The building was officially opened on 11 June 1929 by The Viscount Willingdon, the Governor General of Canada, in "one of the most glittering social events in Toronto's history." The Toronto Board of Trade hosted a luncheon in the hotel's banquet hall for E.W. Beatty and the board of directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway. After the luncheon, the Governor-General registered as the first guest of the hotel. During the afternoon, guides showed guests around the hotel. The day finished off with an opening ball at 9 PM (with over 2300 people attending ). Several politicians and other notable people from the USA and Canada attended the opening of the hotel. The opening of the hotel was front page news in the Montreal Gazette on 12 June 1929. The hotel had 19,800 square feet of Canadian linoleum flooring upon opening.