Compiled by Pete Coulman and Jelo Gutierrez Cantos with assistance by Mike Vainchtein
Map by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos

May 11, 1968

With the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Warden station, service begins on the new 16 McCOWAN bus, replacing a portion of the 21 DANFORTH bus, now defunct. Buses on the main branch of 16 McCOWAN operate from Warden station via north on Warden, east on St. Clair Avenue East, northeast on Danforth Road and north on McCowan Road to Huronia Gate, looping via east on Huronia Gate, north on Lynnbrook, north on Stoneton and west on Ellesmere Road to McCowan, returning via south on McCowan over the reverse route to Warden station. Buses operate seven days a week, eighteen hours a day. This route is operated out of Birchmount Garage via the Danforth Division on Danforth Road.

On Sunday mornings, before the start of subway service, service is extended southwest from Danforth Road and St. Clair via Danforth Road and Danforth Avenue to Main Street, heading north on Main Street into Main Street subway station, connecting with the 10 BLOOR-DANFORTH night buses.

Additional rush hour service is also provided between Warden station and Lawrence Avenue, with buses looping at the north end clockwise via west on Hollyhedge, north on Valpariso and east on Lawrence to McCowan.

Note that buses exit from Warden station via Warden Avenue and enter via St. Clair Avenue.

As this route operated entirely in Zone 2 (with the exception of the early Sunday morning extension), most buses employ the normal pay-enter system with transfer privileges to all connecting routes, with passengers paying separate fares between the subway and McCowan buses at Warden station. On Sunday mornings, when buses cross into Zone 1, a zone check is made both ways at the zone boundary at Danforth and Sibley (this would end once zone fares were eliminated on the TTC within Metropolitan Toronto in 1972).

January 31, 1969 (Friday)

Last day of operation of the 16A “Lawrence” rush hour short turn service. The next Monday, all rush hour service is routed to Ellesmere.

January 3, 1971

Service extended north of Ellesmere on McCowan to loop counterclockwise via a new off-street loop on the east side of McCowan, opposite Commander Boulevard (just north of Sheppard Avenue, and just past the Canadian Pacific railway tracks). The old looping via Huronia, Lynnbrook, Stoneton and Ellesmere discontinued. This change applies both for the main branch and the 16B Sunday morning extension to Main Street station.

January 6, 1975

Service extended along a new branch operating north on McCowan Road to Sandhurst Circle, looping counterclockwise via east and south on Sandhurst and east on Finch to McCowan, returning over the reverse route. Service on this branch operates Mondays through Fridays, during rush hours and midday. Service to Sheppard continues at all other times.

January 4, 1976

Service altered to provide additional service to the Scarborough Town Centre and daily service to Finch Avenue at McCowan Road. 16 McCOWAN buses operate over the normal route from Warden station to Bushby (just north of Ellesmere) and west on Bushby, looping through the Scarborough Town Centre counterclockwise on Borough Drive to Bushby, returning to Warden via the reverse route. Service on McCowan Road north of Bushby now provided by an extension of 21 BRIMLEY.

June 28, 1976 (or as early as October 1975)

Very early Sunday 16B service is replaced by the new 93 DANFORTH EAST NIGHT bus.

March 23, 1985

Coincident with the opening of the SCARBOROUGH RT, all McCowan buses operate from Warden station via Warden, St. Clair, Danforth, McCowan to the Scarborough Centre bus access road just north of Ellesmere, and from there west into Scarborough Centre station, returning via the reverse route.

February 18, 1996

As a result of the revocation of provincial funding for public transportation, Saturday late evening service on this route is reduced to every 30 minutes. No changes to routing or other service levels.

September 4, 2005

Route made accessible using Orion VII low-floor buses on all trips.

September 6, 2009

Bike rack service launched.

January 3, 2010

Weekend late evening runs interlined with 70 O’CONNOR moved to Eglinton (Comstock) Garage. The remainder of the service continues to operated by Birchmount Garage.

May 7, 2017

With TTC construction at Coxwell station at an end, Sunday late-evening interlining between this route and 70 O’CONNOR at Warden station resumes.

January 5, 2025

With the closure of Warden Station’s bus terminal, buses are rerouted to the temporary terminal further south on Warden Avenue, picking up passengers at Bus Bay #5.

February 16, 2025

The signage for the 16 McCOWAN have been revised to include Scarborough Centre Station for rider identification.

16 McCowan Image Archive

	A TTC newspaper advertisement in the Toronto Star on January 2, 1976 announcing service changes to 16 McCOWAN, 21 BRIMLEY, 85 SHEPPARD EAST and 100 FLEMINGDON PARK.
	A view of the Scarborough Centre bus platform level, with pedestrian link to the mall on April 18, 1985. Note the original bus platform arrangements viewed from east such as the 134 TAPSCOTT, 129 McCOWAN NORTH, 16 McCOWAN and 133 NEILSON. Photo courtesy of the Toronto Transit Commission, via City of Toronto Archives.
	A TTC Orders and Notice for 16 McCOWAN, describing route changes effective January 3, 1971.
	A scan of the outside pages of TTC's official timetable for 16 McCOWAN, effective January 6, 1975.
	A scan of the inside pages of TTC's official timetable for 16 McCOWAN, effective January 6, 1975.
	A scan of the outside pages of TTC's official timetable for 16 McCOWAN, effective June 25, 1990.
	A scan of the inside pages of TTC's official timetable for 16 McCOWAN, effective June 25, 1990.
	An official map of 16 McCOWAN operations, effective June 2011.
	A Birchmount Division rollsign circa 1968, showing exposures on the 16 McCOWAN route. Note the underline beneath the first "c" in "McCowan". This style disappeared from rollsigns in the 1970s. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC GM New Look #3709 prepares to depart Warden station in service on 16 McCOWAN in this winter 1985 shot. Photo by Patrick Semple, courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC Orion V bus #7044 departs Malvern garage showing the route 16 McCOWAN sign. This photo was taken by Jeremy Odai on July 18, 2014.
	TTC GM "New Look" bus #7126 operates in 16 McCOWAN service in this 1969 shot. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the Rob Pineault collection.
	In this photograph, snapped by Roman Fomin on March 15, 2013, TTC Orion bus VII 7776 leaves Warden station terminal heading to Scarborough Town Centre.
	Here, TTC Orion bus VII 7804 in service on McCOWAN route turns from McCowan Rd to Triton Rd on December 30, 2011. Photo by Roman Fomin.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7809 loads up passengers at Warden station in service on 16 McCOWAN on the evening of August 3, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7831 heads northbound in service on 16 McCOWAN on a beautiful day in July 2009. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8580 pulls up to the northbound stop on Warden Avenue, just south of St. Clair Avenue, having just left Warden station in 16 McCOWAN service. This photo was taken on the afternoon of March 14, 2019 by James Bow.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8914 seen operating on route 16 McCOWAN at the Scarborough Centre station platform in 1997. Photo courtesy of Felix Tse.