The early history of the Anglican Church of Canada in Ontario traces back to the establishment of the Diocese of Toronto in 1839, which was the first diocese created in what is now the province of Ontario This diocese was formed from the larger Diocese of Upper Canada, which had been established earlier and was part of the ecclesiastical province of Canada The first bishop of Toronto, John Strachan, served for forty years and was a pivotal figure in shaping the church and education in the region, advocating for the establishment of a state church and founding King's College in 1827, which later became the University of Toronto Although the college was initially Anglican, it was secularized in 1848, prompting Strachan to establish Trinity College as a church-affiliated university in 1850

The growth of the church in Ontario continued with the creation of additional dioceses. The Diocese of Huron was established in 1857, followed by the Diocese of Ontario in 1861, and the Diocese of Ottawa in 1896 The Diocese of Niagara was founded in 1875, and the Diocese of Algoma in 1873, both contributing to the expansion of the church across northern and central Ontario The ecclesiastical province of Ontario was formally established in 1912, when the dioceses in the civil province of Ontario were separated from the Province of Canada to form their own province, with the Diocese of Toronto becoming the metropolitan

The church's development in Ontario was also shaped by broader national trends. The Church of England in Canada was disestablished across British North America by the mid-19th century, ending its official status as the state church Despite this, the church remained influential, particularly among the United Empire Loyalists who settled in the region after the American Revolution The church's governance evolved with the creation of the General Synod in 1893, which became the supreme governing body of the church in Canada, with representatives from all dioceses, including those in Ontario The first Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Robert Machray, was elected at this time, marking a significant step toward self-governance