Historica Canada

Background

Historica Canada is the product of the 2009 merger of two existing groups: the Historica Foundation of Canada and the Dominion Institute. In the wake of the merger, the organization was known as The Historica-Dominion Institute until it formally changed its name in September 2013. Anthony Wilson-Smith has served as president and chief executive officer since 2012.

Programs

Historica Canada’s programs are offered in both official languages and seek to engage Canadians of all ages and backgrounds. (See also Official Languages Act (1969).) The organization works with subject matter experts and in consultation with members of communities with the aim of having programs share accurate information and perspectives about the past, people and events. Among the best-known program offerings are the Heritage Minutes, a collection of more than 100 dramatized vignettes that depict people and events pivotal to helping shape Canada as it exists today. The Minutes were originally created in 1991 by the philanthropist Charles Rosner Bronfman, who remains a member of the organization’s Board of Directors.

The Canadian Encyclopedia, a free online resource, offers more than 26,000 articles, making it the largest collection of authored, fact-checked and continuously updated articles focused on Canada and Canadiana.

Historica Canada’s other programs include The Memory Project, through which veterans and Canadian Forces members share their experiences with classrooms and community groups (in-person and online). In addition, the program creates learning resources and videos about Canadian military history. The Memory Project Archive, which can be accessed through The Canadian Encyclopedia, preserves primary source testimonies of veterans. The Citizenship Challenge, encourages participants to answer the same questions as real-life applicants for citizenship. More than 240,000 students have participated in the Citizenship Challenge since 2010. This program also creates learning tools and videos about different aspects of citizenry and citizenship.

Take the quiz!
Test your knowledge of Canadian Citizenship by taking this quiz, offered by the Citizenship Challenge. A program of Historica Canada, the Citizenship Challenge invites Canadians to test their national knowledge by taking a mock citizenship exam, as well as other themed quizzes.

Beyond its core programs, Historica Canada offers commemorative programs tied to specific periods of history, such as the War of 1812 or the First World War. It has also produced and released several podcasts and educational videos that highlight a variety of stories and subjects related to Canadian history. (See also Record of Service Podcast; Residential Schools Podcast Series; A Place to Belong: A History of Multiculturalism in Canada Podcast Series; Strong and Free (Podcast).) The organization also regularly conducts public opinion polls and solicits feedback on a variety of issues of national interest.

Select Past Programs

Established in 1982, Encounters with Canada (EWC) brought more than 113,000 young people to Ottawa for themed weeks focused on specific study topics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and financial challenges, the program permanently closed in 2021. Passages Canada, was a storytelling program that encouraged volunteer speakers to share their personal accounts of cultural identity and heritage. Indigenous Arts & Stories, featured submissions from Canada’s most talented young First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists and writers.

Funding

Historica Canada is a registered charitable organization. Its programs and outreach are made possible through the support of private donors, corporate sponsors and the Government of Canada. Programs produced and administered by Historica Canada are non-partisan.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of Historica Canada includes some of Canada’s most prominent citizens, drawn from a wide variety of fields and backgrounds.