Elias Morales

Senior Community & Historical Advisor – Migration, Settlement & Integration

Born in El Salvador.
Ordained minister in The Presbyterian Church in Canada, currently serving at North Park Presbyterian Church (NPPC).
Former Roman Catholic priest and former private secretary to Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador.
Founder and co-founder of key community initiatives supporting refugees, refugee claimants, undocumented individuals, and newcomers, including the Refugee Information Centre and the North Park Community Centre.
Co-founder of Access Alliance Multicultural Health Centre, advancing culturally responsive health and mental-health services for immigrant communities in Toronto.
Co-founder of the Canadian El Salvador Relief Fund, supporting humanitarian and community-based initiatives.
Active leader in civic participation initiatives promoting newcomer engagement in Canadian public life.
Former president of the Centre for Spanish-Speaking Peoples and former president of the Canadian Hispanic Congress.
Extensive experience working directly with families and individuals navigating immigration processes, settlement challenges, and social integration in Canada.

As Senior Community & Historical Advisor – Migration, Settlement & Integration, Elias contributes lived experience, historical knowledge, and community-rooted insight to CHLAVM. He supports the identification, documentation, and interpretation of stories, records, and community initiatives that reflect the migration journeys and integration efforts of Hispanic-Latin American communities in Canada.