Canada’s Charities Make Urgent Ask to Ottawa for Stabilization Fund: Their Very Survival at Risk
Never Again International – Canada has joined a coalition of over 200 of Canada’s leading charities to call on the Federal Government for emergency support to face the COVID-19 crisis.
Preserving Canada’s Social Fabric: A Call for Urgent Support
The leaders of over 200 Canadian charities have united to address the Government of Canada, requesting urgent financial assistance to prevent the irreparable collapse of the charitable sector. These organizations and their vital programs face an unprecedented threat due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Canada’s charities are a cornerstone of the national economy, contributing more than 8% to the GDP ($162 billion in 2017) and employing more than 1.4 million working Canadians. Without immediate federal support, the sector faces massive layoffs and the very real threat of permanent closure, which would strip vulnerable communities of their most essential support systems.
A Roadmap for Stability
The Emergency Coalition of Canadian Charities—representing a diverse group including War Child, United Way, the Canadian Cancer Society, YMCA, Indspire, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation—is recommending the following measures:
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Emergency Stabilization Fund: The immediate establishment of a $10 billion fund to allow charities to survive, retain staff, and maintain frontline operations.
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Loan Guarantees: Ensuring charities have access to urgent, low- or no-interest short-term loans through Canadian banks.
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Enhanced Tax Credits: Increasing the Charitable Donation Tax Credit to 75% through the end of 2021 to encourage continued giving.
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Funding Flexibility: Allowing maximum flexibility for already-contracted funds as charities redesign programs to meet pandemic-related needs.
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Equitable Recovery: Ensuring charities have access to the same recovery programs provided to businesses.
Voices from the Frontlines
The leaders of the sector have expressed grave concerns regarding the fragility of the current social structure:
It is a brutal irony that as vulnerable groups are confronting the social hardship of COVID-19, the charities who support them are struggling to figure out how they will continue to resource their operations.
— Dr. Samantha Nutt, Founder and President of War Child Canada
David Morley, CEO of UNICEF Canada, warned that we risk losing the core of the non-profit sector entirely, noting that we must not lose this "incredible social structure." Similarly, Andrea Seale of the Canadian Cancer Society highlighted that charities fill the gaps where the social safety net fails, yet they are currently seeing their resources drastically curtailed.
Dan Clement, President & CEO of United Way Centraide Canada, emphasized the need for immediate action: “A broader charitable sector stabilization program is critical to ensuring it will be there to serve Canadians today, in six months, and in the years to come.”
Protecting the Vulnerable
Without the presence of these organizations, the impact of the crisis will deepen for all Canadians. Roberta Jamieson, President and CEO of Indspire, reminded the government that every dollar donated goes directly back into the community, including supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis youth.
The charitable sector is too important to the fabric of Canada to be forgotten. By establishing an emergency stabilization fund, the government can ensure that those who care for our most at-risk populations can keep their doors open.