The Anglican Diocese of Toronto and St. Anne’s Church on Gladstone Avenue have been informed by the Toronto Police Service and the Office of the Fire Marshal for Ontario that the fire that destroyed St. Anne’s historic church building on June 9, 2024, is being treated as suspected arson.

This information was shared with the congregation by a police official at a meeting at the church today. The meeting was held to update the congregation on the investigation as the church awaits the fire marshal’s report.

The Diocese and the parish are profoundly saddened by the news and will continue to cooperate with the investigation. We offer our thanks to fire and police officials for their ongoing care and diligence in this matter.

“We are devastated to hear that the fire that destroyed the congregation of St. Anne’s building on Gladstone may have been deliberately set. As this new reality sinks in, we pray for the congregation of St. Anne’s. May they continue to be a light to the community, providing hope and compassion to those in need. We pray for the person or persons who may have perpetrated this act, that they might seek forgiveness and healing,” says Bishop Kevin Robertson, a suffragan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto.

“This has been a very difficult season for the St. Anne’s community, and learning this news will add to that pain. The church was more than a building, it was a sacred space that held so many memories for St. Anne’s parishioners, our neighbours and outreach community, and people across Canada and beyond. Its loss has been devastating, yet our community is resilient. Our faith tells us that there is hope even in the face of suffering and death, and that new life can spring from the ashes. The church is the people who gather in worship and in service of others, and we look forward to worshipping and serving in this neighbourhood for many more years to come,” says the Rev. Hannah Johnston, priest-in-charge of St. Anne’s.

For more than 100 years, St. Anne’s has been a source of beauty and inspiration, a hub for generous outreach, the home to a vibrant worshipping community, and a place for many arts communities in Toronto’s west end. St. Anne’s ministry continues on the site. To support its work, visit the St. Anne’s CanadaHelps donation page.