The subway station is the second last stop on the TTC's Yonge subway line, just before Finch Station. Although the subway to Finch had been opened in 1974, North York Centre station opened in 1987 to serve the growing downtown core of the former City of North York. North York was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new "City of Toronto" in 1998.
The Yonge corridor between Finch and Sheppard Avenues grew extensively after the opening of the subway station. To relieve pressure on downtown Toronto, the Official Plan for Metropolitan Toronto encouraged high-density redevelopment at North York Centre (and other suburban centres) permitting high rise condominium towers and office buildings. In the past decade over 20,000 units of new housing have been approved, with over 16,000 of these presently built or under construction. [1] Condominiums pack this strip now growing northward past Finch and extending south from Sheppard toward Highway 401. The area has become an increasingly vibrant part of Toronto due to the dense residential population and numerous commercial and entertainment destinations. Growth has become so rapid that on new condominium projects, the Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board have posted notices stating that they are unable to accommodate new students in local schools.
The North York Centre subway station is accessed through the basement levels of the two shopping malls at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue; Empress Walk and North York Centre.
A 2001 Census showed that the average household income is approximately $78 000, with a disposable income of $48 000. It is projected that by the year 2011, the average household income will reach $97 000, with a disposable income of $62 000. http://riocan.creedsolutions.com/demographics/223B.pdf
