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Safeguarding in the Anglican Church of Canada: How to report misconduct

The Anglican Church of Canada is committed to creating safe and caring communities. If you have experienced, witnessed or become aware of misconduct, this page provides guidance on where you can report it. 

Misconduct involving national staff, volunteers, or office holders 

To report misconduct involving:

  • national staff or volunteers (other than the General Secretary or Primate)—contact the General Secretary;
  • the General Secretary, the National Indigenous Archbishop, or the Anglican Bishop Ordinary—contact the Primate;
  • the Primate—contact the senior provincial metropolitan.

Misconduct involving clergy, parish or diocesan staff or volunteers 

Reports are generally handled by the relevant diocese or ecclesiastical province. Most have, or are developing, their own processes for receiving and responding to reports. Individuals seeking to report misconduct or raise a concern are encouraged to visit the website of, or contact, the relevant diocese or ecclesiastical province.

Our commitments and guiding principles 

The Anglican Church of Canada’s approach to misconduct is rooted in our call to uphold the safety, dignity and well-being of every person. Our policies and practices are shaped by commitments expressed in the following official documents:

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.