Donating to the Archives

Our collecting focus

We collect documentary material of long-term evidential or historical value related to Peel’s geographical area. This includes the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and the Town of Caledon.

We are interested in acquiring records that document the lives and activities of individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and institutions in Peel.

Donation guidelines

Always contact the Archives before dropping off or mailing historical records. The Archives is unable to accept donations without necessary assessment and communication with the donor before the items are dropped off.
Contact the PAMA Museum and Art Gallery separately to donate non-archival materials (objects, artifacts, or artwork). Peel Region Archives cannot accept donations on behalf of PAMA’s Art Gallery or Museum.
When in doubt, don’t throw it out. Contact us first. You never know how important your old documents might be to future researchers.

What we tend to acquire

County, Municipal, and Regional government records
Personal and business correspondence, memos, and journals or diaries (including letters and postcards)
By-laws and constitutions
Membership lists or rosters
Newsletters
Meeting agendas and minutes
Reports
Draft manuscripts (if annotated or if not published)
Speeches
Research notes
Local advertisements (broadsides, calendars, pamphlets, postcards, and menus)
Directories and phone books
Indentures (such as land deeds and mortgages)
Photographs (when the locale and or people are known)
Maps, plans, drawings (including architectural and technical drawings)
Scrapbooks
Personal identification documents like old passports and driver's licenses (on a case-by-case basis)
Audio and video recordings of events in Peel region
Almost anything created before 1945, if it relates to Peel

What we generally do not acquire (with some exceptions)

Non-Peel newspapers (such as copies of the Toronto Star)
Non-Peel-related records
More than 2 copies of any given item
Duplicates of material where the original exists
Routine financial records (bank books, cancelled cheques, etc.)
Newspaper clippings (unless they are from a rare paper or if they are part of a larger scrapbook or relevant research file)
Low-level administrative records (invoices or inter-office memos concerning ordering supplies, booking meeting halls, and bills)
Poor quality photographs with little or no identification
Travel documents like airline tickets, brochures, or museum guides
Unused items, such as blank notebooks, exercise books, and ledger books
Plaques and other mounted items (unless they are unusually significant)
Published books and religious texts
Event registration
Materials produced outside of Peel

Additional information

Ownership transfer for donations

To best care for your donation, we will ask you to sign a Deed of Gift that transfers the ownership of your donation to us.

Care of donated items

Archival records are re-housed in acid-free materials, placed in climate-controlled storage, catalogued, and made available for various types of research, unless restrictions have been applied.

Submitting copies instead of originals

The Archives seeks to collect original records whenever possible. In some rare circumstances, we may acquire copies.

Safeguarding your privacy

Peel Region Archives protects personal, proprietary, and privileged information found in its records, in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). We also observe a professional code of ethics and may negotiate reasonable restrictions on access to certain information when requested by the donor.

The Archives protects personal, proprietary, or privileged information found in its records in accordance with applicable legislation such as the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. We also observe a professional code of ethics. Sometimes, we will also apply reasonable donor restrictions where necessary.