Information for Researchers

The Anglican Diocese of Toronto Archives is open to in-person research by appointment only. Please note we are closed annually to research appointments for the month of October.

Before visiting, you’ll need to make an appointment with the archives staff. Email archives@toronto.anglican.ca with subject line “research appointment request” along with the date and time you wish to come.

Appointment times are generally 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Due to limited seating in our reading room, we suggest you send a request with two or three possible dates/times so we can try to accommodate you.

When you arrive, you will need to:

• show your government-issued photo ID
• read and complete the Archives Registration Form, which sets out the conditions of use
• provide a brief summary of your research project and the information you’re looking for
• pay a $5 cash researcher registration fee

Visitors without appointments will not be admitted. There is no penalty for cancelling your research appointment, but we ask that you give us as much notice as possible.

Limited copying of parish records is permitted. You can also use a digital camera to take photos of records after you get permission from the Archives staff and read and sign the Policy on the Use of Digital Cameras in the Reading Room.

We also welcome requests by mail, email and phone, but we can undertake only limited research on behalf of patrons. See the fee schedule for more information.

For more information about access to records, see the Access Policy or contact archives staff.

Please note that any American cheques must be for the full amount provided by the archives: we do not accept cheques that have been reduced due to the exchange rate, as we do not have an American bank account and there are fees that we have to cover. If you are concerned about the exchange rate between Canadian and U.S.A. currency, please submit payment via PayPal rather than by cheque.

Archives Safety Protocols

You must wash your hands with soap and water before handling collection materials.

All surfaces are cleaned before and after a researcher’s visit.

Food and drink is prohibited.

All visitors must stay within the authorized Archives area. You aren’t permitted to access to the Archives storage areas, processing areas or other parts of the diocesan office (except for designated washrooms).

We’ll expect you follow all diocesan safety protocols while you’re here. If you have any questions, you can contact archives@toronto.anglican.ca.

Tours

Tours of the archives are by appointment only. Everyone on the tour must follow the same procedures outlined above.

Annual October Closure

The Diocesan Archives is closed annually to all but urgent requests for the entire month of October. Staff uses this closure time to catch up on large-scale projects that are crucial to keeping the archives up-to-date and functional.

If a request is urgent and cannot wait until we reopen in November, please email your request to archives@toronto.anglican.ca with URGENT and a brief description of your request in the subject line. Archives staff reserves the right to defer requests to November where we deem appropriate.

Examples of urgent requests include:

• Personal (e.g. baptism, marriage, burial) records where the requestor needs the record prior to our November reopening date.
• Records required by individuals or parishes for time-sensitive legal proceedings.

If we deem a request to be non-urgent, we will respond to the request upon our reopening in November.

Access to parish records for genealogical research is restricted. The Archives follows the direction of the Archives of Ontario and only provides access to baptisms to 1920, marriages to 1944 and burials to 1954. The Archives of Ontario has recently increased the active retention period for birth registration from 95 to 104 years.

If your search meets this criteria, submit a request the Archives with as much detail as possible. Individual records are not indexed, so it is important to provide the name of the church (or at least the geographic area) and general date range so that archives staff can help you in your search. See the fee schedule for costs associated with records searches.

The Archivist may grant or refuse access to records at their discretion. For more information, see the Access Policy or contact Claire Wilton, Archivist, or Sarah McDougall, Archives Assistant.

Individual records are not indexed, so it is important to provide as much detail as possible. If you need a certified copy of your baptism or marriage record, fill out the request form and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID. There may be costs associated with records searches. Certified copies will not be issued until we receive your payment and confirmed your identity. For more information, see the fee schedule.

The Archives take individuals’ privacy very seriously. We place certain restrictions on parish records, and we require proof of identity (in the form of government-issued photo ID) before we release any records that are still covered under closure periods established by the Archives of Ontario. The Archivist may grant or refuse access to records at their discretion. For more information, see the Access Policy or contact archives staff.

The Archives takes individuals’ privacy very seriously, so we place certain restrictions on parish records. With our patrons’ cooperation and by adhering to privacy legislation, we balance the need for privacy with the goal of facilitating research.