AA Toronto Archives – Preserving Our AA History
The GTA Archives exists to permanently preserve the story of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Greater Toronto Area, to keep our history accessible to AA members and researchers, and to help future generations understand AA’s growth, principles, and traditions.
Our Purpose
In keeping with AA’s primary purpose—to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety—the GTA Archives:
- Collects, classifies, and indexes historically relevant AA materials
- Preserves and safeguards these materials for future generations
- Provides access (as determined by the Archivist) to AA members and qualified researchers, with strict protection of member anonymity
- Serves as a resource for learning and historical study
- Supports GTA Intergroup operations with information services
- Promotes understanding of AA’s origins, goals, and ongoing work in the GTA
GTA Archives Committee
The Archives Committee includes:
- Chairperson & Alternate Chair
- Secretary & Treasurer
- Archivist & Archivist Committee members
- Alternate Archivist
- Archives Chairs (and Alternates) for all eight GTA Districts
- Sub-Committee Chairs
All AA members are welcome to attend.
Meeting Schedule
We meet monthly on the 2nd Friday,
in the boardroom of the GTA Intergroup Office:
234 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 202, Toronto
Archives Locations & Displays
GTA Archives Repository
Located inside the GTA Intergroup Office.
Archives Display
A permanent display is available for viewing in the Intergroup boardroom.
Travelling Archives Display
Our travelling exhibit is available for group anniversaries, service days, roundups, and conferences.
Annual Archives Breakfast
Each November, the Committee hosts the Annual GTA Archives Breakfast—a morning of fellowship and AA history.
Volunteer with Archives
Are you interested in AA history?
Would you like to be trained to help preserve our past?
We are currently seeking volunteers to help catalog and organize archival material.
Contact Us
Email: archives@aatoronto.org
A Brief History of AA in Ontario
The following excerpts are from “50 Years: The History of AA in Ontario”
(limited copies available from GTA Intergroup for $10).
The Beginning: January 13, 1943
Alcoholics Anonymous first arrived in Canada—Toronto, Ontario—on January 13, 1943.
The first meeting took place quietly at the Little Denmark Restaurant on Bay Street, attended by Reverends George Little and Percy Price and six alcoholics. Interest grew quickly, and a second meeting was held one week later. This marked the birth of AA in Ontario.
One of the original lamps from Little Denmark is still preserved in the GTA Archives display at Intergroup.
Before AA Arrived
Before AA’s arrival, some alcoholics found sobriety through the Oxford Group, including a Toronto Magistrate who sobered up in 1938. Though he did not know AA existed at first, he later became a dedicated AA member and helped spread AA throughout Ontario.
Early Meetings
Reverend Percy Price arranged for meetings to be held at the Metropolitan United Church House. The first meeting there was held January 28, 1943, with six attendees. Attendance quickly tripled, and the first woman attended on February 25.
By June 1943—eight years to the day after Dr. Bob took his last drink—the meeting moved to its first clubroom at 160 Bloor Street East.
The Big Book Comes to Toronto
In January 1940, Dr. Emerson Fosdick wrote a glowing review of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, sparking interest in Toronto. Reverend Dr. George A. Little ordered copies, shared excerpts widely, and later attended the Yale School of Alcoholic Studies.
The GTA Archives display includes one of the original First Edition, First Printing Big Books—one of only 5,000 printed.
The Jack Alexander Effect
In March 1941, Jack Alexander’s Saturday Evening Post article created huge momentum in AA. Canadians read the Post widely, and the article helped alcoholics across Ontario discover AA.
By December 16, 1943—only one year after that first meeting—80 people gathered at the Royal York Hotel for AA’s first major Ontario event.
Growth and the First Clubhouse
By January 1944, Toronto AA had grown so much that members opened the first Toronto clubhouse at 1170 Yonge Street, creating a vibrant hub with daily availability and weekly meetings.
1950: AA in the Spotlight
The Royal York Hotel hosted the Annual AA Conference in February 1950, and all three Toronto newspapers covered AA positively for the first time.
Conference names evolved over time:
- 1950: The A.A. Conference
- 1951: The Regional Conference
- 1952: The Ontario A.A. Conference
- 1953: The Ontario Regional Conference (ORC)
Intergroup Takes Shape
On January 15, 1960, AA in Toronto moved into new offices at 2 Gerrard St. W. The administrative group’s name changed from Central Committee to Toronto Intergroup. The office remained there until 1975.
1965 International Convention
In 1965, Toronto hosted AA’s International Convention—the first ever held outside the U.S. Attendance reached 11,000. Bill and Lois Wilson attended, and Bill introduced the “I Am Responsible” pledge to a full house at Maple Leaf Gardens.