The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia administers parishes under its jurisdiction. Originally encompassing all of British Columbia, the Diocese was created through a letter written by Reverend Edward Cridge to the Colonial Church and School Society in London. This letter asked for financial assistance and church personnel in ministering to the influx of settlers arriving in the area for the 1858 Cariboo Gold Rush. A wealthy philanthropist in London offered to fund a new diocese in British Columbia, and in 1859 the Diocese was created with Reverend George Hills as its first bishop.
During the Residential School System, several schools operated within diocesan boundaries. Before the 1920s, these schools were operated by the Diocese and the Church Missionary Society (CMS) who was active in the region. The Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada (MSCC) took over management of all schools within diocesan boundaries in the 1920s and in 1969, the Government of Canada assumed control over all residential schools.
During the 1990s, the public became more aware of the impacts of residential schools. This led to an increase in litigation against the Government of Canada, which culminated in the creation of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) in 2006. IRSSA outlined the process by which residential school litigation was carried out in addition to creating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). The Anglican Church of Canada was a signatory of this agreement and was made to contribute $15,687,188 towards abuse claims and healing programs. Anglican leaders also worked extensively with the TRC to promote reconciliation and explain the Anglican’s role in the Residential School System.
[1800-01-01 - 2015-12-31]