Toronto of the 1940s was a tale of two halves. The draining effects of the second world war kept the city in a state of austerity until 1945, when the six-year conflict finally drew to a close.

In the years that followed, an uptick in the economy saw the construction of new affordable housing, the start of building work on the Yonge subway line, and increased attention to solving slum conditions in the inner city.

The decade also brought unspeakable tragedy. In 1949, 118 people died when the SS Noronic, a lake steamer docked overnight on the Toronto waterfront, caught fire and rapidly burned. The disaster is still the worst loss of life from a single event in the history of the city.

Here's a look back at Toronto of the 1940s.