Freemasonry in Canada

The Masonic Square and Compasses.
(Found with or without the letter G)

Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from the loose organization of medieval masons (i.e. stone workers) working in the medieval building industry.

History

Erasmus James Philipps, Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

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

Masonic Buildings in Canada

Governing Bodies

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

 Quebec[4]

 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

 Yukon

 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

References

  1. ↑ History of Freemasons in Nova Scotia
  2. ↑ Freemason's Hall, Halifax
  3. ↑ "Our Organization". GLCPOO. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  4. 1 2 "Brief History". Prince Hall Ontario. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  5. ↑ "Craft Lodges". Prince Hall Ontario. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Reference:GLs Information
  7. ↑ "Masonic Membership Statistics for 2011". Masonic Service Association. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  8. ↑ "Loges symboliques - Craft Lodges". GLQ. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 2005 statistics:Masonic Service Association of North America accessed 28 November 2007
  10. ↑ "PEI Constituent Lodges". GLPEI. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
  11. ↑ "Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan". GLS. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
  12. ↑ "Membership Statistics (as of 2009)". GLBC and YT. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
  13. ↑ "Les loges du Droit Humain au Canada". DHC. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  14. ↑ "Lodges". GOdQ. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  15. ↑ "Lodges Reaa". GLNC. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  16. ↑ "Logias Jurisdiccionadas". GLLEdC. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.