We assist charities and non-profit organizations in all aspects of their operations, from incorporating and applying for registered charity status to operating under applicable regulatory regimes, including legal and taxation.

Services

We act for several of British Columbia’s leading registered charities. Our services include incorporating societies, establishing charitable trusts and foundations and advising charities and non-profits regarding their ongoing governance and administration. This includes advising on effective governance structures, duties of directors and senior managers and expansion (locally, nationally and internally). We provide board and member education, impartial investigations and defamation reviews, as well as dispute resolution services. Our group brings a breadth of legal experience useful to the ongoing operations of non-profit organizations, including real estate, employment, privacy, intellectual property and business law. We are able to act as a single resource for a variety of legal needs.

Industry Involvement

We service multiple sectors, including healthcare, research, education, sport, disability, arts and culture, environmental protection, professional bodies, co-operatives and faith-based organizations.

Our team in the Charities + Non-Profit group sit on boards and support local charities in our volunteer capacities. Our volunteer work gives us awareness of the unique challenges faced by non-profit organizations and the voluntary sector.

Charitable Giving

We work with donors to develop effective charitable giving plans, including the creation of private foundations, charitable trusts, and leaving gifts in a will.

New Societies Act

In November 2016, the Society Act (BC) was replaced by the new Societies Act (BC), affecting more than 25,000 non-profit organizations in British Columbia. Our team is well versed in the new governance rules and helping client organizations transition smoothly during the two year transition period. We assist our clients in complying with the new Act by:

  • Verifying the current text of their Constitution and Bylaws and considering what changes to those documents are necessary and consequential to the new Act
  • Considering what further substantive changes may be appropriate or desirable, given the flexibility now available in the new Act
  • Determining an appropriate timetable for early or later “transition” of the society
  • Understanding the new electronic filing systems of the office of the BC Registrar of Companies

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