Richard William Smith

Richard William Smith (born April 28, 1959) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the metropolitan archbishop of Vancouver, having previously served as Bishop of Pembroke and Metropolitan Archbishop of Edmonton.

The metropolitan archbishop is currently a member of the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).

Early life Smith was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 28, 1959. He was the oldest of four children of Anne Marie (Butts) and Donald James Smith. Smith studied at St. Mary's University, obtaining a bachelor's degree in communication. He later received a Master of Divinity at the Atlantic School of Theology. He furthered his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, from which he earned a licentiate in 1993 and a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree five years later.

Episcopal ministry Regional and National (2002–present) Since 2003, Smith has been a member of the English Sector Commission for Christian Education in the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

In 2009, Smith was made vice president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. In 2011, he became the conference's president and held the position until 2013. He serves as the conference's current chairman. Smith was a member of the conference's Episcopal Working Group for the Coordination of Indigenous Initiatives and then of the ad hoc Committee for Indigenous Issues.

He is also the national spiritual advisor of the Catholic Women's League of Canada, and president of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Edmonton (2007–2025) He was named the eighth metropolitan Archbishop of Edmonton by Pope Benedict XVI on March 22, 2007, being formally installed on the following May 1.

Vancouver (2025–present) Pope Francis appointed Smith Metropolitan Archbishop of Vancouver on February 25, 2025.

CBC News' Clare Bonnyman interviewed Smith and Connelly about their podcast on CBC News' podcast Deep Dive.