Regis College, Toronto

Regis College began as the Jesuit philosophy college on Wellington Street in downtown Toronto in September 1930.[1] It then offered philosophy programmes to Jesuit scholastics preparing for priesthood. It was in 1943 that the programme of offerings was expanded to include theology. In 1954, the Jesuit seminary was formally named Collegium Christi Regis, The College of Christ the King. In 1956 Regis College was accredited as a pontifical faculty (a status it retains) by becoming the School of Theology of St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and thus became able to offer ecclesiastical degrees in theology.[2]

In 1961, the college moved to a new site on Bayview Avenue in Willowdale, Toronto. There, it taught exclusively theology. The 40-acre site, was offered to the Jesuits as a location for the college by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1958.[1][3]

In 1969, Regis College was one of the founding colleges of the Toronto School of Theology. Within its own federation, the University of Toronto granted all but the theology or divinity degrees.

In 1970, the college joined the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. Membership was granted in 1980, and renewed in 2001 and 2011.[2]

In 1976, the college moved to St. Mary Street in Downtown Toronto, close to its present site.[3] The Bayview site was sold to Ontario Bible College, which became the Tyndale University College and Seminary in 2003. That year, it admitted its first non-Jesuit students.[2] Since 1978, by virtue of a change made in its charter, the University of Toronto has granted theology degrees conjointly with Regis College.[4] Regis College became a federated college of the University of Toronto. This arrangement was renewed for a further ten years in 2004.[2]

In August 2008, Regis College agreed to move to Christie House, on the corner of Wellesley Street and Queen's Park. It was formerly a female residence building for St. Michael's College administered by the Sisters of St. Joseph who ran St. Joseph's College School next door. The University of Toronto bought the site from the Sisters of St. Joseph and leases it to the college. Construction started to make the house suitable for the college in time for the start of the academic year in September 2009. As part of the leasing agreement with the university, the half of the building closest to the school was converted so that it could be used by the university's Faculty of Music.[5]

The building is located opposite the Parliament of Ontario. It is to the south of St. Michael's College and is next to buildings that previously housed the offices of Marshall McLuhan. The building itself was the former home of William Mellis Christie and after his death it was the residence of his son Robert Jaffrey. Robert Jaffrey had a secret room built in the house so his mistress could secretly live with him and his family. The mistress killed herself in this secret room, and is said to haunt the college.[6]