Religious communities of men or women vowed to God have existed in the Church for many centuries and do exist today in many parts of the world, in the Anglican Communion as in other Christian traditions.  Many of these Communities have existed in the United States and Canada since 1870.  In 1948, 40 religious from 21 religious orders in North America met in New York City to discuss the formation of an Advisory Council for Anglican Religious Communities in the United States and Canada.  On  November 4, 1949 a constitution was adopted giving birth to what eventually became The Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas (CAROA).

Religious communities of the Anglican Church of Canada are members of the CAROA.  Member religious orders hold in common a commitment for life or an agreed term of years, holding possessions in common, celibate life in community, and obedience to a Rule and Constitution.  The purpose of the Conference is to coordinate the interests and experience of its members and to speak as an advocate for the religious orders of the Church.  The member religious communities in Canada are: The Community of the Sisters of the Church, The Order of the Holy Cross, The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine, The Society of St. John the Evangelist (Incorporated in Canada, but no chapters functioning in Canada at present).

Fonds consists of directories of the members of the Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas (1965-2006), A Handbook of Guidelines (2009), information pamphlets, and a paper presented to the Advisory Council of the Conference in 1970.