The prairie Diocese of  Qu’Appelle (formerly Assiniboia) was created by the Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land in 1883.

The first Bishop, Adelbert Anson, was consecrated on June 24, 1884 and established St. Peter’s, Qu’Appelle as his pro-cathedral. Sixty years later, St. Paul’s, Regina assumed this mantle and was given full cathedral status in 1973.

The effect of wars, economic depressions and droughts worked against the diocese becoming self-supporting until 1975 when the diocesan property in Regina was sold to the Government of Saskatchewan.

During Bishop Anson’s episcopacy, the diocese assumed responsibility for the mission work on reserves. In the 1970s and 1980s increasing urban native population as well as a resurgence of Church activity on reserves challenged the diocese to become more intentional in supporting and encouraging native ministries. In 1989 a Native Ministries Coordinator was hired and subsequently a Diocesan Advisory Council of Indigenous Peoples was established.

Through the years, the leadership of this diocese has been innovative in ministering to the spiritual needs of its scattered people. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods, the Railway Mission, hospitals, nurses, team ministries, Bishop’s Messengers, and the Canadian Church Sunday School Caravan were some of the approaches used by clergy and laity.

Another significant part of our history and ongoing journey in Qu’Appelle has been in the area of ordained ministry. In 1979, during the episcopate of Michael Peers, the first women priests of the diocese were ordained. In 1992, Bishop Eric Bays installed a woman as an archdeacon, the first woman to hold this position in Canada. Then, embarking on a new path, the diocese began a process of identifying persons to be locally trained in preparation for exercising priestly ministry. The first two were ordained in 1997.

In order to look beyond ourselves and promote a better understanding of our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion, Qu’Appelle entered a companion relationship with the Diocese of Lichfield and the Diocese of West Malaysia in 1988. This resulted in numerous visits, exchanges, friendships and a greater sense of connection with the wider church.

- extracted from Diocesan profile 2005