Presbyterians reassess office-share deal after Anglican exit shakes ecumenical plan

The Presbyterian Church in Canada is “in conversation” internally after news broke that the Anglican Church of Canada was pulling out of a joint office-share plan with The United Church of Canada, according to United Church general secretary Rev. Michael Blair.

The three denominations signed a lease in 2024 to share an office at the redeveloped Bloor Street United Church in Toronto, with the United Church subleasing space to the other two denominations.

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But late last week, the Anglican Church revealed that it was in talks with the United Church to exit that lease agreement, with the United Church confirming the news in a press release on Tuesday.

Then on Friday, Dec. 5, Blair told Broadview that The Presbyterian Church in Canada was also weighing its options after learning the news.

“It shifts cost, right, when you are sharing three versus two,” said Blair, “and so they just have to do their own internal work around that.”

Blair added that the United Church won’t know the full amended cost of the office space until they redesign the space without the Anglicans.

In an email sent to congregants Friday, Bloor Street United Church council co-chairs Sandra Cruickshanks and Liz Tinker said “the ACC announced its withdrawal from [the lease] agreement with the likelihood the Presbyterian Church will do the same,” but that the United Church’s lease for the whole office space is still in place.

“The estimated current market rate for the commercial office space is at least 25 percent above the rate in the UCC lease so we are confident that the anticipated income to the Endowment Fund, which benefits [Bloor Street United], is not at risk,” they said.

They said the congregation is currently working with a commercial real estate brokerage to look at other options for renting out the office space.

The Presbyterian Church did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Blair said Friday that he’s “just kind of disappointed that that dream” of an ecumenical centre for the three denominations “won’t become reality.”

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He also updated the previous estimate of a late 2026 occupancy date for the United Church, saying that he now expects the General Council office to move into 300 Bloor St. West within the first half of 2027.

“So as you can imagine, with the Anglicans not present, we’d need to redesign the space and that may take some time and then renegotiate with trades to do the work,” he said. “So at this point in time, we won’t have a clear sense, although I think the builders are prepared to move fairly quickly in rhythm.”

At a national meeting in June, Anglican officials said they believed that then-general secretary Alan Perry and treasurer and chief financial officer Amal Attia signed the agreement without authorization from the denomination’s General Synod. Rancour also erupted in the denomination over internal cost estimates for the lease. Perry’s employment as general secretary ended in September. Attia is still listed as an employee on the denomination’s website.

Blair told Broadview that he didn’t know any more about the Anglicans’ reasoning than what the denomination had said publicly.

“What we know is that whatever their internal process was, it wasn’t followed, and they were also concerned about the cost and so that was their decision,” he said. “We’ve responded to any questions they have asked us.”

He said further questions remain about the relationship between the two denominations going forward.

“I think part of the challenge that we need to work on is how we continue to be good ecumenical partners, even in spite of the fact that we are not in a position or haven’t been able to agree to live together.”

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Emma Prestwich is the digital and United Church in Focus editor at Broadview.

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