Canadian charities now have more options for doing certain transactions online using the CHAMP system. Charities should look into accessing their CHAMP account. Here is a summary from the CRA from their recent Charity Information Sessions as to transactions that…
Here is our article on “Objects of registered charities in Canada are sometimes not charitable“. Objects are very important and often Canadian charities don't understand that even though they are a registered charity their objects may not actually be charitable.
Here is a Q&A from CRA about the new journalism qualified donee category.
CRA is set to introduce its online system for organizations applying for charitable status. Once this system is available on June 1, 2019, paper applications will no longer be accepted and organizations will only be able to apply for charitable status…
On March 15, 2019, CRA announced that there will be changes to the T3010 Annual Return and the T2050 Application to Register a Charity to account for the recent changes to the political activities rules for Canadian registered charities. Instead…
The Blumbergs' Canadian Charity Law Boot Camp will be held again on Monday April 8, 2019. This is a one-day boot camp on compliance and standards issues for Canadian registered charities. You can register for the program here. This one-day workshop…
Finance Minister Morneau delivered the 2019 Federal Budget today. Here is our article “2019 Canadian Federal Budget – How will it affect the Canadian charitable sector?“ Finance has already released a Fall Economic Statement that did contain a number of initiatives…
We have created a course entitled “Should We Establish a Canadian Social Enterprise, Non-Profit or Charity and How to Do It?”. The course is $149 and you can register at https://charity-law.teachable.com/ Here is an overview of the course: Should We…
On Thursday December 13, 2018, Bill C-86 received Royal Assent. Within this Bill, there are several changes to the Income Tax Act related to charities, especially with regards to political activities. The change allows Canadian registered charities to conduct public policy dialogue…
The CRA released today their Report on the Charities Program 2016 to 2018. They note: “We made the report shorter by reducing the amount of text and added more visuals. The report is now easier to understand and has a more…
The Government of Canada recently announced that it will now be using the Market Basket Measure (“MBM”) to measure Canada’s poverty line. Previously, Canada did not have an official measure of poverty; rather MBM was used along with Low Income…
On Monday November 19, 2018 I presented to the Special Senate Committee on the Charity Sector in Ottawa. My presentation dealt with a number of areas especially transparency of non-profits and registered charities, good charity regulation, and political activities by…
Here is our article Finance 2018 Fall Economic Statement and its Impact on Canadian Charities, Journalism and Social Finance.
Even with the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (“ONCA”) looming, we are still seeing recently incorporated non-profits that are set-up under the Ontario Corporations Act (“OCA”). Here is an article on some of the reasons why this is generally not a good…
[FURTHER UPDATED ARTICLE: Foreign Universities Applying to be Registered Universities in Canada: What we have learned.] Here is our updated article on Foreign Universities Applying for Prescribed University Status in Canada 2018. If your university or alma mater is outside…
The CRA announced today that they are delaying the Charities IT Modernization Project (CHAMP) till June 2019. When CHAMP is launched, charities will no longer be able to make application by paper application and will have to use the CHAMP system.…
I am still surprised at the number of Canadian fundraisers that I meet who have not read the CRA's Fundraising Guidance or have read it but don't remember any of the details! Here is the Fundraising Guidance on the CRA…
I will be delivering three presentations in Fort McMurray on Tuesday May 29, 2018 around non-profits and charity compliance issues as well as setting up social enterprises, non-profits and charities. If you are in the area you might find them…
We recently wrote about obtaining the CRA guidance on advancement of religion at CRA’s Draft Guidance Advancement of religion and charitable registration is released through ATIP. That article included a July 2016 version of the CRA guidance on religion which…
Here is our article Common Paragraphs from CRA in the Notification of Registration Regarding Operating a Registered Charity. It provides many of the common warnings or suggestions from CRA that are included in Notifications of Registration from the Charities Directorate.
Here is our article CRA letter on Ineligible Individual and Impact on Charity Application which provides a copy of a standard letter when CRA determines that an ineligible individual may be involved with a charity application.
Here is our article CRA releases information on Universities Outside Canada – good news for foreign universities. This will be of interest to universities outside of Canada whether they are prescribed foreign universities or not. [HERE IS AN UPDATED ARTICLE:…
Understanding legal compliance for registered charities is not easy but Blumbergs is offering exciting new upcoming events in 2018 that will help. Fundamentals of the T3010 and Transparency for Canadian charities On Friday June 1, 2018, Blumbergs’ will be holding a…
CRA has been sending this insert in various mailings reminding Canadian registered charities that the new move to electronic filing of charity applications and the optional ability to file T3010s online is starting in November 2018. Charities should start to prepare…