What standards does CCRA use to register charities?
To qualify for registration, an organization must be established and operated for charitable purposes, and it must devote its resources to charitable activities. The charity must be resident in Canada, and cannot use its income to benefit its members. A charity also has to meet a public benefit test. To qualify under this test, an organization must show that: its activities and purposes provide a tangible benefit to the public; those people who are eligible for benefits are either the public as a whole, or a significant section of it, in that they are not a restricted group or one where members share a private connection, such as social clubs or professional associations with specific membership; and the charity’s activities must be legal and must not be contrary to public policy.
