The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the creation of a new Canada Area to better provide leadership and support for all Church members in Canada. The change is effective August 1, 2025.
The new area will be created from a division of the North America Central, North America Northeast and North America West Areas. The Area Presidency and area office, including a director for temporal affairs and other area office support functions, will be in Toronto, Ontario, effective August 1, 2025.
“We are grateful for the Lord’s direction as His Church continues to grow across the earth,” the First Presidency wrote in a letter to Church leaders around the world.
The Canada Area will be the Church’s 24th area. In each geographical region, the First Presidency assigns a General Authority Seventy to serve as the Area President. Two counselors, who are General Authority Seventies or Area Seventies, are assigned to assist the president. The Area Presidency works under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Area Presidencies outside the United States live in the area where they serve and often travel within that area to teach and support Latter-day Saints, missionaries, leaders and temple presidents and matrons.
Area Presidencies were first created in the 1980s when Church growth made it impractical for the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to respond directly to the unique needs of a growing global faith. Area Presidencies are uniquely positioned to help build up the Church and provide valuable counsel and leadership to Church members around the world.