Using City Directories To Aid In Your Search

A City Directory is a book containing one or more alphabetical list of the inhabitants of any locality, complete with their addresses and occupations.

Listed by surname first then first name, occupation and address for the current year.
Listed by street address in the rear of the book.
The best sources of City Directories are libraries. The Metro Toronto Reference library located at Bloor & Young streets is a very good source. North York Library at 5120 Yonge Street – just north of Sheppard – is another good source of City Directories.
Different publishers (Mights Directories, Henderson Directories, Vernon Directories) usually covered different areas.

How To Read A City Directory

eg: Macdonald Alice tchr h 94 Bayview Dr
" Richard ret h 94 Bayview Dr
" Steven acct r 1000000 Skyline Dr
" Wm mach h 22 Anywhere St
Surname: Macdonald
Quotes : lists all people with the same last name--uses ditto marks instead of repeating last name
Occupation: tchr--teacher
h = Home owner
Residence Address: 94 Bayview Dr
Next Party: at same address = Richard / Occupatio: ret =retired / h = Home Owner / Address = 94 Bayview Dr
Next Party: Steven / Occupation: acct = accountant / r = Renter / Address: 1000000 Skyline Dr. 
Next Party: Wm =William / Occupation: mach = machinist / h = home owner / Address = 22 Anywhere St

Compare Your Non-Identifying To The City Directory

For instance, if your non-identifying says Birth Mother was a student and that her father was an accountant, then you would go through all the Macdonalds looking for an accountant in the year you were born. You may or may not find the students (they had to be over 18). If non-identifying said Birth Mother's mother was a teacher and her husband was retired, you would look for a teacher and retired person at the same address.

NOTE: Old phone books in smaller towns also showed occupations. These also are available at some libraries.