Construction Begins for the Victoria British Columbia and Tulsa Oklahoma Temples

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, construction began on the Victoria British Columbia and Tulsa Oklahoma temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Victoria British Columbia Temple 

Elder James E. Evanson, General Authority Seventy and member of the Canada Area Presidency, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Victoria British Columbia Temple.

“This building will bring a spirit of peace, devotion, compassion and joy to the community,” he said. “It will become a beacon of peace and a place where we can know that there is a God in heaven who loves us, and that we are all his children.”

During the dedicatory prayer, he said, “We pray that the Spirit will be apparent as the building takes shape from foundation to spire and point all of us to thy Son, Jesus Christ. May this sacred land and temple be a reminder that Jesus Christ has the power to raise us unto eternal life through His grace.” 

Other speakers spoke of both personal and community impacts of temples.

Elder M. Shayne Olsen, an Area Seventy, spoke of the beauty of Vancouver Island, and how the temple grounds would soon become a beautiful garden. “The Victoria British Columbia Temple will stand as a testament of God’s love and his desire to draw His children close to Him in our garden city,” he said.

“The temple not only becomes a symbol of devotion, it becomes a source of God’s love and spiritual strength that will radiate throughout this region.”

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Vienna Wigg, of the Victoria stake, shared how attending the house of the Lord helped calm her feelings of anxiety. “Having a temple on the island will make peace available to the community and the lives of all those on the island,” she said. “The temple is a place of profound peace where we can all feel closer to our Lord and Savior.

Marilyn Hall Terry, of the Nanaimo stake, said the temple will impact the community by strengthening families, encouraging service, promoting hope and serving as a refuge from the world. “The temple is the Lord’s house, and it points us to the true source of life and healing: Jesus Christ. He supports our delicate, spiritual ecosystem,” she said.

Canada is home to over 211,000 members of the Church, meeting in around 500 congregations. 

Dedicated houses of the Lord in the country are in Calgary, Cardston, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Regina, Toronto, and Vancouver. Construction began on the Lethbridge Alberta Temple in 2025.  

The Victoria British Columbia Temple was announced in 2024. 

Tulsa Oklahoma Temple
  

Elder Pedro X. Larreal, General Authority Seventy and member of the United States Southwest Area Presidency, presided at the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple groundbreaking ceremony.  

The Tulsa Oklahoma Temple was announced in 2023 and will be the second temple in the state. The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple was dedicated in 2000.

Nearly 54,000 Latter-day Saints live in Oklahoma, meeting in around 100 congregations. 

Elder Larreal expressed gratitude to all who attended and helped prepare for the groundbreaking event. He especially thanked the youth. “This temple is for you,” he said in his remarks at the groundbreaking. “This temple is for your future family.”

Addressing friends from other religions and members of the community, he said an important function of temples is to help support families.

“I know this temple is going to help this community,” he said. “It’s going to bless this state, helping people to feel the Holy Ghost in their life.”

He said that the temple is “an amazing resource to help us, where we are going to feel [God’s] love for each one of us.”

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In the dedicatory prayer, Elder Larreal asked for blessings on the land, construction workers and community, “that they can be blessed with thy Holy Spirit and thy protection.”

Kambree Ellis, of Gore stake, who said her family members were among the earliest converts to the Church in Oklahoma, paid tribute to the foundation they built. “Their sacrifices help make it possible for us to have a temple much closer to home,” she said.

Michael Southward, of the Bartlesville stake and a former Area Seventy and stake president, said, “Today, physically and spiritually, we are, indeed, laying the foundation of a great work. The blessings of those things that take place in the temple, including the sealing of families together forever, will be a great blessing to us, and is more readily available to all of us.”

Michael Baird, President of the Owasso Oklahoma Stake, said, “This sacred building will also stand as a witness to our community of what we value most. ... For our friends and neighbors of other faiths, we hope this house of God will be a symbol of hope. ...

“Our theologies are diverse, but today, we can stand together in a shared desire to seek God to become a better people, and to bring greater faith, peace, love and service into our communities.”

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About Temples

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members and friends of the Church meet for Sunday worship services. Each temple is considered a “house of the Lord” where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed, and where Christ’s power enables families to be united for eternity. In the temple, Church members can seek peace and guidance, learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their neighbors. 

Newsroom Milestones for the Tulsa Oklahoma and Victoria British Columbia Temples