The Archdiocese covers a geographic region of the Great Lakes area, which stretches from the North shore of Lake Ontario up to Georgian Bay. In total, the area covers some 13,000 square kilometers, comprised of intensely urban and suburban regions and also small cities, towns and rural areas.

The Archdiocese of Toronto includes the City of Toronto, the most populous metropolis in the country and the growing regional municipalities of Peel, York and Durham that surround the City. As the regional municipalities expand, the northern section of the Archdiocese, Simcoe County, is also experiencing notable suburban growth.

QUICK FACTS

• The Catholic population of 1.9 million within the archdiocese is larger than 52 countries around the world.
• The total population of 5.7 million living within the archdiocese is larger than 109 countries i.e. Denmark, Israel, Switzerland, Croatia and Austria
• The total geeographical size of the archdiocese is 13,000 square kilometres, making the size of archdiocese physically larger than 41 countries.
• 10 of the 50 most populated cities in Canada are located in the geographic boundaries of the Archdiocese of Toronto. These communities grew by a collective total of 404,705 from 2006 to 2011, more than the entire population of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Construction of St. Michael’s Cathedral began in 1845. To prepare for that work, Catholics and Protestants worked side by side for one week, excavating 95,000 cubic feet of earth by hand.
• There are more than 700 priests serving the faithful of our archdiocese, with more than 500 women religious strengthening our community and sharing their talents in abundance.
• There are more than 500 publicly funded Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto educating close to 300,000 students in six school boards.
• Our archdiocese has been committed to helping those fleeing oppression since the heroic ecumenical effort lef by our first bishop, Michael Power, to assist the Irish refugees of the summer of 1847. More recently, 160 of our parishes, under the leadership of the Office of Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto, have welcomed families and individuals fleeing persecution, making the Archdiocese of Toronto Canada’s largest community sponsor of refugees.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto provides funding for 26 social agencies involved in providing much needed support, assistance and outreach for famillies, children and youth, seniors, young parents and those with special needs.