The fonds consists of raw material collected for the York-Timmins Project conducted by a team of researchers led by Gold in 1981 and represent some 8000 hours of field work. Other team members included James DiGiacomo, Kathy Pirie, Peter Vasiliadis, Tanya Basok, A. Stewart, Lawrence Lam, and Michael Korovikin.

Original interviews were recorded although many were done without recording, notes only being taken. The tapes were not kept in order to honour promises made to the interviewees, however, detailed transcripts and edited transcripts of all tapes and notes were made and these include consistent marking of pauses, inflection and mood. Individuals from the following cultural and ethnic groups were interviewed: "pioneers" of the Porcupine Camp (Timmins and South Porcupine area); organizers of the Workers Cooperative (Ukrainian, Finnish, and British settlers); French-Canadian settlers and parish leaders; English mine settlers (both mine workers and managers); Italian settlers and community leaders; Chinese settlers and community leaders; Jewish settlers and community leaders; miscellaneous others.

In addition, there are photocopies and typed excerpts of articles from the 'Porcupine advance,' [newspaper] dealing with ethnic relations in the region, 1912-1950, and photocopies and typescripts of articles and essays dealing with ethnic communities in Timmins. There is also a photocopy of a mine company payroll for the year 1941.