Freemasonry in Canada
 |
This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (May 2013) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from the loose organization of medieval masons (i.e. stone workers) working in the medieval building industry.
Contents
History[edit]
Freemasonry in Canada traces its origins to the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland, as a result of Canada's history as a dominion within the British Empire. Freemasonry in the United States, including Prince Hall Freemasonry, also influenced the formation of Freemasonry in Canada. Erasmus James Philipps became a Freemason while working on a commission to resolve boundaries in New England and, in 1739, became provincial grand master for Nova Scotia; Philipps founded the first Masonic lodge in Canada at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.[1]
Notable Canadian Masons[edit]
- Sir John A. Macdonald
- John Diefenbaker
- Alexander Roberts Dunn
- Tim Horton
- Frederick Kingston
- John Bayne Maclean
- Samuel McLaughlin
- Derwyn Owen
- Roy Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet
- Clarendon Worrell
Masonic Buildings in Canada[edit]
 |
This section is incomplete. (June 2013) |
- Toronto Temple, 888 Yonge Street. No longer affiliated with Freemasonry
- Masonic Hall, 2 Gloucester St, Toronto. Residential
- Masonic Temple (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Montreal Masonic Memorial Temple
- St. Mark's Masonic Lodge, Baddeck, NS
- Masonic Memorial Temple, 420 Corydon Avenue, Winnipeg, MB
- Masonic Lodge, Red River Road, Thunder Bay, ON
- Freemason's Hall, Halifax, NS[2]
Governing Bodies[edit]
There is a number of various supreme organisations (Grand Lodges, National Lodges, Grand Orients, and Federations) active in Canada representing a number of regularity / amity networks along with a number of independent lodges. All lodges recognized by GLCPOO are in amity with UGLE and the rest of "Regular" Masonry
| Supreme Body | Jurisdiction | Established | HQ | Number of Lodges | Membership | Regularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario |  Ontario |
1855 | Hamilton | 560 | 46,000[3] | UGLE |
| Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons Province of Ontario and Jurisdiction | Ontario
|
1856[4] | 10[5] | GLCPOO | ||
| Grand Lodge of Manitoba |  Manitoba |
1875[6] | Winnipeg | 54 | 4,000 | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador |  Newfoundland and Labrador |
1997 | St. John's | 30 | 2,128[7] | GLCPOO |
| Grande Loge du Québec |  Quebec |
1869 | Montréal | 79[8] | 4,582[9] | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia |  Nova Scotia |
1866[6] | Halifax | 114 | 5,802[9] | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of New Brunswick |  New Brunswick |
1867[6] | Saint John | 51 | 4,038[9] | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of Prince Edward Island |  Prince Edward Island |
1875[6] | 15[10] | 845[9] | GLCPOO | |
| Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan |  Saskatchewan |
1906[11] | Regina | 58 | 2,800 | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon |  British Columbia
|
1871 | Vancouver | 149[12] | 10,260 | GLCPOO |
| Grand Lodge of Alberta |  Alberta |
1905[6] | Calgary | 141 | 7,732[9] | GLCPOO |
| Fédération canadienne du Droit Humain |  Canada |
7[13] | DH | |||
| Grand Orient du Québec | Quebec |
2012 | 1[14] | |||
| Grande Loge Nationale du Canada | Canada |
1985 | 16[15] | CLIPSAS | ||
| Gran Logia de Lengua Española de Canada (Spanish Language) | Canada |
5[16] |
Membership numbers could be overstated, as membership in multiple lodges is actively encouraged.
There appears to be a number of other supreme bodies in the country, including Grand Orient de France Amerique du Nord, Obédience Mixte Nord-Américaine: George Washington Union, Grand Orient du Canada, Grande Loge Autonome du Québec, Grande Loge Mixte du Québec, but the information on them is not readily available.
External links[edit]
- Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons Province of Ontario and Jurisdiction
- Grande Loge du Québec
- Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia
- Grand Lodge of New Brunswick
- Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan
- Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon
- Grand Lodge of Alberta
- Fédération canadienne du Droit Humain
- Grand Orient du Québec
- Grande Loge Nationale du Canada
- Gran Logia de Lengua Española de Canada
- Grand Orient de France Amerique du Nord
- Obédience Mixte Nord-Américaine : George Washington Union
- Grand Orient du Canada
- Grande Loge Autonome du Québec
- Grande Loge Mixte du Québec
References[edit]
- ^ History of Freemasons in Nova Scotia
- ^ Freemason's Hall, Halifax
- ^ "Our Organization". GLCPOO. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
- ^ a b "Brief History". Prince Hall Ontario. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
- ^ "Craft Lodges". Prince Hall Ontario. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
- ^ a b c d e Reference:GLs Information
- ^ "Masonic Membership Statistics for 2011". Masonic Service Association. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- ^ "Loges symboliques - Craft Lodges". GLQ. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
- ^ a b c d e 2005 statistics:Masonic Service Association of North America accessed 28 November 2007
- ^ "PEI Constituent Lodges". GLPEI. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ "Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan". GLS. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ "Membership Statistics (as of 2009)". GLBC and YT. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
- ^ "Les loges du Droit Humain au Canada". DHC. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
- ^ "Lodges". GOdQ. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
- ^ "Lodges Reaa". GLNC. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
- ^ "Logias Jurisdiccionadas". GLLEdC. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
