Charitable Sector Rules Need a Facelift to Meet New Demands

The report “Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector” was released by a Senate committee in 2019 – a time before Zoom fatigue, curve-planking, pivots and social bubbles were part of the lexicon. Adopted formally by the Senate in November 2020, it is the Red Chamber’s most-downloaded report to date, according to Senator Ratna Omidvar, one of the file’s champions. As Canadians reflect on COVID-19 recovery, it’s an important time to focus on this report. It makes 42 recommendations to strengthen charitable and non-profit funding, and oversight systems that could remove barriers to achieve healthier and equitable communities.

Since the 2019 committee release of “Catalyst for Change,” we’ve seen worldwide health and economic crises, a reckoning over racial injustice and calls for further mobilization around climate change. Yet, many of the rules regulating charities in Canada have not been reviewed in 50 years. In that time, we’ve seen drastic changes in service delivery and demand, especially now. Moving to the next stage of implementation couldn’t come at a more important time.

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