Ontario Council
For Guiding in Ontario and Nunavut

Our History - 1910-1929
In 1910, Canada’s first Guide company registered was in St. Catharines Ontario, followed by companies in Toronto, Moose Jaw, and Winnipeg. As Guiding spread throughout Canada, the need for administration grew and in 1912, Lady Pellatt was authorized to act as the Chief Commissioner for Canada. Lady Pellatt was a prominent and well-connected Torontonian. Due to her involvement in Guiding as well as her location, the main administration for Canadian Guiding began in Toronto. The Canadian Council of The Girl Guide Association was then incorporated in 1917 by an Act of Parliament. To manage the increasing membership in Ontario, Ontario Council was established in 1921 in London, Ontario and led by our first provincial commissioner, Mrs. F.P. Betts.

The Girl Guide movement became popular quickly in Canada because of the new opportunities, experiences, and sense of community opened up to young girls and women. The first group to hold a camping trip in Canada were Guides and Guiders from the 1st Toronto Company. In 1912, they camped on the banks of the Credit River, just west of Toronto. The success and popularity of camping led the Toronto Division to buy the first Guide-owned campsite in Ontario in 1929, Bonita Glen in King Township (moved to Hawkestone in 1939). This same year, cookie sales in Ontario started to help raise funds for repairing the barn at Bonita Glen. Since then Ontario continues selling cookies to help fund Guiding membership, activities, and camperships.

With the growing popularity of Guiding, new branches such as Embers, Rangers, Cadets, Extension Guides, and Lones were formed, enabling girls of different ages, different needs, and in remote locations to participate. Canada’s first Ember pack was established in Hanover, Ontario in 1920 and the first Ranger companies in Ontario formed in Toronto and Windsor in 1922. Canada had many communities spread out across vast areas. This led Miss Edith Mairs to establish the Lones branch in 1925 so girls in more rural communities could join units. Lones participated in Guiding via correspondence. The 1st Lones Company in Ontario was registered in 1926, following approval by Ontario Council.

*The name Brownies was changed to Embers in January of 2023. The use of the name Brownies in these materials is for archival purposes.


First minute book of The Baden-Powell Girl Guides of Toronto, 1910.

1st Hanover Brownie Pack. Original photograph taken in 1920. Reprinted in unknown newspaper in 1945.
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Girl Guides of Canada-Ontario Council
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4/26/2024 3:37:18 AM