Readout: Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector – October 17 and 18, 2024
The Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector (ACCS) met in person in Ottawa on October 17 and 18, 2024.
October 17, 2024
Soren Halverson, Assistant Commissioner of the Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), opened the meeting by taking a moment to acknowledge the traditional land and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People, as well as the traditional territories from which virtual attendees joined across Canada.
Soren Halverson then thanked the ACCS members for attending the meeting, and acknowledged that Report #4 of the Committee was published on October 9th. He highlighted the significance of this milestone, emphasizing that the report captured the comprehensive recommendations derived from the efforts of the Committee’s working groups. He extended appreciation to the sector Co-chairs and members for their dedication and hard work in developing the Report, noting their commitment to the process and the depth of their contributions.
Next, ACCS sector Co-chairs Sheherazade Hirji and Kevin McCort provided brief opening remarks and introduced the meeting objectives: discussion on recent modernization initiatives underway at the Charities Directorate, and emerging issues in the sector.
Robert Delaney, Director from the Charities Directorate of the CRA and Chair of the ACCS Secretariat, began by presenting on the topic of increasing transparency, highlighting concerns raised by the sector regarding the Charities Directorate’s processes. He noted that the confidentiality provisions of the Income Tax Act limit the information the Agency is able to share, which has contributed to frustrations within the sector. To address these concerns, Robert Delaney invited members to share suggestions on the types of information they believe would improve transparency, particularly in relation to charities under audit. The Committee had a healthy discussion and provided valuable feedback for the Agency’s consideration.
Both Robert Delaney and Sharmila Khare, Director General of the Charities Directorate of the CRA, then took the floor and presented on the topic of compliance as a shared responsibility. The Committee engaged in a roundtable discussion on what role the charitable sector can play in creating a culture of shared responsibility for compliance with the CRA, and offered suggestions on practical ways it could actively contribute, such as through peer monitoring, self-regulation, or collaborative initiatives with the CRA.
In the afternoon, guest speaker Kate Bahen, from Charity Intelligence Canada, shared perspectives from the sector on compliance-related issues, followed by an open Q&A with the Committee.
Next, Zachary Euler, Manager from the CRA’s Charities Directorate, spoke on challenges related to the stated purposes of registered charities, and then moderated a roundtable discussion. Members provided feedback on concrete challenges, roadblocks, or delays that charities are encountering when they deal with the CRA on issues related to their purposes, particularly related to purpose amendments. Members were asked for feedback on how the Agency can encourage charities to review and update their purposes to accurately reflect their current or planned operations.
The day concluded with a roundtable discussion led by Kevin McCort on emerging issues in the sector. Members shared concerns they have heard through their networks and revisited topics raised earlier in the day.
October 18, 2024
ACCS sector Co-chair Kevin McCort welcomed the Committee members back and opened the meeting with a brief recap of the discussions had during day one, noting key takeaways from the topics presented.
Kevin McCort then introduced Stéphane Baribault, Director, and Jeff Zander, Manager, from the Charities Directorate of the CRA, who presented on changes to the Application for Registration form and process before opening the floor to a roundtable discussion. Members were asked for feedback on the overall structure of the application form and language, suggestions on what questions could potentially be added or removed, and whether the Agency should reintroduce an application guide.
The final presentation, delivered by Robert Delaney, provided a brief update on an internal transformation exercise within the Charities Directorate aimed at modernizing the regulatory framework for charities, covering priority themes, and next steps.
Before closing the meeting, Robert Delaney opened a discussion on lessons learned from the current ACCS membership, providing each member an opportunity to share feedback or suggestions that might benefit future Committee iterations and the sector at large, moving forward.
The CRA and sector Co-chairs then took a moment to express their sincere appreciation and gratitude to the outgoing members for their valuable contributions, dedication and insight during their time on the Committee.
The Co-chairs then closed the meeting.