Compiled by Pete Coulman With assistance by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos and Mike Vainchtein.

May 11, 1968

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Warden, service begins on the new 21 BRIMLEY bus route, replacing a branch of the now defunct 21 DANFORTH route.

Buses operate from Warden station via east on St. Clair Avenue East, northeast on Danforth Road and north on Brimley, looping at Ellesmere via west on Ellesmere, north on Midland and east on Progress to Brimley, returning via the reverse route. During evenings and weekends, service operates along a short turn branch (21A) looping at Ellesmere via east on Bernadine, north on Packard and west on Ellesmere to Brimley, returning via the reverse route.

September 9, 1968

Service at the north end revised so that 21A buses operate over the normal route to Golden Gate Court (just north of Ellesmere Avenue) and then looping counterclockwise at the cul-de-sac at the western end of Golden Gate Court, returning east to Brimley Road and south over the reverse route. No change in destination signs.

June 24, 1973

In conjunction with the opening of the Scarborough Town Centre, service on Midland and Progress discontinued. All buses now operate on the 21A branch, which is revised to loop in the Centre at all times.

During early Sunday mornings, when the subway is still closed, buses are extended south from the St. Clair/Danforth Road intersection via Danforth Road and Danforth Avenue to Main Street station, connecting with 10 BLOOR-DANFORTH night buses.

January 4, 1976

To enhance service to the Scarborough Town Centre, buses operate over the normal route to the Centre, and then run east on Borough Drive and north on McCowan to Finch (replacing a segment of the 16 McCOWAN route), looping via west and south on Sandhurst Circle to Finch and then east to McCowan, returning via the reverse route. Early Sunday morning service to Main Street station discontinued on this date?

November 22, 1980

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Kennedy station, the southern portion of this route is revised to operate out of Kennedy station. Buses run from Kennedy via east on Eglinton, north on Brimley, east through the Scarborough Town Centre and north on McCowan to the existing loop via Sandhurst Circle and Finch. During rush hours, additional service is provided along the regular route to McCowan and Milner, and from there via east on Milner to an off-stret loop near Neilson Road.

Service south of Eglinton Avenue provided by the 16 McCOWAN bus.

September 8, 1981

Service begins on an express branch operating every 20 minutes during rush hours between Kennedy station and Finch. Buses pick up and unload at all stops between Finch & McCowan and Brimley & Ellesmere. South of Ellesmere, buses run express in both directions, stopping at Lawrence and Eglinton only.

April 16, 1984

Service begins on a rush hour extension from McCowan and Finch to Alton Towers Circle (just south of Steeles). Buses on the 21D branch run from Kennedy station over the regular route to Finch and McCowan and then north on McCowan, looping counterclockwise via east, north and west on Alton Towers Circle, returning south on McCowan via the reverse route. Buses operate every 15 minutes during rush hours. Buses leaving Kennedy provide 6 minute, 30 second service, with every third bus departing for Neilson and Milner.

March 23, 1985

Coincident with the opening of the SCARBOROUGH RT, service at the northern end cut off at Scarborough Centre station. Buses on Milner replaced by the 132 MILNER route. Buses to McCowan and Alton Towers replaced by the 129 McCOWAN NORTH route. Service on the 21C Express discontinued.

February 18, 1996

As part of a series of system-wide service cuts resulting from the elimination of provincial subsidies for public transit, service after 10 p.m. on Sundays eliminated. Monday to Saturday evening, Saturday and Sunday midday service also reduced to 30 minute headways.

July 24, 1999

Service merged with the 128 BRIMLEY NORTH route. 21 BRIMLEY buses operate from Kennedy station over the regular route to Scarborough Centre station, and then operate via west on Triton and north on Brimley to an off-street loop on the east side of Brimley Road, just north of Steeles Avenue, returning via the reverse route. During rush hours, service is split into two branches, with 21A buses operating between Kennedy station and Scarborough Centre station only, and 21B buses operating between Scarborough Centre station and Steeles. This arrangement allows the TTC to operate more service on the northern section during rush hours when demand is high (and ferried off by the Scarborough RT) and through-route operations at other times when demand between the two sections is more consistent.

August 31, 2003

Accessible service established using low floor Orion VII buses on all runs.

June 25, 2007

Late evening service, Monday to Saturday, established on the portion of the 21 BRIMLEY route between Scarborough Centre station and Steeles Avenue.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, new Sunday late-evening service established. 21 BRIMLEY buses operate between Kennedy station and Steeles Avenue at intervals of 30 minutes or better, whenever the subway is open. At the same time, the route’s operations are transferred to Malvern garage and bike rack service is established.

October 7, 2012

Service revised. During the midday, Mondays through Fridays, service operates as two separate branches (21A, Kennedy Station-Scarborough Center and 21B, Scarborough Center-Steeles), just as it was during rush hours. During the evening hours, and during weekends, service operates as one branch (21, Kennedy Station-Steeles).

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21 Brimley Image Archive

	A TTC newspaper advertisement in the Toronto Star on January 2, 1976 announcing service changes to 16 McCOWAN, 21 BRIMLEY, 85 SHEPPARD EAST and 100 FLEMINGDON PARK.
	An official map of 21 BRIMLEY operations, effective June 2011.
	TTC Orion VII Hybrid 1738 heads east on Eglinton Avenue towards Brimley, in service on 21 BRIMLEY in the summer of 2010. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Flyer D-40-87 bus #6315 picks up passengers at Scarborough Centre station in 1986. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Orion V bus #7118 takes passengers at Scarborough Centre station before making a run to Steeles in service on 21 BRIMLEY. This photo was taken on May 4, 2011 by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC GM New Look #8552 pauses at Kennedy station in service on 21 BRIMLEY in this 1983 shot taken by Ted Wickson.
	TTC Orion V bus 1102 heads towards Kennedy Station on Eglinton Avenue East. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin on May 10, 2012.