Construction began November 2, 1916, when the contract was signed and approved by the Board of The Masonic Temple Company for the tearing down of an existing church and excavation. The Masonic ceremony of laying the cornerstone occurring November 17, 1917, with the first Lodge meeting taking place on New Year's Day, 1918. At its peak, the Masonic Temple was home to 38 different Masonic bodies: 27 Craft Lodges, six Chapters (
York Rite), two Preceptories (
Knights Templar), two
Scottish Rite Bodies and Adoniram Council. It was designated under the
Ontario Heritage Act in the same year. On June 17, 2013, the building was purchased by the
Info-Tech Research Group for $12.5 million. In 2017, as part of the press for the
Toronto Jazz Festival, Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, in-person services were suspended on March 15, 2020, and resumed with health and safety measures on July 11, 2021. The church's final service at The Concert Hall was held on May 28, 2023. ==References==