Archives

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 United Church of Canada.

The United Church of Canada Archives comprised two programs: The General Council Archives and the Ontario Regional Council Archives.

Find out more about each program.

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 2012 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 Council 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, and East Central Ontario 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 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.

Regional Council Archives include: 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.

Want to know more?

Check out our holdings, and the services we provide to find out more about the Archives.

Visit the Archives Staff Circle page if you would like to get in touch with one of the Regional Council Archives located across Canada.