Fonds AR-1883 D - Women's Institute, Camilla, Mono Township, 1902 - 2013

The Women's Institute was established on 9 February 1897 by Mrs. Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, with assistance from Mr. Erland Lee and his wife Janet in Stoney Creek, Ontario. By 1904, the Ontario Department of Agriculture was funding seven full-time staff to help promote and organize Women's Institute branches in communities across the province. By 1913, Women's Institute branches had opened in each province, and during a provincial representative’s meetings in 1919, the Women's Institute rebranded itself by becoming a federated organization, thus forming the Federated Women's Institute of Canada.

Within Canada, the Women's Institutes governing structure is divided into its existing Provinces, then into Regions, Areas, Districts and Branches. Dufferin District was created in 1902, after Dufferin County welcomed the first four branches of the Women's Institute. Dufferin District operates out of the Central Area in the Western Region of Ontario.

The Camilla Branch was first organized in 1902 as part of the Dufferin District, in the Central Western part of Mono Township, at Highway 10 and 15 Sideroad. It became amalgamated under the Dufferin South District in 1949 when the Dufferin District was divided for organizational purposes.

In 2005, Dufferin North and South were once again reorganized, and were joined with Peel Districts to create the Dufferin-Peel District. The Camilla Branch remained active, and in 2012, celebrated their 110th Anniversary. In 2013, due to another reorganization of the Branches, Camilla and Hockley Valley were amalgamated to form the Camilla-Hockley Valley Branch, which still remains active as of 2020.