A Letter from the Provincial House of Bishops
The Bishops of the provinces of British Columbia and Yukon have written a joint letter on the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, BC. They urge each parish of the province to pray for all who have been affected by this shooting and to pray that God’s love may be known in the darkness. If you have a flagpole at your church, please fly the flag at half-mast to recognize the tragedy and loss.
February 11, 2026
To the People of the Province of British Columbia and Yukon,
Last evening many of us heard the horrible news of a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., a small town of about 2400 people in a very beautiful part of province. The details are still unfolding but as of this morning ten people died and 25 were injured when shots rang out at the local high school and a nearby residence. The community, province, country and world are horrified. The dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon share in this shock and disbelief in the face of this tragedy. The Anglican Church of Canada, as a whole, joins in our grief and sadness.
King Charles, in response to hearing the news offered these words: In such a closely connected town, every child’s name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence.
This morning and in the many days ahead, we will hold the community of Tumbler Ridge in our prayers. We pray for all the people of the town and in particular the families of all those who have died. We pray for all affected for by the devastating news: parents, family members, fellow students, teachers, first responders, medical teams, neighbours, those with links to the town and the province as a whole. We pray that they will know of God’s love and peace in this time. That they will know that they do not walk alone in the dark valley. That they will know the love of neighbour supporting in any way possible. That all of us deeply touched by this tragedy may know God’s hope even in the wake of this devastating news.
This coming weekend is the Family Day Weekend in British Columbia. The Bishops urge each of the parishes of the Province to pray for all who have been affected in any way by this shooting. Please pray that God’s love may be known in the darkness. If you have a flagpole at your church, please fly the flag at half-mast to recognize the tragedy and loss.
We offer this prayer written by Bishop Deon Johnson:
We stand together in hope. We stand together in faith. We stand together in love. We stand individually as ambassadors of hope, vessels of faith, and sentinels of love. We stand as a community committed to making no peace with gun violence. We pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to inflame and enkindle our lives, our churches, our communities, our cities, and our nation with a passion for lasting peace; through Jesus Christ the Author of Peace. Amen.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our hope and our peace,
The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon
Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee
Bishop David Lehmann
Bishop Lynne McNaughton
Bishop Clara Plamondon
Archbishop John Stephens