Burke's career spanned a key period in Canadian architecture as the profession transcended its colonial beginnings to reach maturity with Canadian-born practitioners who converted both American architectural developments and European traditions into forms appropriate to the new Canadian federation. Burke's contributions to Canadian architecture include introducing the technology of the "Chicago men" to Canada and helping to establish a formal professional organization for architects in Ontario. Carr documents a comprehensive selection of Burke's works, including his firm's famous Robert Simpson store in Toronto, the first curtain-wall construction in Canada. She places Burke's life and career within the larger social context, addressing the influence of American architects and architecture, the sociology of professions, the organization of architectural offices, and the history of particular building forms.

Toronto Architect Edmund Burke is not only a study of Burke's life and work; it is also an insightful look into the history of Canadian architecture.