Canada Revenue Agencies releases report and recommendations by Panel on Charities and Political Activities
Tuesday, May 9, 2017On 4 May 2017, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) released the report and recommendations of its Panel on Charities and Political Activities, which was involved in a broad consultation during much of 2016 with registered charities across the country. Registered charities are those authorized to provide an income tax receipt for donations they have received. Such charities include parishes and many Catholic organizations, as well as the equivalent structures of other Christian Churches or world religions, in addition to many NGOs and community organizations. This past 22 December 2016, the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), wrote to the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, to express concern about various CRA “categories and definitions that many religious charities find inadequate and even unfair.”