History

The United Church of Canada Archives, Toronto, includes the General Council Archives and the Ontario Regional Council Archives serving
Canadian Shield Regional Council, Antler River Watershed Regional Council, Western Ontario Waterways Regional Council,  Horseshoe Falls Regional Council, Shining Waters Regional Council, East Central Ontario Regional Council and parts of Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council.

The purpose of the Archives is to acquire, preserve, and make available for research, in accordance with accepted professional principles and procedures, records, private documents and publications in all media pertaining to the history of the General Council Offices and the Ontario Regional Council Archives of The United Church of Canada and its antecedent denominations (Methodist Church (Canada), the Evangelical United Brethren, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 percent of The Presbyterian Church in Canada).

Please view the Acquisitions Mandate for more information regarding what we collect.

For a history of The United Church of Canada please visit the Church’s Historical Timeline.

United Church records are also held locally across The United Church of Canada. Each archival facility operates independently and has unique holdings and finding aids. Please consult the Archives Staff Circle to contact these repositories.

General Council Archives

The General Council Archives has existed informally since 1930s and formally since 1952. It has moved locations several times, the most recent being 2013 to its current Regent Park location.

It has previously been referred to as the National Archives, the Central Archives and the United Church of Canada/Victoria University Archives. The General Council Archives is staffed by 4 full-time and 1 half-time employee, and works together with the Ontario Regional Council Archives to provide access to records, preserve the holdings and promote the collection in the research community.

General Council records include: records of antecedent denominations (prior to The United Church of Canada’s birth in 1925) – Methodist, some Presbyterian, Evangelical United Brethren and Congregational Church records; Personal papers of Church leaders and prominent members of the church community; Department records of the General Council Office; Inter-church and ecumenical organization records; Social justice and Canadian history records; Missionary photographs and papers; an extensive publication and ephemera collection; Records related to residential schools run by The United Church (and former Methodist/Presbyterian Church).

Ontario Regional Councils Archives

The Ontario Regional Councils Archives is the official archival repository of the following United Church Regional Councils: Canadian Shield Regional Council, Antler River Watershed Regional Council, Western Ontario Waterways Regional Council,  Horseshoe Falls Regional Council, Shining Waters Regional Council, East Central Ontario Regional Council and parts of Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council. The Ontario Regional Councils Archives (formerly known as the Central Ontario Conferences Archives) has had a longstanding relationship with the General Council Archives. There are 2 full-time and 1 half-time positions in the Ontario Regional Council Archives program; these staff members are responsible for care of the records, providing access to researchers and providing outreach to the community about holdings and services.

Ontario Regional Council Archives hold the records of the regions, communities of faith, former Conferences and presbyteries in Central Ontario; administrative records, congregational records; vital statistics records and registers; and Local Church History file collection.