Archives of Ontario

Toronto

The Archives of Ontario serves as the official repository for the province of Ontario and is the largest provincial archive in Canada. Its holdings include 158,000 linear meters of textual records, 113,000 maps, and 84,000 library items. Researchers can find many helpful links on its Access Our Collections page. Research Guides and Tools provides various finding aids organized by subject. Archival records can be searched via its Archives Descriptive Database, while library materials can be found on its BIBLiON Library Catalog. Much of the Archives’ materials have been digitized and can be accessed online through its Digital Records Online section.

City of Ottawa Archives

Ottawa

The City of Ottawa Archives collects and preserves historical documents related to the culture and heritage of Ottawa and the surrounding region. It has three separate Locations, with each housing its own unique collections. Both the Rideau Archives and the Gloucester Research Centre serve as auxiliary archives and house some materials related to Ottawa’s hinterlands. The Central Archives are housed in the James K. Bartleman Centre and contain the bulk of the Archives’ materials. Records held by the Archives include Ottawa’s original by-laws and City Council minutes, assessment rolls, maps, photographs, and architectural plans. Also available are various family papers and organizational records. Details on the holdings can be found here. Materials can be searched via Ottawa Museums & Archives Collections, a collaborative online catalog that includes not just the Archives but also various Ottawa museums.

The D. B. Weldon Library

London

Located at Western University, the D. B. Weldon Library maintains a robust collection of rare books, manuscripts, and maps. These items are stored within their Archives and Special Collections. Weldon' Library’s holdings are especially rich in early American sources, including extensive collections related to Black History and a wonderful selection of Maps, including the Serge A. Sauer Map Collection. The Library provides various ways to browse its holdings, including its Archives Holdings Database, Finding Aids, Research Guides, and the Library Catalog. There are also several digital resources provided by the Library, including Exhibits and a Digital Map Gallery.

Multicultural History Society of Ontario

Toronto

The Multicultural History Society of Ontario maintains large collections of newspapers, oral histories, and photographs related to Ontario’s various ethnic communities. It boasts one of the largest collections of Ethnic Newspapers in Canada, comprised of over 600 newspapers, many of which originated in the 19th century. The Society used to maintain an extensive collection of Textual Records, but they were deposited with the Archives of Ontario and are identified as the “Multicultural History Society of Ontario Fonds.” Researchers may search the Society’s collections by viewing their online Finding Aids. Several of the Society’s newspapers have been digitized and can be viewed online at Connecting Canadians.

Queen’s University Archives

Kingston

The Queen’s University Archives maintains a large selection of sources related to early Canada. Its holdings include the records of Queen’s University, the historical records of the City of Kingston and other regional government institutions, and private manuscripts of individuals and organizations. Politics is well represented, as the Archives holds the personal papers of various Canadian prime ministers and the records of the Ontario Liberal Party. Check the Private Manuscripts page for more details. The Archives’ collections can be searched on its database, AtoM. Several online exhibits are available, including the War of 1812 exhibit. Research funding is available through the Geraldine Grace and Maurice Alvin McWatters Visiting Fellowship.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

Toronto

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is a leading institution for historical research in North America. Located at the University of Toronto, it maintains the largest selection of publicly accessible Rare Books in Canada and houses over 750 Manuscript collections. The colonial and early national history of Canada is well represented in the Library’s Canadiana collections. There are dozens of Manuscript Finding Aids available online, and researchers may search the Library’s holdings via the University of Toronto’s online catalog. Much of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed online through the its Digital Collections.

Toronto Reference Library

Toronto

Part of the Toronto Public Library, the Toronto Reference Library maintains a solid trove of early American sources. Its Special Collections & Rare Books boasts extensive holdings related to early Canadian history, including various Rare Books & Archives. Early Americanists may especially be interested in the Baldwin Collection of Canadiana, which features numerous manuscripts, broadsides, newspapers, and other ephemera related to Canada’s colonial past. A finding aid for the Collection’s manuscripts can be found here. The Library’s Digital Archive provides online access to much of the Library’s materials, including many early American sources.

Town of York Historical Society

Toronto

Located inside Toronto’s first post office, the Town of York Historical Society maintains a solid archive and research library focused on the history of Toronto and the surrounding area. The Society’s collections are especially rich in records documenting communications and the postal service in Ontario. Items from the Society’s Archival Collection can be searched and viewed via CatalogIt.

University of Guelph Archival & Special Collections

Guelph

The University of Guelph Archival & Special Collections preserves and makes accessible rare books and historical manuscripts related to the local history of Guelph and its hinterlands. Early Americanists may find its Scottish Studies and Regional & Early Campus History collections of interest as they both contain important sources related to the colonization of Ontario. Also of note is the university’s Culinary Collections, which boast 17,000 published volumes related to cookery, some of which date back to the 17th century.

University of Ottawa Archives and Special Collections

Ottawa

The Archives and Special Collections at the University of Ottawa maintains a sizeable selection of rare prints and manuscript collections. Its Archives are especially strong in feminist history, but available items are mostly from the late 19th and 20th centuries. Among its Rare Books and Manuscripts are over 14,000 books dating back to the 15th century, as well as a decent selection of pamphlets. A standout of the collections is the Bernard and Sylvia Ostry Collection which contains an immense amount of sources related to Robert Owen and the Owenite movement. A list of available manuscript collections can be found here. Researchers may browse the Archives’ holdings via their search engine, AtoM. The Archives also offers access to various online Exhibitions and digitized materials.

University of Waterloo Special Collections & Archives

Waterloo

The University of Waterloo Special Collections & Archives houses over 60,000 rare books, 17,000 periodicals, and much more. Collections are organized by Thematic Area and Academic Discipline. Its manuscript holdings are especially strong in Women’s Studies and Indigenous Peoples. Particularly interesting are the Colin Rankin Fonds, which contain journals written by Hudson’s Bay Company fur trader Donald McKay between 1799 and 1806. More information on the collections can be found here. Researchers may explore the collections through the Archives Database. Much of the Archives’ material has been digitized and is available online via the Archives’ Digital Collections and the University of Waterloo’s Digital Library. The Archives also highlight some great Local History resources for those interested in Waterloo and the surrounding region.

William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections - McMaster University

Hamilton

As the principal repository for rare books and manuscripts at McMaster University, the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections is a perfect resource for early Americanists. Among its holdings are over 30,000 Rare Books, an extensive collection of Eighteenth Century Journals, a significant selection of Historical & Rare Maps, and the Archives of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara. The bulk of the Division’s archival holdings are from the late 19th century onward, but there are some significant early America collections, including the Crombie Family Fonds, the Dr. William G. Bensen Fur Trade Collection of Robert D. W. Band, and the First Nations Collection. More details on the Division’s archival holdings can be found here. Researchers may also search the Division’s materials via its online catalog. Much of the Division’s items have been digitized and are available on McMaster University Library’s Digital Archive. The Division also over various Grants to assist with research funding.

Other Ontario Archives & Sources

There are several online resources that can help researchers find early American sources in Ontario. One is Digital Archive Ontario, a collaborative project created by the Toronto Public Library that provides access to digitized materials from several Ontario archives and libraries. Another is Archeion, an online database provided by the Archives Association of Ontario that allows scholars to search members’ catalogs through a single search engine. Also available is the Ontario Community Newspapers Portal, which provides free online access to various newspapers from across Ontario dating back to 1810.

Several regional repositories collect sources related to early Ontario, including the Bibliotheque et Archives Naitonales de Quebec, the Detroit Public Library, the McGill University Library Rare Books & Special Collections, the New-York Historical Society, and the William L. Clements Library. Ontario sources can also be found at Library and Archives Canada.

Ontario was a colonial space of both New France and British North America. As such, early Ontario sources can be found in France at the Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and in Great Britain at the British Library and the National Archives at Kew.