Toronto Sun

Lore & Background

The newspaper published its first edition on 1 November 1971, after acquiring the assets of the defunct Toronto Telegram and hiring portions of its staff. Publisher Doug Creighton originally planned to name it the Toronto News, but Andy Donato, who designed the first front page, called it the Toronto Sun instead; Creighton decided it was too late to change it. The Sun was originally published from leased space at 322 King Street West, then moved in 1975 to 333 King Street East, where it remained until relocating in 2016. In 1978, Toronto Sun Holdings and Toronto Sun Publishing were consolidated to form Sun Publishing, which expanded to other Canadian cities. The Sun was acquired by Postmedia in 2015 as part of the sale of Sun Media.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed on the concourse as the pre-game crowd surged toward their seats. A fan clutched the morning edition, the bold red logo stark against the grey concrete. He scanned the sports page for the latest lineup changes, eyes darting between the headlines and the distant glow of the ice below. In that quiet moment before the anthem, the paper was a totem of loyalty, connecting him to the history of the franchise.

Reader's Guide

The Toronto Sun is a daily tabloid covering news, sports, and opinion. It has been criticized for conservative commentary and historical treatment of topics such as apartheid, homosexuality, immigration, and AIDS. The paper maintains separate newsrooms from the National Post, though they share a building at 365 Bloor Street East.

Did You Know?

• The first edition was published on 1 November 1971, not March 23, 1971.
• The paper was founded by publisher Doug Creighton, not John Bassett.
• The name 'Toronto Sun' was suggested by cartoonist Andy Donato after the first front page was designed.
• The Sun moved to its current location at 365 Bloor Street East in March 2016.