Sorry to break the news, but 2016 was 10 years ago.
Some of the biggest global events of that year included: a new Netflix show called Stranger Things, Beyonce’s iconic diss album Lemonade, everyone being glued to their phones playing PokémonGo and the debut of Instagram stories.
But what about Toronto? The city also had its fair share of iconic moments, from Drake’s chart-topping album Views to The Tragically Hip’s final show.
Here is a list of moments that defined culture, fashion and music in Toronto in 2016.
Views
Before Drake took on Kendrick Lamar and lost, he was at the top of his game. In 2016, he released his fourth studio album Views, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold over a million copies in its first week. With the unforgettable cover of Drake sitting on top of the CN Tower, Views became Drake’s most commercially successful album to date, selling over seven million units worldwide.
Toronto being coined “The 6ix”
Although the origin of Toronto’s nickname “The 6ix” came long before Drake, his albums If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and Views helped the term become mainstream. It wasn’t long before Toronto became globally known as “The 6ix.”
Toronto Raptors make the Eastern Conference finals
Toronto’s NBA team the Raptors made it to the Eastern Conference finals for the very first time in 2016 after defeating the Miami Heat. Despite the team’s impressive streak, they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6.
Uniqlo, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue
In 2016, several much-anticipated stores opened in Toronto’s Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre. American luxury department store Saks Fifth Avenue debuted inside the Hudson’s Bay building mid-February. In September, now defunct — in Canada, at least — department store Nordstrom took over the former Sears location in Eaton Centre. Finally, in October, Japanese fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo opened its second Canadian storefront in Yorkdale, having just opened in Eaton Centre a month prior.
Goodbye Honest Ed’s
On New Year’s Eve 2016, Toronto landmark Honest Ed’s bid farewell, ending its nearly 70-year run as the city’s premier discount store. It boasted about deep price-cuts decades before it was commonplace in chains like Walmart and No Frills. With its garish “Honest Ed’s” signage, the store became part of Toronto‘s identity. The only callback to Honest Ed’s that’s still standing is the Sneaky Dee’s on the corner of College and Bathurst streets.
Tragically Hip’s final tour
In May of 2016, legendary Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip announced their final tour in support of their thirteenth and final album, Man Machine Poem. The band announced the tour one day after frontman Gord Downie learned he had brain cancer. The Tragically Hip toured in 10 cities, stopping in Toronto for three shows at Scotiabank Arena — formerly known as the Air Canada Centre. The CBC aired the band’s final performance in Kingston, Ont., where 11.7 million people tuned in.
Penny Oleksiak sweeps at the Olympics
At the 2016 summer olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Penny Oleksiak, then a relatively unknown 16-year-old swimmer from Toronto, became the first Canadian to win a gold medal in swimming since Mark Tewksbury at Barcelona 1992. She also became Canada’s youngest gold medalist ever. Oleksiak’s stellar performance earned her a slew of honours, including Canada’s Athlete of the Year and CP Female Athlete of the Year.
NBA All-Star Weekend
The National Basketball Association chose Toronto for their 2016 All-Star exhibition game, held at Scotiabank Arena. Before 2016, the All-Star game had never been held outside the United States. Two Toronto Raptors stars, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, played in the Eastern Conference.
