The Diocese of Ontario

The Right Reverend William G. Cliff

The Rt. Rev. William Cliff was born and educated in Wyoming and Petrolia, Ontario, before university. Ordained deacon and priest in 1992, and bishop in 2016, he was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Ontario and installed in 2023.

Bishop William is a pastor, musician and liturgist, who has served in the Dioceses of Huron, Brandon and Ontario. As a member of the group "The Three Cantors", Bishop William is one of four musicians who have traveled internationally, singing concerts for development and the relief of hunger. These tours and 4 CDs have raised over a million dollars.

Published nationally on a variety of subjects and a regular columnist in his church paper, Bishop William writes regularly. He was also a commentator for CBC NewsWorld and CanadaAM on stories with a religious subject.

Gifted in interpreting the Bible to young people, Bishop William has been a keynote speaker at conferences on stewardship, as well as holding sessions of inquiry for youth: questions about faith, sex, commitment, scripture, theology and growing up a Christian in today's world. In 2010, his National Conference for Youth speeches to over 1000 youth, gathered in Bible study together, garnered serious interest. Invited back to the next two conferences in 2012 and 2014, he led "Bull with Bill" sessions in rooms filled to bursting with young people eager to hear straight talk on faith and growing up.

Bishop Cliff continues to work to enrich the worship life of the Church and spends time supporting youth programming. Bishop William is committed to an open dialogue that respects all people and an inviting spirituality firmly planted in the Anglican tradition. He is a past chair and vice chair of the Council of the North, the General Synod body responsible for ministry across Canada’s north in assisted dioceses. He is also past chair of the Anglican Journal Co-Ordinating Committee, and currently serves as a trustee of the General Synod Pension Plan. He also acts as secretary to the House of Bishops of Canada.

Contact Bishop William at:

bishop@ontario.anglican.ca
(613) 544-4671