James Metcalf
Chief Operating Officer
What's Inside:
As we begin to emerge from the summer months and settle back into the routines of a new season, we encourage you to make the most of your membership with CCCC by accessing our various resources to support your ministries. This month, we've highlighted a number of links to our online Knowledge Base that we hope you will find helpful. We also encourage you to sign up for our upcoming live webinars while also reviewing past webinar topics that will assist you in your work. Remember, as a CCCC Member, these webinars are accessible at no additional charge! The Learning Table is also another excellent resource to consult to dig deeper into specific topics to expand your expertise through coursework.
Are you aware that besides our email and telephone line assistance services, you can find the answers to your governance, financial, operational, fundraising, communications, and HR questions in one place? Check out our online Knowledge Base which is available to our members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Lead your ministry with confidence as you lean on CCCC's current and extensive services and support this fall! We are grateful to assist your organization as you minister to others in His name. We value you and your ministry, and it is our honour at CCCC to support, equip, and pray for you as you carry out the incredible work God has called you to.
Incorporation Legislation
If you are seeking information on incorporation legislation, please see our updated resource arranged by province, noting links to primary governing legislation as well as the corresponding government ministries and departments.
Read moreSample Documents
We have continued to expand our offering of sample documents across our Knowledge Base. If you are looking for policy templates to assist you with topics like employee time off, compensation, and health and safety, please check the sample documents section on our HR policies page. Each template can be downloaded in Microsoft Word to facilitate your work in customizing these documents to suit your own charity's needs.
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Learning Table Courses
CCCC’s online courses are built specifically for Christian charities—equipping board members, treasurers, and staff leaders with job-specific training, grounded in biblical principles. With on-demand, self-paced learning and evergreen access, it’s easier than ever to grow your ministry skills when it works for you. While course purchases carry an additional cost, CCCC members enjoy exclusive discounts, and bulk pricing is available for teams. Whether you’re learning solo or training your whole team, these courses are designed to help you serve well—with confidence and clarity. Browse our courses here.
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Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada v. Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, 2025 ONCA 425
The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada v. Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, 2025 ONCA 425, is a governance dispute with lessons for any charity. The Canadian organization, formed in 2007, originally had three founding members, all with voting rights. In 2015, at a meeting in Chicago, members approved Bylaw 2015-1, creating two classes of members: Corporate Members with voting rights and Director Members who could attend meetings but not vote. The U.S. organization became the sole Corporate Member, effectively taking full voting control. In 2021, the Canadian organization filed new federal Articles of Continuance, returning to a single voting class for all members, apparently without notifying the U.S. corporation. In 2023, conflict arose over who could vote. The court ruled that the 2015 bylaw was validly passed, but the 2021 change was invalid because membership class changes require a special resolution, which had not been obtained. Appeals by both sides were dismissed. Charities should note that changes to membership rights—especially voting control—must follow the legal requirements in governing legislation and bylaws. Failing to do so can leave changes unenforceable, undermine governance stability, and even shift control to an unintended party without an easy path to reverse it.
Vabuolas v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), 2025 BCCA 83
In Vabuolas v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner), elders of Jehovah’s Witnesses challenged a production order under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) requiring disclosure of confidential religious records. They argued this violated their Charter rights to freedom of religion (s. 2(a)) and protection from unreasonable search and seizure (s. 8). The B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling that the Commissioner has discretion to issue such orders while proportionately balancing Charter rights with privacy law objectives.
The Court held that while the order did limit religious freedom, the infringement was justified under s. 1 of the Charter because it was proportionate and narrowly tailored to serve PIPA’s purpose—ensuring individuals can access their personal information. It emphasized that disclosure to the Commissioner does not equal public release, since confidentiality protections apply. The Court also found no breach of s. 8, as the seizure was reasonable given statutory safeguards. Importantly, any infringement arose from the specific order, not the legislation itself.
Charities often handle sensitive personal and religious information; as such, clear policies for record-keeping, privacy and compliance are required:
- Confidential religious records are not automatically exempt from privacy laws.
- Regulatory bodies must balance Charter rights with privacy obligations.
- Even sensitive records may need to be disclosed for review, though protections minimize exposure.
Quick Picks
CCCC staff are constantly reading news, reports, and other resources to stay on top of developments in the charitable sector. We think you'll find these picks helpful!
- Church Communities: Conduits for Community Development
- Clergy sign Canadian Christian Declaration on Antisemitism to stand with Jewish community
- Alberta Employers: Common Law Reasonable Notice Period Can Extend Beyond 24 Months
- Alberta court awards a 26-month reasonable notice period in a ground-breaking move
Events
Legacy Gifts Webinar
September 17, 2025 | 2:00 pm ET
We’re excited to invite you to the upcoming Legacy Gifts webinar, taking place on September 17, 2025.
This engaging session will be led by Nick Lall, CCCC's Head of Group Benefits, who will guide us through a comprehensive overview of how to effectively receive and manage estate gifts. The session will cover the primary forms of estate gifts: cash bequests, publicly traded securities, and life insurance policies. We'll also cover the operational and compliance steps involved in accepting them.
Learn about internal readiness, including policy considerations, receipting obligations, and communication protocols. A key focus will be on how charities can demonstrate capacity and trustworthiness to donors without making legacy giving feel transactional or burdensome.
If you’re looking to learn practical strategies, or even connect with like-minded professionals, this webinar is not to be missed!
From Confusion To Confidence: Leading Legally And Theologically Webinar
October 15, 2025 | 2:00 pm ET
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar, From Confusion To Confidence: Leading Legally And Theologically, happening on October 15, 2025.
Led by Barbara Bierman, CCCC's Head of Online Programs, this session will explore the dynamic tension between corporate and ecclesiastical governance and equip leaders with practical knowledge, clear examples, and next steps to navigate this dual accountability.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain fresh insights on this critically overlooked facet of charity governance.
CCCC Fall Member Events
Calgary, Alberta | September 23-24, 2025
Edmonton, Alberta | September 25, 2025
We are pleased to announce several upcoming in-person CCCC events happening in fall 2025!
These events are designed to provide opportunities to:
- Connect and share meaningful face-to-face time with fellow ministry leaders,
- Gain insights into the latest developments affecting our sector, and
- Develop your professional skills and knowledge.
We’d be delighted to have one or more representatives from your ministry join us at these events. You can pick and choose specific events to register for and attend.
The events are as follows:
Tuesday, September 23 - Calgary
- HR Workshop “Conducting and Understanding Harassment Investigations: An Overview”
- Informal Networking Dinner
Wednesday, September 24 - Calgary
- Member Roundtable
Thursday, September 25 - Edmonton
- HR Workshop “Wearing the HR Hat: A Practical Workshop for Non-HR Professionals and Solo Practitioners”
- Networking Lunch
- Charity Roundtable
We’re grateful to our host ministries for providing space to gather. There is a modest registration fee for each event to help offset the remaining costs. We are looking forward to seeing you in person!
October 7, 2025 | Accredited Member Roundtable, Mississauga, Ontario (CCCC Accredited members only)
We’d be delighted to have one or more representatives from your ministry join us at this event. Please register by September 11th. Click here to register.
Congratulations to Our Accredited Members!
Congratulations to the following Accredited Members who have recently participated in an Accreditation Review and demonstrated their ongoing commitment to CCCC Accreditation standards: Acadia Divinity College, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, CCM Canada Charitable Foundation, Crossroads Christian Communications Inc., Empower Ministries, International Teams Canada Inc., Intertribal Christian Communications (Canada) Inc., Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Northwest Baptist Seminary, One Hope Canada, Pregnancy & Wellness Centre of Moncton Inc., Rio Grande Bible Institute (Canada) Inc., Union Gospel Mission (Winnipeg), and United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada! We are proud to have you as part of our Accredited Member community!
To find out more about CCCC Accreditation and our Accredited members, visit giveconfidently.ca.
Auto Deposited Designation
Green users are discussing how to manage electronic donations when there are potential violations of CRA's rules around private benefit at stake. Members have shared their experiences and advice about policies that allow charities to use donations effectively while benefiting from the convenience of electronic giving for both the organization and the donor. If you've had experience with electronic donations and maintaining CRA's expectations around public benefits, or if you have policy statements to share, head on over and join the discussion!
Read moreGift-In-Kind Receipting For Airfare
This Green conversation is focused on gift-in-kind receipting related to airfare and mission trips. Can donation receipts be offered for donated airfare? This conversation covers several ideas about how to handle this scenario while properly recording the decision in the organization's books. Do you want to understand more about receipting charitable donations? Have you experienced a similar scenario? Join the discussion and share your thoughts or questions!
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Income Tax Receipt Request For An In-Kind Donation
Navigating receipting for charitable donations can be a complicated and tricky business. Thankfully, CRA updates its online information regularly to provide answers for what gifts are eligible for receipt and under what circumstances. This discussion is about a really tricky request involving fair market valuation, split receipting, and options for managing the actual donation itself (i.e., an historical artifact). You won't want to miss this interesting discussion!
Read moreCompassionate Care: Mastering Benevolence Fund Management
Coming out of summer and getting fall programs ready? It's time to take a good look at starting or upgrading a benevolence fund so that your charity can more effectively serve those in need in your local community. This course is ideal for your team to develop and manage an effective benevolence fund and accompanying program for distributing funds. Get step-by-step instructions, downloadable templates for planning and record-keeping, as well as important info on how to ensure alignment with CRA expectations. Special pricing for members and bulk purchases for groups at a discount are also available!
Sign up now!
Services
A Pro When You Need One
The professionals listed in our Professional Associates Directory provide services to charities and practice in four general areas: law, accounting, insurance, and consulting.
Contact Details
Canadian Centre for Christian Charities
PO Box 335 STN Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A4
(519) 669-5137
