Maintaining Good Corporate Governance
Miller Thomson LLP can help charity and not-for-profit corporations maintain good corporate governance. Below is a list of basic requirements for federal and Ontario non-share capital corporations under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and the Corporations Act (Ontario). Although this...
Proposed Changes to the Ontario Corporations Act
Last week, the Ontario government introduced legislation that confirms charities can make social investments, helps modernize the Ontario Corporations Act (OCA) and makes technical amendments to the Not For-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 (ONCA). Social Investments The legislation proposes to add...
October 16, 2017 Deadline to Submit Applications for Community Hub Surplus Property Transition Initiative
The Province of Ontario recently announced a Surplus Property Transition Initiative (the “Initiative”), aimed at addressing barriers to the development of community hubs. The Initiative builds upon the recommendations identified in the Province’s Community Hubs in Ontario: A Strategic Framework & Action Plan....
You Can’t Do What You Want! UK Court Finds that Members of a Charitable Corporation are Fiduciaries of the Charity
Presently in Canada, there are over 85,000 registered charities, most of which are set up as not-for-profit corporations. All of these corporations have members who regularly meet to elect directors, approve fundamental changes, and receive financial statements. When making these...
CRA Announces Plan to Change Some Charity Business Numbers
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recently announced that it will be changing the business numbers of all registered charities with internal divisions (i.e., registered charities that have a common business number with a head organization that governs them). This is...
CRA Releases New Video Guidance on the Use of Auctions by Charities
On July 31, 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency released two new videos from its gifting and receipting video series. The first video provides registered charities with guidance on the rules for issuing donation receipts at auctions. Specifically, the video offers...
Ethical, Legal and Equitable Duties in Fundraising
There are a number of ethical, legal, and equitable rules that directors, officers, and employees of charities and not-for-profit organizations must follow. This article focuses in particular on persons engaged in fundraising roles and what they need to know to...
CRA Voluntary Disclosure Program – Changes Announced and Public Input Requested!
CRA has announced changes to its Voluntary Disclosure Program which will have effect January 1, 2018. The Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) provides taxpayers with an opportunity to come forward voluntarily and correct previous omissions in their dealings with the Canada...
Charities in Ontario May Soon be Permitted to Pay Their Directors Without a Court Order
On July 10, 2017, Ontario’s Regulatory Registry published for comment a draft amendment to the Approved Acts of Executors and Trustees, a regulation under the Charities Accounting Act (Ontario) (the “Act”). The amendment would permit directors of incorporated charities to...
Federal Government Announces Social Innovation Review Project
The federal government announced on June 8, 2017 that it is convening a committee to review and develop a strategy to advance social innovation and social finance in Canada. The new group, called the Social Innovation and Social Finance Co-Creation...
