Gil Clelland Announced as the Next Executive Director of Sanctuary Toronto
The Sanctuary Ministries Toronto Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Gil Clelland will be its next Executive Director, succeeding Simon Beck, who earlier this year announced his intention to leave the position.
Clelland’s connection to Sanctuary began 18 years ago when he began a mentoring relationship with Greg Paul, the founding co-Executive Director of Sanctuary Toronto. This relationship led Clelland to become one of the co-founders of Sanctuary London in 2011, where he served as the Executive Pastor—developing programmes, engaging in outreach, building relationships with those on the streets, and raising awareness about the challenges faced by people who are unhoused. Most recently, Clelland has been a part of the Sanctuary Toronto team as an outreach pastor and housing specialist. In the latter role, he has been more deeply exploring the role that Sanctuary can play in assisting those who are homeless with finding housing.
Clelland’s appointment comes at the end of an extensive search process that was initiated after Simon Beck announced that he would be leaving. Beck took up the role of Executive Director at Sanctuary at a time when the organization was rebuilding after COVID, transitioning from long-time leadership, mourning the loss of many community members due to COVID and overdose, and facing increasingly complex needs as homelessness and addiction were dramatically on the rise in the city. Although his tenure was a mere three years, Beck worked with the staff team to bring stability to the organization and led the organization through an impressive strategic planning process so that we could better fulfil our mandate of becoming a community shaped by the gospel of Jesus: a healthy and welcoming community where the poor and excluded are particularly valued.
“It is my honour to be asked by the Board to serve as the next Executive Director of Sanctuary,” Clelland said. “I look forward to the next chapter, to getting to know each person in our extended community by listening and remaining curious, and continuing to radically welcome each person in love. We are each part of a greater community that includes our friends, our board, our donors, and our neighbours. Together we aim towards a life of Shalom—a world where there is enough for all: enough food, enough shelter, and enough love.”
The Board was particularly impressed with Clelland’s theological depth, his managerial and fundraising experience, and, most importantly, his deep understanding of Sanctuary’s vision of reciprocity and welcome, rooted in God’s abundant vision of a world where there is enough housing and love for all. He will take up the mantle as Executive Director on August 15, 2025. We hope you will join us in welcoming Gil Clelland into his new leadership role.
Founded in 1992, Sanctuary is a church and community made up of those who are housed and unhoused, those who use substances and those who do not, those with no privilege and those with plenty. Guided by the Gospel, Sanctuary strives to offer the love, dignity, stability, and resources that all need to flourish. This includes community meals, street outreach, a health clinic, an arts programme, and Sunday services. Go to www.sanctuarytoronto.org for more information
A Note from Gil
It’s an honour to be asked by the Board to serve as the next Executive Director at Sanctuary. I first heard about Sanctuary when I met Greg Paul in 2007. At that time, I had just started working among unhoused individuals in London, ON at Youth for Christ. Greg shared his vision of a community of radical welcome and reciprocal friendship that was inspired by the love of Jesus. This stirred something in me that I have tried to live out ever since.
In 2011, my co-pastor Darryl Reckman and I planted Sanctuary London, where I learned many lessons about this vocation—most notably to listen and be curious. My friends on the street were gentle and patient with me, teaching me about tearing off the mask of having it all together, about authenticity, and about the importance of true vulnerability.
I came to Toronto in 2023 to join the staff at Sanctuary, beginning on outreach and then stepping into the role of housing specialist. In Toronto, I joined a team that was coming out of the dramatic shifts under COVID regulations and painful losses of long-time members of the community, but who were still pressing on each day with a sense of calling and perseverance. The Sanctuary staff are an amazing team! They are passionate about serving our friends, driven to do what’s best, and still have enough energy for humour and joy.
We are each part of a greater community that includes our friends, our board, our donors, and our neighbours. Together, we aim towards a life rooted in the biblical vision of Shalom—a world where there is enough for all: enough food, enough shelter, and enough love. As Executive Director, I look forward to the next chapter, getting to know the community better by listening and remaining curious, and continuing to radically welcome each person in love.