Federal Finance Committee endorses end to religious charitable status

https://www.bchumanist.ca/federal_finance_committee_endorses_end_to_religious_charitable_status

By BC Humanist

Canada’s Finance Committee has called for an end to automatic charitable status for religious organizations, echoing recommendations from the BC Humanist Association (BCHA). Currently, religious groups qualify as charities based on outdated laws tied to 17th-century English common law. These exemptions cost taxpayers up to $2.6 billion annually. The committee also recommends denying charitable status to anti-abortion groups. As Canada becomes more diverse and secular, redefining what qualifies as a charity could ensure public funds are used more equitably.