Compiled by Pete Coulman

September 3, 1963

Service begins on the 37 ISLINGTON bus, a bus route serving Islington Avenue, as opposed to the old village of Islington, which had been served by the 44 ISLINGTON bus, which ceased operation three days previously.

Buses operate 12 hours a day, Mondays through Saturdays (and not holidays). In the vicinity of the Islington/Queensway intersection, buses loop via east on Inverness, south on Rothsay and west on Queensway before heading north on Islington to just north of Albion Road, looping via east and south on Wardlaw Crescent and west on Barkwin Drive to Islington, returning via the reverse route. Service replaces a portion of the 80 REXDALE bus.

Since this route operates entirely within Fare Zone 2, the normal pay-enter, free-leave collection applies, with transfer privileges offered for all connecting Zone 2 routes.

September 8, 1964

Weekday and Saturday evening service added.

May 25, 1965

Service extended northwest on Albion Road from Islington Avenue to Martin Grove. This service operates thirteen hours a day, Mondays to Fridays (holidays excepted). Beyond Martin Grove, buses loop via north on Silverstone Drive, east on Lexington Avenue and south on Martin Grove to Albion, returning via the reverse route. Evening and Saturday service continue to loop at Wardlaw Crescent

May 11, 1968

The 37A “Martin Grove” branch replaced by an extension of the 36 FINCH route.

Sunday service added between Queensway and Albion.

November 18, 1968

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Islington, all buses now enter Islington station in both directions.

April 27, 1969

Route extended south of the Queensway to Evans Avenue and west on Evans a short distance to a new off-street loop.

September 5, 1971

Service extended north on Albion Road via Islington to a new off-street loop at Steeles Avenue, just west of Islington, replacing a service previously provided by the “Steeles” branch of the 93 WOODBRIDGE bus.

In addition, a new rush-hour short turn service established between Evans Loop and Elmhurst, looping at the north end via west on Fordwich, south on Pakenham and east on Gosfield to Islington, returning via the reverse route.

October 12, 1971

Looping of the 37A rush hour branch revised, with buses looping via west and north on Elmhurst and east on Fordwich to Islington. No changes to the destination signs.

November 26, 1972

Service on Islington Avenue south of Islington station on Bloor Street replaced by the new 38 HORNER and 15 EVANS bus routes. All ISLINGTON buses now terminate at Islington station.

February 6, 1984

Rush hour short turn service extended beyond Elmurst to Albion Road, looping via Wardlaw Crescent and Barkwin. In addition, a new rush-hour branch established, replacing the 83 REXDALE bus. Buses on the 37C branch operate from Islington Station via north on Islington, west and south on Bergamot and west on Rexdale Boulevard to the off-street loop at Precision Road.

October 15 1985

Service on the 37C “via Rexdale” branch extended to Highway 27 via west on Rexdale Blvd, looping west on Highway 27 through the new Woodbine Centre. Service provided weekdays, during the daytime and early evening, and during Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Branch redesigned 37D

February 9, 1987

Night service on Islington Avenue established on the 311 ISLINGTON NIGHT bus.

September 8, 1987

Morning rush hour short turn to Albion Road (37B) discontinued.

January 6, 1992

Service on the 37D “Highway 27” branch extended west of Woodbine Centre via west on Rexdale and north on Humberwood to an off-street loop south of Morning Star Drive. Buses continue to run through Woodbine Centre in both directions. Service provided until 10 p.m. on weekends and 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Branch redesigned 37A.

November 21, 1993

New Sunday shuttle service established between Islington Avenue and Woodbine Centre via Islington, Bergamot and Rexdale. Buses operate from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Passengers are expected to transfer to 37 ISLINGTON buses at Islington and Bergamot to continue their trips to Islington station. Service had been provided earlier as required, but it becomes a regular Sunday service as of this date. Yellow mylar signs are installed on a limited number of buses.

Also, on or before this date, afternoon rush hour service on the old 37B branch to Albion Road is discontinued.

January 8, 1995

Hours of operation expanded to provide late-night evening and all-day Sunday service between Islington station and Humberwood via Islington, Bergamot, Rexdale and Humberwood. Service on the 37B Sunday branch discontinued, replaced by 37A buses running through to Islington station.

February 18, 1996

As part of system-wide service cuts resulting from the elimination of provincial subsidies for public transit, service on Rexdale Boulevard between Woodbine Centre and Huntingwood eliminated after 10:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and all day Sundays. Frequencies reduced at all times of the week on all branches.

September 1, 1996

Monday to Saturday late evening and Sunday midday service restored between Woodbine Centre and Humberwood.

February 15, 1998

All 37A buses revised to operate via Queen’s Plate Drive and the loop in Woodbine Centre in both directions. Service on Rexdale Boulevard between the two Queen’s Plate Drive intersections is discontinued. No change to service levels.

January 1999 (Date uncertain)

Service removed from Woodbine Centre loop, in favour of through service on Rexdale Boulevard and Queen’s Plate drive. Passengers access Woodbine Centre from the street.

February 14, 2000

Sunday and holiday evening service between Woodbine Centre and Humberwood restored, operating every 30 minutes.

October 14, 2001

At the request of York Region Transit, rush hour service extended north of Steeles from the Steeles/Islington intersection via east on Steles, north on Pine Valley Drive, east on Strada, south on Trowers Road, east on Rowntree Dairy Road, looping via north on Whitmore, east on Winges to west on Rowntree Dairy Road, returning via the reverse route. Walking transfers are permitted between this service and nearly York Region Transit/Brampton Transit route 77 buses on Highway 7, as well as beaten this service and the nearly 165 WESTON ROAD NORTH buses on Weston Road.

Service designated 37D. Buses operate every 30 minutes during the morning rush hour and every 34 minutes in the afternoon rush hour.

Also on this date, buses operate on a newly designated 37C branch operating over the normal route to Islington and Steeles, and then west to an off-street loop at Steeles and Kipling. This service operates during the evenings on Sundays and Holidays. Buses had operated this service before (official date uncertain), but as extensions of the 37 branch.

May 12, 2002

At the request of York Region Transit, weekday midday service installed on the 37D “Highway 7” branch.

January 4, 2004

Service on the 37A branch altered to provide a direct connection to Woodbine Racetrack. Route is changed so that all buses, in both directions, operate into the racetrack property to a new stop closer to the casino entrance. Buses access the property via a new bus-only entrance on the south side of Rexdale Boulevard and Queen’s Plate Drive (west) intersection.

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37 Islington Image Archive

	TTC GM-rebuild 8781 operating as a 37A ISLINGTON on Islington northbound approaching Dixon Road in the summer of 2001. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	An article in the April 1965 edition of TTC's Headlights advertises extensions of 37 ISLINGTON and 45 KIPLING.
	An official TTC map of 37 ISLINGTON operations, effective June 19, 2011.
	The maintenance crew at Queensway Garage gather for a group photo in front of a Flyer D-700 bearing a 37 ISLINGTON exposure, circa 1973. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Orion III Ikarus articulated bus #6392 heads north on Islington from Islington station, in service on 37 ISLINGTON. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Orion III Ikarus articulated bus #6393 heads north on Islington station towards the newly opened Woodbine Centre in this August 1988 shot. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Flyer "FIL D-901" bus #8398 in service at Islington station on the 37 ISLINGTON route in the summer of 1983. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	A scan of the front of a TTC timetable for 37 ISLINGTON, effective November 24, 1974
	A scan of the inner pages of a timetable for 37 ISLINGTON, effective November 24, 1974.
	On January 5, 2012, TTC "Next Gen" Orion VII hybrid bus #1361 starts its northbound trip from Islington Subway Station to Humberwood Loop. Photo by Roman Fomin.