How do I count fundraising costs to determine the average per dollar raised? The average cost per dollar raised is a frequently asked question but the answer is less meaningful if you’re trying to compare dissimilar charities who have traditionally...
The HST is upon us. HST will now apply in Ontario and British Columbia as well as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland (in addition to the very similar QST in Quebec). While the HST clearly means more sales tax...
This fall, the Ontario charitable sector should know whether the province's Bill 65 — the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 — will pass third reading in the legislature and become law. Currently being evaluated by the province's Standing Committee on Social...
If you're an Ontario nonprofit organization and haven't heard about Bill 168 — the amendments to the Health and Safety Act regarding workplace violence and harassment — chances are you aren't in compliance with it yet. The deadline for compliance...
Is it legal and ethical to take over a dormant Canadian charity? This article considers the questions: "Is it legal and ethical to take over a dormant Canadian charity in order to avoid the long bureaucratic process of application? And...
Late last year, Liberal MP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, Albina Guarnieri, drafted a private member's bill into parliament titled C-470. It passed first reading in October and last month went through its second reading in the House of Commons. While the...
Charities in Canada are not allowed to bestow undue benefit, a situation where an individual, corporation, or other entity receives a tangible benefit from their involvement with a particular charity. This is a very important issue for charities to understand...
The federal government recently released their 2010 budget, which contained some big changes for Canadian charities. What will likely affect charities the most is the removal of the 80/20 disbursement quota and changes to the capital disbursement quota. In this...
Late last year, the C.D. Howe Institute published a white paper written by Adam Aptowitzer where he argued that because the federal government does not have the necessary jurisdiction to regulate charities, it is forced to use the registration system,...
A tax receipt. It sounds simple enough. Your charity receives a valued donation, you issue a tax receipt, and the donor receives a tax credit. The ability to provide official tax receipts is an important advantage for charities seeking to...
