This memo was shared with clergy and churchwardens by email on April 3.
In September 2021, the Diocese of Toronto mandated that all clergy, paid staff and unpaid volunteers (“Personnel”) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with two doses of a Health Canada approved vaccine in order to engage in ministry. At Pentecost 2022, we removed most of our diocesan COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, with the exception of the Vaccine Mandate, which has remained in place.
The Diocese remains strongly committed to ensuring the health and safety of its Personnel and visitors to our workplaces and parishes, and to following the guidelines issued by public health authorities. In light of current public health conditions, we are announcing that, as of Easter Sunday 2023, the Diocese is lifting the Vaccine Mandate. Personnel are no longer required to provide proof of vaccination to engage in ministry in our Diocese.
We continue to recommend – in the strongest possible terms – vaccination against COVID-19, including continuing with all recommended booster shots, for all persons. Vaccines have been proven to be effective and safe, and we are grateful to God for the medical science that provided this effective means of protection against a deadly and pernicious disease. We are prepared to reinstate the requirements of our mandatory vaccination policy if conditions change, including any change in the recommendations of public health authorities.
We are grateful for your compliance during the pandemic, which demonstrated a true love of neighbour. Collectively we did our part to keep our communities healthy and safe and to help bring an end to the pandemic.
For those Anglicans who engage in ministry in other contexts, they are to comply with the protocols of the institutions in which they serve, regardless of the lifting of our own diocesan restrictions.
Yours truly,
Robert Saffrey
Executive Director
