The Finance Committee report was tabled in the House of Commons on Dec. 13, 2024. Among its hundreds of recommendations, it recommends that the Government of Canada:

Recommendation 429
No longer provide charitable status to anti-abortion organizations.

Recommendation 430
Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose.

The committee is making recommendations to the government about what to include in the next federal budget. As part of its pre-budget consultations, the committee heard from dozens of witnesses throughout the fall – businesses, schools, non-profits with a wide range of interests and proposals. It also received hundreds of written submissions.

The wording of these recommendations echoes the BC Humanist Association’s written submission to the committee.

In the chapter’s short preamble, before the committee's list of recommendations to the government, the report states, “Tax policy is also a major mechanism to motivate taxpayers to engage in activities that are deemed beneficial to society or, on the contrary, dissuade taxpayers from engaging in activities that are thought to be harmful to society.”

The House of Commons finance committee recommended that in the next budget, the government should “Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose.” (recommendation 430)

The Finance Minister is not required to adopt the recommendation, but it is significant that a parliamentary committee has made it.

More than 30,000 charitable organizations fall under the advancement of religion, roughly 42% of the charitable sector.

This change, if adopted, would have a far-reaching and devastating impact – on religious charities, the people they serve and Canadian society.

Religious communities help provide a purpose for living and hope for the future, foster social cohesion, provide community support and spark local volunteerism.

This is a time to encourage the presence and participation of religious charities – which foster hope, mutual support and belonging – rather than taking steps to destabilize them.

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