Change purposes and activities
A registered charity must be established for charitable purposes (sometimes referred to as 'objects'). If a charity introduces purposes or undertakes activities that do not qualify as charitable, it is placing its registered status in jeopardy.
By consulting with the Charities Directorate before making changes to its purposes, a charity can avoid the need to further amend its purposes.
A charity that wants to undertake programs and activities that are different from those previously approved should also check with us beforehand to ensure that the proposed activities are charitable and that they fall within the charity's approved purposes. In some cases, a charity may also have to amend its purpose(s) so that it has a basis for undertaking the proposed activities.
To submit a new purpose or activity
Through MyBA
- Log in to your My Business Account (MyBA) account.
- Scroll down to the menu for your charity’s RR account.
- Select “Update registered charity or RCAAA information”.
- Then, select “Change purposes and activities” from the dropdown menu.
- Provide the following information in the text box:
- your charity’s proposed new purpose(s) (if applicable)
- a detailed statement of activities that fully describes how your charity intends to carry out the activities to accomplish its current or new purpose(s)
- You may upload any supporting documentation. You can include copies of any promotional material such as brochures, newsletters, and posters the charity proposes to use to advertise the activities.
On paper
If you want to change your charity’s purpose, your need to provide your charity’s proposed purpose(s) and a detailed statement of activities for our review. The statement of activities should fully describe how your charity intends to accomplish its new purpose(s).
If you want to undertake new programs and activities, submit a detailed statement that fully describes how the charity intends to carry out the activities. You can include copies of any promotional material such as brochures, newsletters, and posters the charity proposes to use to advertise the activities.
Send the documentation by:
Mail:
Charities Directorate
Canada Revenue Agency
Ottawa ON K1A 0L5
Fax:
833-339-0997 (toll-free number)
418-556-1813
Send your documents to only one number and avoid duplication.
Mailed or faxed letters must include the signature of a director/trustee or other authorized representative of the charity. Make sure to include the name and the registration number of your charity.
After the charity has legally changed its purposes, it should provide the Charities Directorate its new governing documents. Go to Submit amended governing document for more information.
References
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