Principal Issues: Several questions regarding the registration process for a charitable organization or charitable foundation to obtain registered charity status and regarding the factors that affect the delays for obtaining such status.
Position: General comments provided by the Charities Directorate.
Reasons: Charities Directorate's processes and service standards.
Financial Strategies and Financial Instruments Roundtable, October 9, 2015
2015 APFF Conference
Question 7
Registration of Charities - Process and Delays
The registration process for charities appears to have slowed for various reasons. It appears, however, that some organizations may obtain registration within three months, while others face a longer period of time to be assigned an officer to review their file.
As a result, the file review process generates differing time frames that taxpayers who wish to register their foundation or charity have difficulty understanding.
Questions to the CRA
a) Is there a different process depending on whether the entity requesting registration is a charity or a foundation?
b) Is there a different process depending on the legal form chosen by the entity requesting registration?
c) What are the conditions for permitting a reduction in registration delays?
d) Is there a fast lane for taxpayers to facilitate processing applications, and how does it function?
CRA Response to Q7(a)
The registration process is the same, whether the entity whose registration is requested is a charitable organization or a foundation. In both cases, the entity must demonstrate that it qualifies for registration as a charity by submitting an application for registration which is complete and contains sufficient particulars to demonstrate that it qualifies under that head. The links below provide useful information respecting the manner of providing a registration application and the factors which could prevent the organization from being registered as a charity:
How to apply for charitable registration
Factors that will prevent an organization from being registered as a charity
CRA Response to Q7(b)
The process is the same, irrespective of the legal form chosen by the entity requesting registration.
CRA Response to Q7(c)
We suggest that any entity desiring to reduce the delays in dealing with its registration application consult the following link on the CRA website, which provides information respecting the presentation of a registration application:
In particular, the section entitled “Avoiding delays” which is found at the following link, could be particularly useful:
CRA Response to Q7(d)
There is no fast lane in the Charities Directorate for the processing of registration applications. The applications generally are processed in the order in which they are received. However, the Charities Directorate has different standards of service respecting simple and regular applications for registration. A simple application is an application which contains all the information needed by the Directorate for determining if an organization is eligible for registration as a charity. When the Directorate has a need for more information before determining eligibility, the application is a regular one.
The objective of the Charities Directorate is to respond to properly completed simple applications within two months and to respond to properly completed regular applications within six months. For further information on our standards of service, you can consult the following link:
Answer prepared by:
Tania Lewis
Operations and Development Support Section
Evaluation, Decision-making and Surveillance Division
Charities Directorate
Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch
Person in the Income Tax Rulings Directorate responsible:
Mélanie Beaulieu
(613) 670-8905
October 9, 2015
2015-058900