History of Anglican Deacons Canada

By the early 1980's the Order of Deacons was restored as a distinct and permanent order of ministry in a number of dioceses in Canada and the US.  Deacons from both churches determined it would be beneficial to found an organization to support the continued restoration of the Order.  In 1986 the North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD) was formed, and established channels of communication and a pattern of triennial conferences.

By 2005 it became desirable for the international association to split into two each component representing its national church.  The Association of Anglican Deacons in Canada (AADC) was founded in 2008 as the national association for deacons in the Anglican Church of Canada.  In the United States, NAAD was renamed the Association for Episcopal Deacons (AED).

Both associations cooperate closely, share board members and invite the membership of each organization to attend their conferences and subscribe to their publications.

In 2020, The Association of Anglican Deacons in Canada (AADC) began using Anglican Deacons Canada (ADC) as its operational name and brand. In 2021, the organization's name was officially changed to Anglican Deacons Canada (ADC). It is now federally incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. The logo consists of a cross formed of Pentecostal fire, placed on Canadian maple leaves and overlaid with a deacon's stole.