenny Hotz – actor
- John Huston – actor
- Walter Huston – actor
I
- Michael Ignatieff – federal Liberal leader, academic, journalist
- George "Punch" Imlach – former NHL coach and General Manager
- Gary Inness – former NHL player
- Harold Innis – economist and university professor
- Michael Ironside – actor
- Irish Rovers – Irish folk group
J
- A.Y. Jackson – painter
- Harvey "Busher" Jackson – former NHL player
- Jane Jacobs - economist, urban theorist and activist
- Gary Jarrett – former NHL player
- Peter Jennings – ABC News anchor
- Norman Jewison – film director (Moonstruck)
- Harold E. Johns – medical physicist
- Jamie Johnston – actor
- George Jonas – writer, journalist
K
- Kardinal Offishall – hip hop musician
- Ben Kerr – busker
- Key Witness – indie band, broke film students
- The Kids in the Hall – television comedy troupe
- Gail Kim – female professional wrestler
- Mia Kirshner – actor
- Naomi Klein – writer on social/economic issues (No Logo)
- K'naan – hip hop musician
- Mike Knuble – NHL player with the Philadelphia Flyers
- Chris Kontos – former NHL player
- K-os – hip hop musician
- Ted Kotcheff – director
- George Kottaras – MLB player with the Boston Red Sox
- Anton Kuerti – pianist
- Floyd Kuptana – Inuit artist
- Faisal Kutty – lawyer, writer, Muslim activist
- Bruce Kuwabara – architect
- Nick Kypreos – former NHL player
L
- Henry Lau – member of Chinese boy band Super Junior M, the third official sub-unit of popular Korean boy band Super Junior
- Jack Layton – politician, leader of the federal New Democratic Party
- Stephen Leacock – writer, humour
- Dennis Lee – children's author, poet
- Geddy Lee – musician, lead singer of Rush
- Sook-Yin Lee – media personality
- Michael Lee-Chin – businessman, investor
- Manny Legace – NHL player with the St. Louis Blues
- Len – pop band
- E.J. Lennox – architect
- Dana Lewis – journalist
- Ivor Lewis – sculptor
- Glenn Lewis – R&B singer
- Sharon Lewis – journalist
- Stephen Lewis – UN special envoy, politician
- Robert K. Logan – author and academic
- Bob Lorimer – former NHL player
- Steve Ludzik – former NHL player
- James Lumbers – painter
M
- Ann-Marie MacDonald – writer
- Norm Macdonald – comic actor (Saturday Night Live)
- Steve Mackall – voice actor
- Cameron Mathison – actor
- John James Richard Macleod
- Maestro – hip-hop musician
- Christine Magee – spokesperson and co-founder of Sleep Country Canada
- Arnaud Maggs – artist
- Jamaal Magloire – NBA player
- Kevin Maguire – former NHL player
- Victor Malarek – journalist
- Howie Mandel – actor, comedian, writer, producer
- Jay Manuel – make-up artist/fashion photographer
- Amanda Marshall – singer-songwriter
- Martha and the Muffins – musicians
- Russell Martin – MLB player
- Dennis Maruk – former NHL player
- Raymond Massey – actor
- Bruce Mau – designer (S,M,L,XL)
- James Mavor – economist and social figure
- Brad May – former NHL player
- Wallace McCain – McCain foods and Maple leaf foods
- Eric McCormack – actor, (Will and Grace)
- Ernest McCulloch – cellular biologist
- Bruce McDonald – film director
- Don McKellar – actor
- Marshall McLuhan – academic and writer (Understanding Media)
- Gerry Meehan – former NHL player
- Metric – band, indie rock
- Lorne Michaels – producer and creator of Saturday Night Live
- Michie Mee – hip hop musician
- Rick Middleton – former NHL player
- Greg Millen – former NHL player
- David Mirvish – Theatrical Impresario
- Ed Mirvish – Theatrical Impresario, founder of Honest Ed's
- Rohinton Mistry – writer
- Joni Mitchell – musician
- Kim Mitchell – musician
- Shay Mitchell- actor
- Colin Mochrie – comedian
- Dora Mavor Moore – founder of Canada's professional theater
- Mavor Moore – pioneer of Canadian television
- Rick Moranis – actor, comedian, writer, producer
- Raymond Moriyama – architect
- James Motluk – filmmaker
- Farley Mowat – writer
- Mr. Attic – hip hop musician
- Craig Muni – former NHL player
- Peter Munk – founder of Barrick Gold
- Robert Munsch – children's author
- Mike Murphy – former NHL player
- Anne Murray – singer
- Barton Myers – architect
- Mike Myers – comic actor (Saturday Night Live, Austin Powers)
- Alannah Myles – singer
N
- Mark Napier – hockey player
- Nash the Slash – musician
- David Nemirovsky – NHL player
- Lance Nethery – former NHL player
- Not By Choice – rock band
- The Nylons – pop band
- Danny Nykoluk – former CFL player
- Mike Nykoluk – former NHL player
O
- Catherine O'Hara – comedic actress (SCTV, Beetlejuice, Best in Show)
- Mary Margaret O'Hara – singer/songwriter
- John "Peanuts" O'Flaherty – former NHL player
- Sidney Olcott – director
- Michael Ondaatje – writer (The English Patient)
- Kenneth Oppel – Author (Silverwing saga, Airborn trilogy
- Alexandra Orlando - gymnast
- Mark Osborne – former NHL player
- Our Lady Peace – rock band
- Seiji Ozawa – conductor
P
- Charles Pachter – artist
- Owen Pallett – violinist and singer
- Mike Palmateer – former NHL player
- Alice Panikian – model (Miss Universe Canada 2006, Miss Universe 2006 – 6th place)
- Parachute Club – pop band
- Brad Park – former NHL player
- Gerard Parkes - Irish-born actor
- Larry Patey – former NHL player
- Sean Paul – reggae artist
- Steve Payne – former NHL player
- Lester B. Pearson – politician, 14th Prime Minister of Canada
- Michael Peca – NHL player
- Mike Pelyk – former NHL player
- Russell Peters – comedian
- Mary Pickford – actress, co-founder of United Artists
- Alex Pirus – former NHL player
- Platinum Blonde – rock band
- Christopher Plummer – actor
- John Charles Polanyi – 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- Sarah Polley – actress, director
- Carole Pope – rock singer
- Anna Porter – publisher
- Jason Priestley – actor (Beverly Hills, 90210)
- Uno Prii - architect
- Protest The Hero – metal band
Q
- Bill Quackenbush – former NHL player
R
- David Rakoff – author
- James Randi – magician
- Leo Rautins – broadcaster and former NBA player
- Lisa Ray – actress
- Raheel Raza – author
- Michael Redhill – writer
- Keanu Reeves – actor (The Matrix)
- Albert Reichmann – businessman
- Paul Reichmann – businessman
- Ivan Reitman – director
- Gloria Reuben – actress
- Nino Ricci – writer
- Daniel Richler – broadcaster and writer
- John D. Roberts – news anchor for CBS
- Robbie Robertson – musician
- Edward Samuel Rogers – CEO of Rogers Communications
- Rino Romano – actor, and voice actor
- Goody Rosen – Major League Baseball All-Star outfielder
- Lukas Rossi – singer
- Marty Roth – race car driver
- Rough Trade – rock band
- Anna Russell – concert comedienne
- Rush – rock band
- Ann Rutherford – actress
S
- Moshe Safdie – architect
- Morley Safer – journalist (60 Minutes)
- Saukrates – hip hop musician
- John Ralston Saul – writer
- Monika Schnarre – supermodel and actress
- Kim Schraner – actress (Spynet)
- Linda Schuyler – television producer (Degrassi franchise)
- Michael Seater – actor
- Lance Secretan – leadership theorist, writer and consultant
- Derek Sharp – lead singer for The Guess Who
- Isadore Sharp – businessman
- Ken Shaw – CTV News Anchor
- Martin Short – actor
- Frank Shuster – comedian (of Wayne and Shuster)
- Joe Shuster – creator of Superman
- Steve Shutt – former NHL player
- Jane Siberry – musician
- Al Sims – former NHL player
- Inga Skaya – Miss Universe Canada 2007
- Josef Škvorecký – writer
- Willis C. Silverthorn – Wisconsin politician
- Colin Simpson – author
- Glenn Smith – former NHL player
- Reginald "Hooley" Smith – former NHL player
- Sid Smith – former NHL player
- Snow – musician
- Michael Snow – artist
- Jason Spezza – NHL player
- The Spoons – 1980s band
- Fred Stanfield – former NHL player
- Mark Steyn – journalist
- Stephen Stohn – television producer (Degrassi franchise)
- David Stratas – Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal
- Diane Stratas – Former Member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre
- Teresa Stratas – opera singer
- Charlotte Sullivan – actress
- Sum 41 – rock band
T
- Rick Tabaracci – former NHL player
- Samantha Tajik – Miss Universe Canada 2008
- Tony Tanti – former NHL player
- Don Tapscott – writer and consultant, technology and business
- R. Dean Taylor - singer/songwriter ("Indiana Wants Me")
- Teenage Head – punk rock band
- Colin Thatcher – politician and convicted murderer
- Kenneth Thomson – Canada's richest man
- Tom Thomson – artist
- Three Days Grace – rock band, originally from Norwood
- James E. Till - biophysicist
- Morris Titanic – former NHL player
- Tokyo Police Club – rock band
- Toronto – rock band
- Raffi Torres – NHL player
- Talan Torriero – actor (Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County)
- Alex Trebek – game show host (Jeopardy!)
- Triumph – rock band
- Justin Trottier - Commentator and atheist leader
- Endel Tulving – cognitive psychologist, world authority on human memory function
- Sheldon Turcott – journalist
U
- Jane Urquhart – author
V
- Nia Vardalos – actress and writer, stage and film (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
- George Vari – developer and philanthropist
- M. G. Vassanji – author
- Mike Veisor – former NHL player
- Steve Vickers – former NHL player
- Nerene Virgin – actress, journalist and teacher
- Joey Votto – MLB player
W
- Pamela Wallin – Senator, former Canadian Consul-General to New York
- Alberta Watson – actress
- Tom Watt – former NHL coach
- Al Waxman – actor
- Johnny Wayne – comedian (of Wayne and Shuster)
- Kevin Weekes – broadcaster and former NHL player
- Stephen Weiss – NHL player
- Galen Weston – Canada's second wealthiest man
- Joyce Wieland – filmmaker
- Healey Willan – composer
- Angel Williams – female pro wrestler
- Harland Williams – actor
- Behn Wilson – former NHL player
- Dunc Wilson – former NHL player
- Murray Wilson – former NHL player
- Ron Wilson – former NHL player
- Ross "Lefty" Wilson – former NHL player
- Roy "Shrimp" Worters – former NHL player
Y
- Yellow Plastic Bucket – musicians
- Alissa York - writer
- Howie Young – former NHL player
- Neil Young – rock musician
- Warren Young – former NHL player
Z
- Zanta – famed performance artist
- Ron Zanussi – former NHL player
- Paul Zaza - film score musician and songwriter
- Eberhard Zeidler - architect
- Peter Zezel – former NHL player
- Moses Znaimer – media mogul (CHUM, founder of Citytv)
See also
- List of mayors of Toronto
- List of people from Ontario
- List of people from Quebec
- List of people from Quebec City
- List of people from Montreal
- List of people from Calgary
- List of people from Edmonton
- List of people from British Columbia
- List of people from Vancouver
