Toronto Ontario Temple

The Toronto Ontario Temple is the 44th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the second temple built in Canada, following the Cardston Alberta Temple (1923), and the first built in Ontario.

Other Latter-day Saint temples currently operate in eight cities across Canada: Halifax, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, Cardston, and Vancouver. Additional temples are planned for Lethbridge and Victoria.

The Toronto Ontario Temple is located on thirteen acres in Brampton, which is twenty miles west of downtown Toronto. High above the gleaming white temple is the gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni with his familiar trumpet in hand.

The temple district at the time of announcement included Latter-day Saints who live in an enormous geographic area that has been called "the cradle of Mormonism." It covers six Canadian provinces and parts of five American states. [1] The area includes members who come from many nations: England, Scotland, Germany, France, and Italy predominate, but there are also members from Greece, Hungary, Finland, Holland, Estonia, Mexico, Columbia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Poland.

Ground was broken for the temple on 10 October 1987 by President Thomas S. Monson, who was assisted by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder John K. Carmack of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

A total of 61,285 visitors toured the Toronto Ontario Temple during its public open house. It was estimated that 30 to 40 percent were members of other faiths.

The temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley in eleven sessions from 25-27 August 1990. The services were translated in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean due to the cultural diversity of the new temple district, which then covered eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.

The Toronto Ontario Temple comprises four instruction rooms, six sealing rooms, and one baptistry. The floor plan and design of the Toronto Ontario Temple was based on plans created for the Denver Colorado Temple.

Renovation and Rededication of the Toronto Ontario Temple

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that the Toronto Ontario Temple would close for extended renovations that would require about nine months. The renovation of the 5,010-square-metre (55,000-square-foot) temple began in October 2023 and lasted until December 2024. The scope included interior reconfigurations and improvements to meet increased patron demand and increase accessibility. A new baptistry entry, welcome area, and recommend desk were added. A major upgrade of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems was also completed.

The newly renovated Toronto Ontario Temple was rededicated in one session by President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The rededication was broadcast to all units in the Toronto Ontario Temple district.

Prior to the rededication, a media day was held on Monday, February 10, 2025. Invited guests toured the temple on Tuesday, February 11, and Wednesday, February 12, 2025. The temple was open to the public for tours from Thursday, February 13, to Saturday, March 8, 2025 (excluding Sundays).

Church History in Canada and Ontario

Missionary work in Canada began with Joseph Smith Sr. and his son, Don Carlos — the father and brother, respectively, of Joseph Smith Jr. They preached in several Canadian towns and hamlets north of the St. Lawrence River in September 1830.

The Church’s first three presidents had ties to Ontario — Joseph Smith visited members in 1833 and 1837, Brigham Young taught in the Kingston area, and John Taylor joined the Church in Toronto.

The first chapel in the area was dedicated in Toronto in 1938, with the first stake created there in 1960.

Today, Canada is home to more than 203,000 Latter-day Saints in 489 congregations. About 54,000 Saints reside in 90-plus congregations in Ontario.