On January 20, the CRA announced that its controversial political activities audit program for charities has been wound-down.
From the CRA news release:
The results of the political activities audit program have shown substantial compliance with the rules regarding charities' involvement in political activities. In light of these outcomes, the political activities program will be concluded once the remaining audits have been finalized.
Our Government's commitment to openness and transparency includes providing more information on the regulation of charities to the public and the charitable sector in a timely manner and in ensuring the engagement of the sector. In order to achieve this, Minister Lebouthillier also announced that the CRA will publish an annual report to provide the public with more information about its activities and its contribution to an effective regulatory framework for registered charities.
Minister Lebouthillier is committed to engaging with key stakeholders and has asked CRA's Charities Directorate to find ways to further clarify the rules governing a registered charity's involvement in political activities. Details of the consultations will be made public as they become available.
See our previous posts on the political activities audit program here and here.
For more information, visit our Canadian Tax Litigation blog at www.canadiantaxlitigation.com
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