Social Justice and Advocacy

Reeds at the edge of a peaceful lake.

Theology, liturgy must change, says speaker

Weaving together scripture, theological analysis, discussion and prayer, a workshop at the outreach conference asked a bold question: what if the Church took the climate ...
Protestors hold up signs that say "justice for Grassy Narrows."

Conference builds links of resilience, resistance

More than 100 Anglicans from across the diocese gathered online on Oct. 26 to learn more effective ways to work for justice alongside disadvantaged people. ...
People march with a banner that says "Do justice, love mercy."

Anglicans walk for Grassy Narrows

More than 30 Anglicans took part in the Grassy Narrows River Run in Toronto on Sept. 18 to protest the ongoing mercury poisoning crisis at ...
Bishop Andrew Asbil speaks from a lectern, with other faith leaders around him.

Without these sites, thousands of people will die

The following letter was signed by more than 30 faith leaders in Ontario, including Bishop Andrew Asbil of the Diocese of Toronto and Bishop Susan ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Overdose prevention sites save lives

For the past six years, the Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site has operated just around the corner from St. Stephen in-the-Fields church in Toronto. It ...
Chief Rudy Turtle speaks from a lectern outside Queen's Park

Conference focuses on community resilience

From rising costs to rising sea levels, environmental degradation to overdose deaths, from the numbers of displaced people worldwide to those facing homelessness here at ...
The Rev. Michael Van Dusen is escorted by police out of the RBC branch.

Every investment is a moral decision

On the morning of April 9, nine people from Faith and Climate Action sat in a branch of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in ...
A fence installed outside St. Stephen in-the-Fields.

Parishes urge governments to advance human right to housing

Last summer, at an event held outside St. James Cathedral to raise awareness of homelessness in Toronto, passersby were invited to participate in an interactive ...
A man sits on the sidewalk holding out a cup for change.

The time to act is now

Our faith calls us to serve the world God loves – to respond not only to spiritual needs but also to the physical needs of ...
A line of folded paper houses

This year’s vestry motion and the human right to housing

The fact that Canada is in a housing crisis is indisputable. Across our diocese, rents are rising higher than inflation, with the average monthly rent ...
Supporters gathered outside the encampment at St. Stephen in-the-Fields.

City clears encampment outside church

After a year of intermittent threats to clear the encampment of unhoused people at St. Stephen-in-the-Fields in Toronto, staff from the City of Toronto’s Encampment ...
An unhoused man sleeps in a doorway.

Conference explores ways to confront displacement

About 100 Anglicans from across the diocese, and even Atlantic Canada, gathered online Oct. 28 for the annual Outreach & Advocacy Conference, exploring the theme ...
An unhoused woman sits on a bench with her belongings at Nathan Phillips Square.

Outreach conference addresses displacement

This past summer, images of displacement had become inescapable. In June and July, hundreds of refugee claimants were forced to sleep on the streets of ...
A foam canon shoots foam on playing children.

Summer event brings winter warning

Winter arrived early this year for the families, advocates and faith leaders who gathered in downtown Toronto on the afternoon of Aug. 27. More than ...
People stand in front of shelves with food and dry goods holding postcards.

Advocates urge action for disabled

Holy Trinity, Guildwood hosted a town hall meeting in June to raise awareness of the proposed Canada Disability Benefit. The event was held with Community ...
People push large carts with supplies across Bloor Street West in downtown Toronto.

Carts connect with homeless

Along busy Bloor Street West and through the upscale streets of Yorkville, two industrial tool carts loaded with food and supplies are bringing hope and ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Unhoused people must not be swept away

“But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor ...
A bin with containers of oatmeal sits on a metal cart.

Deepening poverty calls for advocacy

Over the past few months, 123 parishes in our diocese have passed this year’s social justice vestry motion, calling on the provincial government to double ...
A sign that reads "Future site of highway 413" stands next to a field.

Diocese speaks out to protect Greenbelt

The Diocese of Toronto extends far beyond the urban metropolis, encompassing 26,000 sq. km. of south-central Ontario. Nearly half of Ontario’s Greenbelt falls within the ...
A gloved hand holds a candle.

Our faith calls us to do what we can

As a diocese, our key social justice priorities include reducing poverty, working to end homelessness by creating affordable housing, and safeguarding the integrity of God’s ...
A woman wearing a medical mask speaks into a microphone while a crowd looks on.

Jesus statue caged in protest

On a bright, cold December morning, more than 100 people – Anglicans and other clergy, parishioners, neighbours, supporters, representatives of the media and the local ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Open letter calls on city to take action

Christmas day. The number of unhoused people in Toronto is more than 9,700, and by the city’s own admission there is insufficient shelter space, much ...
A line of folded paper houses

Church welcomes homeless seniors to neighbourhood

When Jamie Perttula learned that the City of Toronto was putting in a modular housing project for homeless seniors not far from the Church of ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Youth can show the way, says leader

A workshop at the Outreach and Advocacy Conference led by Shelagh McGlynn, youth animator for the Anglican Church of Canada, flipped on its head the ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Anglicans explore social justice issues

Nearly 100 Anglicans from across the diocese, as well as a few from as far as British Columbia, learned and shared ideas on how to ...
Tents set up in front of a church

We must be at this sharp edge

There has probably never been a time in the last few decades that there has not been one or two people living in the yard ...
hands hold a candle next to a flyr that reads "talking about social justice"

Time to make social assistance a real lifeline

With inflation at the highest rates seen in decades, the cost of living is on everyone’s mind these days. There is probably no one in ...
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