An exhibit at York University’s Computer Museum now chronicles Canada’s decade‑long computer hobby movement, zeroing in on the Toronto Region Association of Computer Enthusiasts (TRACE) from 1976‑1985. By mining newsletters, documents and oral histories, the show maps how hobbyists turned microprocessor kits into household staples. It also draws parallels and contrasts with the U.S. scene, underscoring Canada’s unique cultural imprint on early personal computing.

Rooted in a half‑century of radio‑electronics clubs and titles like *Popular Electronics* and *Radio‑Craft*, the hobby wave accelerated when inexpensive microprocessors arrived in the early 1970s. The U.S. Amateur Computer Society sparked DIY builds in 1966, but kits such as the Altair 8800—priced at $395—made home‑brew projects viable. Across North America, enthusiasts swapped parts, published newsletters, and laid groundwork for the commercial PC market.

Late 1975 saw engineers from Control Data Canada gathering after hours to discuss micro‑electronics and prototype simple computers. Software engineer Harold Melanson convened the first meeting on Jan 23, 1976, eventually formalizing the club as TRACE. Though the broader hobby movement faded by the late 1980s, TRACE’s archives preserve a vibrant chapter that helped make personal computing accessible and inclusive across Canada.