Archbishop Anne Germond, who briefly served as spiritual leader of Canada's 1.1 million Anglicans, has announced she'll retire next year as archbishop of Algoma and metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.
Rev. Germond was appointed interim primate of the Anglican Church of Canada in September 2024.
She continued in that role until June 2025, while continuing to serve as metropolitan and bishop of Algoma and Moosonee.
Germond grew up in South Africa, where she taught primary school and religious studies before moving to Canada in 1986 with her husband Colin when the cancer centre in Sudbury was recruiting oncologists.
In 2000, then-Bishop of Algoma Ron Ferris invited Germond to serve as short-term lay incumbent at the Anglican Church of the Ascension in New Sudbury, Ont.
She became a deacon there in 2001 and a priest in 2002.
In February 2017, Germond became the first woman to serve as bishop of the Diocese of Algoma.
The following year, she was elected metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, becoming the first woman to hold that office.
"Her episcopacy has spanned a period of considerable change, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting effects on congregational life, changing patterns of ministry, and ongoing discernment about the future of the church," said a joint statement Issued by the Diocese of Algoma and the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.
The following is the full text of that statement:
Archbishop Anne Germond announces intention to retire
The Most Reverend Anne Germond, archbishop of Algoma and metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, has announced her intention to retire in 2027, following 10 years of episcopal ministry in the Diocese of Algoma.
Archbishop Anne was elected the eleventh bishop of Algoma on October 14, 2016, and consecrated on February 11, 2017, becoming the first woman to serve as bishop of the Diocese. In October 2018, she was elected metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, becoming the first woman to hold that office.
Her announcement marks the beginning of a period of transition for both the Diocese of Algoma and the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, and an opportunity to give thanks for her ministry and leadership in the wider church.
“It has been one of the great privileges of my life to serve the people of the Diocese of Algoma and the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario,” said Archbishop Anne.
“I am deeply grateful for the relationships we have built, the ministry we have shared, and the many ways I have witnessed God’s faithfulness at work in our churches and communities. As I prepare for this next chapter, I do so with a full heart and with great confidence in the people of this church and in all that God continues to call us to be and to do.”
Born and raised in South Africa, Archbishop Anne came to Canada in 1986.
Before her election as bishop, she served in parish ministry in the Diocese of Algoma, including as rector of the Church of the Ascension in Sudbury and Archdeacon of Sudbury–Manitoulin.
Her years as bishop have been marked by a strong emphasis on pastoral relationships, prayer, Christian formation, and the shared responsibilities of clergy and lay people in the mission of the church.
Across Algoma’s five deaneries, Archbishop Anne has travelled extensively, sharing in the worship, celebrations, struggles, and daily life of parish communities.
Her episcopacy has spanned a period of considerable change, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting effects on congregational life, changing patterns of ministry, and ongoing discernment about the future of the church.
As metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, Archbishop Anne provided leadership to the province’s seven dioceses during one of the most challenging periods in the modern history of the Church.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked closely with the Ontario House of Bishops to coordinate the Church’s response, providing pastoral leadership and guidance as congregations navigated the suspension of in-person worship, changing public health requirements, and the gradual reopening of churches.
Her leadership helped sustain a shared provincial response during a period of extraordinary uncertainty and disruption.
Her provincial responsibilities also included episcopal oversight of the Diocese of Moosonee during its years as a Mission Area, until the election and consecration of its own bishop in 2025.
In September 2024, following the retirement of Archbishop Linda Nicholls, Archbishop Anne assumed the responsibilities of Acting Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
As a senior member of the House of Bishops, she provided continuity and pastoral leadership at the national level while continuing to serve as Metropolitan and Bishop of Algoma and Moosonee.
She remained Acting Primate until June 2025, when General Synod elected Archbishop Shane Parker as the fifteenth Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The Diocese of Algoma will elect its next bishop during Synod 2027, scheduled for May 4–8. This gathering will combine the regular business of diocesan Synod with an Episcopal Electoral Synod.
Preparations for the election will proceed in accordance with the constitution and canons of the Diocese of Algoma.
Further information about the electoral process, including the work of the Episcopal Election Process Committee, nominations, and resources for delegates, will be made available through the diocesan website as arrangements are confirmed.
In the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, the transition in the office of Metropolitan will be addressed through the appropriate provincial processes, with further information to be shared in due course.
Clergy and laity are invited to hold Archbishop Anne and her family in prayer, along with the people of the Diocese of Algoma, the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, and all those entrusted with responsibilities during the coming transition.