# The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Canada

Since its organization in New York in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has had a presence in Canada. Several church-related items that were the first of their kind outside the United States include: missionaries preaching (Upper Canada), establishment of a stake (Alberta Stake), and construction of a temple (Cardston Alberta Temple).
With the church reporting more than 200,000 members at year-end 2022, Canada ranks as having the 4th largest body of LDS Church members in North America and the 12th worldwide. The 2021 Canadian Census survey reported approximately 0.2% of the population (about 87,725 people) identified themselves as church members.

## Early missionary contacts

In the winter of 1829–30, Oliver Cowdery and Hiram Page visited Upper Canada while seeking money to finance the publication of the Book of Mormon. After its publication in March 1830, the unbaptized convert, Phineas Young, preached in Ernestown Township, Ontario.
Joseph Smith and Don Carlos Smith—the first official Latter Day Saint missionaries to preach outside of the United States—visited Upper Canada in September 1830 and preached in villages north of the St. Lawrence River. In January 1832, converts Brigham and Phineas Young went to Upper Canada to convince their brother, Joseph to join the church. After Joseph's baptism, the Young brothers taught their family and friends in Canada and baptized over 150 individuals and established four branches of the church, including ones in Kingston and Sydenham.
Joseph Smith preached in Upper Canada in September 1833 with Sidney Rigdon and Freeman Nickerson. Also in 1833, future apostle, Lyman E. Johnson, preached in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Later, John E. Page and apostle Parley P. Pratt served successful missions to Upper Canada; Page baptized over 1,000 individuals between 1834 and 1836 and Pratt converted a number of individuals who would play a prominent role in the church, including John Taylor, Joseph and Mary Fielding, and William Law.
By 1850, approximately 2,500 residents of Canada—most of them from Upper Canada—had joined the LDS Church. However, most of these members joined the gathering of the Latter Day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually Salt Lake City, Utah, and by 1861, the census of Ontario listed only 73 Mormons.

## Colonization of Alberta

In 1887, John Taylor—who was then the church president—sent Charles Ora Card, president of the church's Cache Stake, to Canada's Northwest Territories to establish a LDS Church colony that was beyond the reach of the United States government's anti-polygamy prosecutions. Card led a group of followers and established a settlement along Lee's Creek; the settlement was eventually renamed Cardston in Card's honour. The church's Alberta Stake, the first outside of the United States, was created in 1895, with Card as its president.
Mormon pioneers continued to colonize what would become Alberta in 1905. Before the turn of the century, Latter-day Saints had founded Mountain View, Aetna, Beazer, Leavitt, Kimball, Caldwell, Taylorville, Magrath, and Stirling. After 1900, colonies of church members were established in Woolford, Welling, Orton, Raymond, Barnwell, Taber, Frankburg, Glenwood, and Hill Spring. Church apostle John W. Taylor—the son of church president John Taylor—played a leadership role in assisting Latter-day Saint emigration from Utah to Alberta.
The Alberta Stake was divided in two in 1903. The Alberta Stake remained headquartered in Cardston and the new Taylor Stake—named in honour of John W. Taylor—was headquartered in Raymond. By 1910, there were about 10,000 Latter-day Saints in southern Alberta and in 1913 the church began construction of a temple in Cardston. In 1924, church president Heber J. Grant dedicated the Cardston Alberta Temple, the church's first outside of the United States. A stake was organized in Lethbridge in 1921.
Stirling, one of Alberta's original Latter-day Saint settlements and a National Historic Site of Canada, was founded by Theodore Brandley in 1899, and is one of few towns in Canada plotted out by the Plat of Zion. Today, Stirling still follows the Plat of Zion; for this reason, the village is recognized as the most well-preserved Canadian example of the Latter-day Saint planning model.

## Beyond Alberta and today

A branch of the church was organized in Edmonton in 1933, with the Edmonton Stake established in 1960. The Calgary Stake was established in 1953. In 1960, Alberta resident N. Eldon Tanner was called as a church general authority; he became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1962 and a member of the First Presidency in 1963.
In 1998, a temple was announced for Edmonton and in December 1999 church president Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Edmonton Alberta Temple. In 2008, a temple was announced for Calgary by church president Thomas S. Monson. The Calgary Alberta Temple was dedicated in October 2012.
As of December 31, 2021, the LDS Church reported 199,534 members, 53 stakes, 352 wards, 4 districts, 147 branches, 6 missions, 9 temples, and 152 Family History Centers in Canada.
As of 2024, the LDS Church has 489 congregations in 322 locations in Canada. The number of wards has declined from 352 to 347 and the number of branches from 147 to 142.
In Canada, the church's Aid Fund donated C$185,000 to a newly rebuilt food bank in Medicine Hat, Alberta in February 2022. The money will help fund one commercial and two teaching kitchens in the Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub.
In October 2022, the church's charitable practices attracted media coverage from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The Fifth Estate, which reported that the Canadian LDS Church had funneled almost C$1 billion over the past 15 years into the LDS Church's US-based Brigham Young University, rather than supporting charitable activities in Canada. The majority of these funds came from tithing of church members who tithe ten percent of their income. Under Canadian tax law, the Canadian LDS Church qualifies for tax-free status as a charitable entity. Canadian charities are allowed to donate to foreign charities and universities on the condition that those institutions are registered as "qualified donees" with the Canadian Revenue Agency.

## Geographical distribution

Data from this section from Statistics Canada, 2021.

### Provinces & territories

| Province / Territory | Percent Latter Day Saints | Total Latter Day Saints |
| Alberta | 1.1% | 47,125 |
| British Columbia | 0.3% | 12,875 |
| Manitoba | 0.1% | 1,640 |
| New Brunswick | 0.1% | 800 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 0.0% | 170 |
| Northwest Territories | 0.2% | 85 |
| Nova Scotia | 0.2% | 1,685 |
| Nunavut | 0.1% | 25 |
| Ontario | 0.1% | 16,420 |
| Prince Edward Island | 0.1% | 175 |
| Quebec | 0.1% | 4,600 |
| Saskatchewan | 0.2% | 2,060 |
| Yukon | 0.2% | 70 |
| Canada — Total | 0.2% | 87,725 |

## Stakes and districts

As of February 2025, Canada had the following stakes and districts:
| Stake/District | Organized | Mission | Temple | Area |
| Juneau Alaska | 8 Oct 1995 | Alaska Anchorage | Anchorage Alaska | NA West |
| Calgary Alberta Stake | 15 Nov 1953 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta Bow River Stake | 6 Dec 2015 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta Confederation Park Stake | 14 Feb 1993 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta Fish Creek Stake | 3 Feb 1980 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta Foothills Stake | 5 Dec 1999 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta North Stake | 17 Apr 1966 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta West Stake | 27 May 1979 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Calgary Alberta YSA Stake | 5 May 2019 | Canada Calgary | Calgary Alberta | NA Central |
| Cardston Alberta Stake | 9 Jun 1895 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Cardston Alberta West Stake | 13 Nov 1983 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Edmonton Alberta Bonnie Doon Stake | 3 Nov 1974 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Edmonton Alberta Gateway Stake | 6 Nov 1983 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Edmonton Alberta North Stake | 9 Sep 2001 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Edmonton Alberta Riverbend Stake | 15 Nov 1960 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Edmonton Alberta YSA Stake | 11 Oct 2020 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Fort Macleod Alberta Stake | 29 Sep 1985 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Grande Prairie Alberta Stake | 12 Apr 1998 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Lethbridge Alberta Stake | 10 Nov 1921 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Lethbridge Alberta East Stake | 24 Nov 1974 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Lethbridge Alberta North Stake | 26 Oct 1997 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Lethbridge Alberta YSA Stake | 27 Aug 2017 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Magrath Alberta Stake | 26 Oct 1980 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Medicine Hat Alberta Stake | 20 Nov 1994 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Raymond Alberta Stake | 30 Aug 1903 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Red Deer Alberta Stake | 13 Jun 1982 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Sherwood Park Alberta Stake | 9 Apr 2017 | Canada Edmonton | Edmonton Alberta | NA Central |
| Taber Alberta Stake | 11 Sep 1960 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Abbotsford British Columbia Stake | 12 Jun 1994 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Cranbrook British Columbia Stake | 14 Jan 1979 | Canada Calgary | Cardston Alberta | NA Central |
| Nanaimo British Columbia Stake | 26 Oct 1997 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Prince George British Columbia Stake | 8 Apr 1979 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Surrey British Columbia Stake | 8 Apr 1979 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Vancouver British Columbia Stake | 21 Nov 1960 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Vernon British Columbia Stake | 12 Oct 1975 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Victoria British Columbia Stake | 9 Feb 1975 | Canada Vancouver | Vancouver British Columbia | NA West |
| Winnipeg Manitoba East Stake | 12 Nov 1978 | Canada Winnipeg | Winnipeg Manitoba | NA Central |
| Winnipeg Manitoba West Stake | 14 Nov 2021 | Canada Winnipeg | Winnipeg Manitoba | NA Central |
| Duluth Minnesota Stake | 9 May 1993 | Minnesota Minneapolis | St. Paul Minnesota | NA Central |
| Saint John New Brunswick Stake | 26 Jun 1988 | Canada Montreal | Halifax Nova Scotia | NA Northeast |
| Newfoundland and Labrador District | 30 Jul 1978 | Canada Montreal | Halifax Nova Scotia | NA Northeast |
| Dartmouth Nova Scotia Stake | 12 May 1985 | Canada Montreal | Halifax Nova Scotia | NA Northeast |
| Barrie Ontario Stake | 19 Feb 2012 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Brampton Ontario Stake | 11 Jan 1981 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Hamilton Ontario Stake | 6 Sep 1970 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Kingston Ontario District | 10 Jun 1996 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Kitchener Ontario Stake | 22 Jun 1986 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| London Ontario Stake | 11 Apr 1976 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Oshawa Ontario Stake | 13 Jun 1976 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Ottawa Ontario Stake | 12 Dec 1976 | Canada Montreal | Montreal Quebec | NA Northeast |
| Sudbury Ontario Stake | 5 May 1996 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Toronto Ontario Stake | 14 Aug 1960 | Canada Toronto | Toronto Ontario | NA Northeast |
| Longueuil Québec Stake | 7 May 2006 | Canada Montreal | Montreal Quebec | NA Northeast |
| Montréal Québec Stake | 18 Jun 1978 | Canada Montreal | Montreal Quebec | NA Northeast |
| Montréal Québec Mount Royal Stake | 6 Jul 1980 | Canada Montreal | Montreal Quebec | NA Northeast |
| Québec City District | 27 Mar 1977 | Canada Montreal | Montreal Quebec | NA Northeast |
| Regina Saskatchewan Stake | 27 Oct 2001 | Canada Winnipeg | Regina Saskatchewan | NA Central |
| Saskatoon Saskatchewan Stake | 5 Nov 1978 | Canada Winnipeg | Regina Saskatchewan | NA Central |
* 1 2 Stake located outside Canada with congregation(s) meeting in Canada

## Missions

| Mission | Organized | Area |
| Canada Calgary | 15 Sep 1941 | NA Central |
| Canada Edmonton | 1 Jul 1998 | NA Central |
| Canada Montreal | 1 Jul 1972 | NA Northeast |
| Canada Toronto | 1 Jul 1919 | NA Northeast |
| Canada Vancouver | 21 Nov 1960 | NA West |
| Canada Winnipeg | 15 Feb 1976 | NA Central |

## Temples

There are 9 temples operating in Canada and two announced to be constructed.
* VancouverVictoriaWinnipegHalifaxTorontoMontrealRegina
* Temples in Canada
* CalgaryCardstonEdmontonLethbridgeVancouver
* Temples in Alberta
* = Operating
* = Under construction
* = Announced
* = Temporarily Closed
| 6. Cardston Alberta Temple Official website News & images | 6. Cardston Alberta Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size: Notes: | Cardston, Alberta, Canada June 27, 1913 by Joseph F. Smith November 13, 1913 by Daniel Kent Greene August 26, 1923 by Heber J. Grant July 2, 1962 by Hugh B. Brown 88,562 sq ft (8,227.7 m$^2$) on a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site - designed by Hyrum Pope and Harold W. Burton An addition was completed in 1962 and was dedicated on July 2, 1962 by Hugh B. Brown. | Cardston, Alberta, Canada June 27, 1913 by Joseph F. Smith November 13, 1913 by Daniel Kent Greene August 26, 1923 by Heber J. Grant July 2, 1962 by Hugh B. Brown 88,562 sq ft (8,227.7 m$^2$) on a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site - designed by Hyrum Pope and Harold W. Burton An addition was completed in 1962 and was dedicated on July 2, 1962 by Hugh B. Brown. |
| 44. Toronto Ontario Temple (Rededication scheduled) Official website News & images | 44. Toronto Ontario Temple (Rededication scheduled) Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size: Style: | Brampton, Ontario, Canada 7 April 1984 by Spencer W. Kimball 10 October 1987 by Thomas S. Monson 25 August 1990 by Gordon B. Hinckley 23 March 2025 by Jeffrey R. Holland 55,558 sq ft (5,161.5 m$^2$) on a 13.4-acre (5.4 ha) site Modern, single-spire design - designed by Allward-Gouinlock Inc. | Brampton, Ontario, Canada 7 April 1984 by Spencer W. Kimball 10 October 1987 by Thomas S. Monson 25 August 1990 by Gordon B. Hinckley 23 March 2025 by Jeffrey R. Holland 55,558 sq ft (5,161.5 m$^2$) on a 13.4-acre (5.4 ha) site Modern, single-spire design - designed by Allward-Gouinlock Inc. |
| 64. Halifax Nova Scotia Temple Official website News & images | 64. Halifax Nova Scotia Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: | Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada May 7, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley October 12, 1998 by Jay E. Jensen November 14, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) site Classic modern, single spire design - designed by L.A. Beaubien and Associates, and Church A&E Services | Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada May 7, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley October 12, 1998 by Jay E. Jensen November 14, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) site Classic modern, single spire design - designed by L.A. Beaubien and Associates, and Church A&E Services |
| 65. Regina Saskatchewan Temple Official website News & images | 65. Regina Saskatchewan Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: | Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada August 3, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley November 14, 1998 by Hugh W. Pinnock November 14, 1999 by Boyd K. Packer 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 1-acre (0.40 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Roger B. Mitchell and Church A&E Services | Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada August 3, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley November 14, 1998 by Hugh W. Pinnock November 14, 1999 by Boyd K. Packer 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 1-acre (0.40 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Roger B. Mitchell and Church A&E Services |
| 67. Edmonton Alberta Temple Official website News & images | 67. Edmonton Alberta Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada August 11, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley February 27, 1999 by Yoshihiko Kikuchi December 11, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 1-acre (0.40 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Robert Bennett and Church A&E Services | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada August 11, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley February 27, 1999 by Yoshihiko Kikuchi December 11, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 10,700 sq ft (990 m$^2$) on a 1-acre (0.40 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Robert Bennett and Church A&E Services |
| 86. Montreal Quebec Temple Official website News & images | 86. Montreal Quebec Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size: Style: | Longueuil, Quebec, Canada 6 August 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley 9 April 1999 by Gary J. Coleman 4 June 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley 22 November 2015 by Henry B. Eyring 11,550 sq ft (1,073 m$^2$) on a 2.4-acre (0.97 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Andrij Serbyn, Fichten Soiferman and Church A&E Services | Longueuil, Quebec, Canada 6 August 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley 9 April 1999 by Gary J. Coleman 4 June 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley 22 November 2015 by Henry B. Eyring 11,550 sq ft (1,073 m$^2$) on a 2.4-acre (0.97 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Andrij Serbyn, Fichten Soiferman and Church A&E Services |
| 131. Vancouver British Columbia Temple Official website News & images | 131. Vancouver British Columbia Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Notes: | Langley, British Columbia, Canada 25 May 2006 by Gordon B. Hinckley 4 August 2007 by Ronald A. Rasband 2 May 2010 by Thomas S. Monson 28,165 sq ft (2,616.6 m$^2$) on a 11.6-acre (4.7 ha) site - designed by Abbarch Architecture and GSBS Open house was held in April and the dedication 2 May 2010. First temple in British Columbia and 6th in Canada. | Langley, British Columbia, Canada 25 May 2006 by Gordon B. Hinckley 4 August 2007 by Ronald A. Rasband 2 May 2010 by Thomas S. Monson 28,165 sq ft (2,616.6 m$^2$) on a 11.6-acre (4.7 ha) site - designed by Abbarch Architecture and GSBS Open house was held in April and the dedication 2 May 2010. First temple in British Columbia and 6th in Canada. |
| 140. Calgary Alberta Temple Official website News & images | 140. Calgary Alberta Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Notes: | Calgary, Canada 4 October 2008 by Thomas S. Monson 15 May 2010 by Donald L. Hallstrom 28 October 2012 by Thomas S. Monson 33,000 sq ft (3,100 m$^2$) on a 10.17-acre (4.12 ha) site Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference. | Calgary, Canada 4 October 2008 by Thomas S. Monson 15 May 2010 by Donald L. Hallstrom 28 October 2012 by Thomas S. Monson 33,000 sq ft (3,100 m$^2$) on a 10.17-acre (4.12 ha) site Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference. |
| 169. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Official website News & images | 169. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Notes: | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada April 2, 2011 by Thomas S. Monson December 3, 2016 by Larry Y. Wilson 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m$^2$) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site Dedication originally scheduled for November 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Revised arrangements were announced on August 30, 2021. | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada April 2, 2011 by Thomas S. Monson December 3, 2016 by Larry Y. Wilson 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m$^2$) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site Dedication originally scheduled for November 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Revised arrangements were announced on August 30, 2021. |
| 258. Lethbridge Alberta Temple (Groundbreaking scheduled) Official website News & images | 258. Lethbridge Alberta Temple (Groundbreaking scheduled) Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Size: | Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson scheduled for 26 April 2025 by Scott D. Whiting 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m$^2$) on a 9-acre (3.6 ha) site | Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson scheduled for 26 April 2025 by Scott D. Whiting 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m$^2$) on a 9-acre (3.6 ha) site |
| 342. Victoria British Columbia Temple (Announced) Official website News & images | 342. Victoria British Columbia Temple (Announced) Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 7 April 2024 by Russell M. Nelson | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 7 April 2024 by Russell M. Nelson |

## Communities

Latter-day Saints have had a significant role in establishing and settling communities within the "Mormon Corridor" and other locations, including the following in Alberta, Canada:
* Altorado
* Barnwell
* Bow Island
* Cardston
* Del Bonita
* Ensign
* Glenwood
* Hill Spring
* Jefferson
* Kimball
* Lundbreck
* Magrath
* Pincher Creek
* Raley
* Raymond
* Seven Persons
* Stirling
* Taber
* Welling
* Woolford