Preserve charitable status for faith groups
Petitioners ask the Government to reject Recommendations 429 and 430, omit them from the budget, and preserve faith-based charities' status. The government responds it will not remove advancement of religion as a charitable purpose.
Why we would sign this petition
- It preserves charitable status for faith‑based organizations that provide social services named in the petition, reducing the risk of losing community programs like food banks or newcomer support.
- It defends freedom of religion by keeping “advancement of religion” recognized as a charitable purpose under the Income Tax Act.
- It sustains pluralism in the charitable sector, allowing diverse faith communities to contribute to social cohesion and public benefit.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Supporters of the recommendations may argue targeted revocations (for example of anti‑abortion groups) are intended to address organizations whose activities exceed charitable, non‑political purposes.
- Keeping broad religious charity status could make it harder to enforce limits on partisan or political activities, risking misuse of tax privileges.
- A more precise reform or clearer regulatory framework might better balance freedom of religion with protecting public policy and others’ rights than outright preserving status.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw attention of the Government of Canada to the following: Whereas: Recommendation 430 of the House of Commons Finance Committee's pre-budget report proposes removing the "advancement of religion" as a recognized charitable purpose under the Income Tax Act; Recommendation 429 proposes revoking charitable status from anti-abortion organizations; Religious charities in Canada provide vital services to society, including food banks, care for seniors, newcomer support, youth programs, and mental health outreach - all rooted in their faith traditions; These communities promote hope, belonging, social cohesion, and compassion, benefiting both their members and the broader public; Freedom of religion and belief are fundamental rights in Canada, protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and Singling out or excluding faith-based charities from the charitable sector based on religious belief undermines the diversity and pluralism foundational to Canadian society. We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Reject Recommendations 429 and 430 of the House of Commons Finance Committee's pre-budget report; 2. Refrain from including these recommendations in the federal budget or any related legislation; and 3. Affirm the charitable status of faith-based organizations whose work flows from sincerely held beliefs and whose contributions serve the common good in Canada.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue Signed by The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne The Government of Canada recognizes the vital role that charities, including religious charities, play in delivering essential services to some of the most vulnerable in Canadian society. To support their important work, registered charities are granted significant tax benefits and privileges, including the ability to issue official donation receipts for the gifts they receive. Under the Income Tax Act, an organization may only qualify for charitable registration where it is established exclusively for charitable purposes and devotes all its resources to achieving those purposes. The legal interpretation of “charitable purposes” has developed over time to include the relief of poverty, the advancement of religion, the advancement of education, and other purposes recognized as charitable, such as the promotion of health or the protection of the environment. Today, Canada is home to over 85,000 registered charities, representing a wide variety of causes, beliefs, and interests. Registration as a charity does not indicate government endorsement of an organization’s specific goals or views. Instead, it confirms that the organization meets certain conditions, including that it is constituted and operated exclusively for charitable purposes. These benefits are extended to a broad range of organizations providing socially beneficial activities to the public, from educational institutions to religious organizations, as long as they meet the legal requirements for registration. The Government of Canada is not considering amending the Income Tax Act to remove the advancement of religion as a qualifying charitable purpose or to revoke the status of faith-based charities that express their sincerely held religious views or that carry out activities consistent with their religious beliefs.