the harbour commission was the third organization to manage the port of toronto, after the "commissioners of the harbour of toronto", known as the "harbour trust", formed in 1850. prior to 1850, the harbour had had three commissioners appointed by the province of upper canada to oversee harbour works, in conjunction with the building of the queen's wharf, at the foot of bathurst street in 1833. one of the commissioners, hugh richardson, was named toronto's first harbourmaster in 1837 and he imposed wharf fees to pay for the wharf.