Toronto of the 1940s was place defined by war and its aftermath. Many of these images reveal the effort taking place at home and overseas, whether it be people shopping with ration coupons, the co-mingling of propaganda and advertising or new housing projects built to accommodate soldiers returning home from Europe.

Although not a period that saw sweeping changes on the skyline, along with the war effort, the 1940s is likely best known for the waves of immigration that got underway during the latter part of the decade.

Toronto saw the arrival of massive numbers of people from throughout Eastern and Southern Europe, which lead to a profound shift in the city's cultural makeup.

Needless to say, the diversification of the population kept up, and multiculturalism has become the hallmark of contemporary Toronto.

Here's how it all looked.

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1949