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Raise money honestly
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Charitable fundraising follows the rules of the place: register where registration is asked, and hold a licence for any lottery.
Saskatchewan licenses the businesses that raise funds for charities, not the charities themselves — and “charitable organization” in this Act reaches only a registered charity. A paid fundraiser holds a licence and a written fundraising agreement before a campaign begins, and a registered charity answers anyone who asks what its solicitations raised and spent. Binds: Fundraising businesses acting in Saskatchewan, and registered charities under The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan).
The law’s own words
“charitable organization” means a registered charity as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 2(b) · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“fundraising business” means a person that: (i) for remuneration, manages or is responsible for a solicitation by or on behalf of a charitable organization; and (ii) is not an employee of the charitable organization; but does not include: (iii) an entity that provides consultation services or advice with respect to a solicitation but does not manage or have responsibility for the solicitation; or (iv) any other prescribed entity”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 2(g) · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“No person shall act as a fundraising business without holding a licence pursuant to this Part.”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 5 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“No licensee shall commence a campaign of solicitation unless the licensee has entered into a fundraising agreement that meets the requirements of this section with the charitable organization on whose behalf solicitations are to be made.”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 26(1) · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Subject to the regulations, a charitable organization shall provide the following information, within a reasonable time, to any person who requests it: … (b) with respect to solicitations: (i) subject to subsection (2), the portion of gross contributions received during the charitable organization’s last fiscal year that was used directly for charitable purposes; (ii) an estimate of the portion of gross contributions received in the current fiscal year that will be used directly for charitable purposes; …”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 42(1) · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“This Act does not apply to a solicitation made with respect to a lottery scheme that is lawfully conducted by a charitable organization.”
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), s. 3(2) · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), sections 2, 5 and 26
“‘charitable organization’ means a registered charity as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)” “No person shall act as a fundraising business without holding a licence pursuant to this Part.” “No licensee shall commence a campaign of solicitation unless the licensee has entered into a fundraising agreement that meets the requirements of this section with the charitable organization on whose behalf solicitations are to be made.”
Source: The Charitable Fund-raising Businesses Act (Saskatchewan), ss. 2(b), 5, 26(1) · Checked 2026-11-11
An organization that solicits contributions in Alberta for charitable purposes registers under the Charitable Fund-raising Act before it solicits from individuals, unless the year’s solicitations are meant to raise less than $25,000; one that reaches $25,000 registers within forty-five days, and prepares the Act’s financial information returns for a year in which it solicits. Asking its own members stands outside the Act. Binds: Alberta organizations that solicit contributions for charitable purposes (Charitable Fund-raising Act, RSA 2000, c C-9).
The law’s own words
“No charitable organization may make a solicitation to an individual unless the charitable organization is registered.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 12(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“Regardless of a charitable organization’s intent, if a charitable organization in its financial year raises, as a result of solicitations, gross contributions of $25 000 or more from individuals in Alberta or individuals and others in Alberta, the charitable organization must be registered within 45 days after the gross contributions reach $25 000.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 12(4) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“If solicitations are made by or on behalf of a charitable organization in a financial year, the charitable organization must prepare for that financial year financial information returns as specified by the regulations that meet the requirements of the regulations.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 8 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“This Act does not apply to a solicitation made by a charitable organization to a person or to a member of a person’s family if the person is a member of the organization when the solicitation is made”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 3 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“charitable organization” means (i) any incorporated or unincorporated organization that is formed for a charitable purpose, or (ii) a person who makes solicitations for contributions to be used for a charitable purpose and who is not connected to any incorporated or unincorporated organization that is formed for the charitable purpose for which the solicitation is made”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 1(1)(b) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“This Act does not apply to … (c) a solicitation made in respect of a gaming activity that is authorized by a licence under the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 3 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“This Part applies to (a) solicitations made by a fund-raising business on behalf of a charitable organization, (b) solicitations made by a charitable organization using a fund-raising business, and (c) solicitations made by a charitable organization intending to raise $25 000 or more in gross contributions from persons in Alberta as a result of solicitations made during a financial year.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 4(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“Regardless of a charitable organization’s intent, if a charitable organization in its financial year raises, as a result of solicitations, gross contributions of $25 000 or more from persons in Alberta, this Part applies to solicitations made by the charitable organization from the time it reaches $25 000 in gross contributions until the end of that financial year.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 4(2) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A person making solicitations by telephone may make them only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 5 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A person who makes a solicitation in person must, before accepting a contribution, provide the person who is being solicited with (a) the information required by the regulations in the manner and form required by the regulations, and (b) an adequate opportunity to review the information.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 6(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A charitable organization or fund-raising business that makes solicitations must maintain (a) complete and accurate financial records of its operations in Alberta for at least 3 years after the solicitations are made, (b) records regarding the solicitations made in Alberta for at least 3 years after the solicitations are made, and (c) other records and documents described in the regulations for the period described in the regulations.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 7 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A person who makes a solicitation must disclose the following to the person who is being solicited: (a) the name of the charitable organization for which the contributions are being solicited; (b) the charitable purpose for which the contributions are being solicited; (c) the cost of fund-raising and how much the fund-raising business, if applicable, will receive … (d) a contact name and telephone number for the organization or the fund-raising business, if applicable.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 9(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A person who makes a solicitation must give a receipt to a person making a monetary contribution if the person making the contribution requests a receipt.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 10(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“This section does not apply to a solicitation that involves a direct or indirect request to buy a good or service.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 10(2) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“Every fund-raising business and every employee of a fund-raising business who receives contributions on behalf of a charitable organization holds the contributions in trust for the charitable organization.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 11(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“The trustee has no power to invest monetary contributions received on behalf of a charitable organization and must, within 3 days after receiving the monetary contributions, not including Saturdays and holidays, deposit the money, without making any deductions, into an account held in a bank, trust corporation, credit union or treasury branch in Canada … The account must be in the name of the charitable organization that is the beneficiary and be under the sole control of the charitable organization.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 11(2), 11(3) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“No charitable organization may use a fund-raising business (a) to make solicitations on its behalf, or (b) to manage or be responsible for solicitations made by or on behalf of the charitable organization unless the charitable organization is registered.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 13 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A charitable organization must inform the director of any change in the information provided under section 14 within 30 days after the change.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 18(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“No fund-raising business may make a solicitation on behalf of a charitable organization or manage or be responsible for solicitations made by or on behalf of a charitable organization unless the fund-raising business is licensed.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 21 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A donor list, being a list of names of and other information about persons who have given a contribution to a charitable organization that is compiled by a fund-raising business, (a) is the property of the charitable organization, and (b) is under the exclusive control of the charitable organization.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 28(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“No fund-raising business that compiles a donor list for a charitable organization may use or deal with the donor list except with the written permission of the charitable organization.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 28(2) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“Where a fund-raising agreement between a charitable organization and a fund-raising business expires, is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in effect, any donor list to which that agreement relates and that is in the possession of or otherwise under the management of the fund-raising business must be turned over to the charitable organization.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 28(3) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“No charitable organization may use a fund-raising business to make solicitations on its behalf or to manage or be responsible for solicitations made by or on behalf of the charitable organization unless the charitable organization and the fund-raising business have entered into a fund-raising agreement that meets the requirements of section 30 and the agreement is in force.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 29(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A fund-raising agreement must be in writing and must include (a) all the terms and conditions between the parties respecting the fund-raising, including the duties and responsibilities of both parties; (b) the estimated amount of contributions to be received and an estimate of expenses and costs; (c) the methods of soliciting contributions to be used …”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 30 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“A fund-raising agreement must establish the remuneration of the fund-raising business, and the remuneration must be (a) a specific amount of money, (b) a specified percentage of gross contributions, or (c) a combination of a specific amount of money and a specified percentage of gross contributions.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 30 · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“The principals, directors, managers and employees of a charitable organization whose main responsibility is to make solicitations for the charitable organization or to manage or be responsible for solicitations made by the charitable organization must comply with the standards of practice.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 32(1) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
“If a charitable organization has an employee described in subsection (1), the principals, directors and managers of the charitable organization must take reasonable steps to ensure that the employee complies with the standards of practice.”
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 32(2) · Read it at King’s Printer for Alberta · Verified 2026-11-11
Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), section 4(2)
“Regardless of a charitable organization’s intent, if a charitable organization in its financial year raises, as a result of solicitations, gross contributions of $25 000 or more from persons in Alberta, this Part applies to solicitations made by the charitable organization from the time it reaches $25 000 in gross contributions until the end of that financial year.”
Source: Charitable Fund-raising Act (Alberta), s. 4(2) · Checked 2026-11-11
A charitable or religious organization in the Northwest Territories runs a lottery — a bingo, a raffle, a Nevada ticket, a casino or a sports draft lottery — only under a licence. The licence’s terms hold the proceeds apart from every other fund, spend them on the objects the application names, and ask for a complete statement of account within thirty days after the lottery. Binds: Northwest Territories charitable or religious organizations (Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49).
The law’s own words
“Subject to these regulations, the Minister may issue a licence to a charitable or religious organization to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in the Northwest Territories.”
Lotteries Act (Northwest Territories) — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 3(1) · Read it at Government of the Northwest Territories · Verified 2026-11-08
“the proceeds of the lottery scheme shall be disbursed either in accordance with objects or purposes set out on the application form, or in a manner expressly authorized by the Minister”
Lotteries Act (Northwest Territories) — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 9(1) · Read it at Government of the Northwest Territories · Verified 2026-11-08
“the proceeds from all lotteries shall be kept separate from all other funds with separate records being maintained and all financial aspects of the lottery shall be conducted in accordance with these regulations”
Lotteries Act (Northwest Territories) — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 9(1) · Read it at Government of the Northwest Territories · Verified 2026-11-08
“a complete statement of account, showing the total receipts, expenses and profits and indicating when and how such profits will be spent for the charitable or religious objects or purposes set out in the application, shall be filed with the Minister at the address stated in section 5 within 30 days after the holding of any lottery on a form approved by the Minister”
Lotteries Act (Northwest Territories) — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 9(1) · Read it at Government of the Northwest Territories · Verified 2026-11-08
Northwest Territories Lotteries Regulations, section 3
“Subject to these regulations, the Minister may issue a licence to a charitable or religious organization to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in the Northwest Territories.”
Source: Government of the Northwest Territories — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 3 · Checked 2026-11-08
Northwest Territories Lotteries Regulations, section 9
“the proceeds of the lottery scheme shall be disbursed either in accordance with objects or purposes set out on the application form, or in a manner expressly authorized by the Minister” “the proceeds from all lotteries shall be kept separate from all other funds with separate records being maintained and all financial aspects of the lottery shall be conducted in accordance with these regulations” “a complete statement of account, showing the total receipts, expenses and profits and indicating when and how such profits will be spent for the charitable or religious objects or purposes set out in the application, shall be filed with the Minister at the address stated in section 5 within 30 days after the holding of any lottery on a form approved by the Minister”
Source: Government of the Northwest Territories — Lotteries Regulations, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. L-49, s. 9 · Checked 2026-11-08
A lottery scheme in Quebec — a drawing, a 50/50, an instant lottery, a charity casino, a wheel of fortune — runs only under a licence from the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux. The licence is for an organization pursuing charitable or religious purposes, with an establishment in Québec, and the profit’s proposed use must be compatible with the purposes the organization pursues. A class A licence holds where the gross annual revenues from the schemes stay at or under $20,000. Binds: Quebec organizations pursuing charitable or religious purposes (Act respecting lotteries and amusement machines, CQLR c. L-6; Lottery Scheme Rules, CQLR c. L-6, r. 12.1).
The law’s own words
“An organization, a non-profit legal person, a board of a fair or exhibition or an operator of a concession leased from the board of a fair or exhibition that applies for a lottery schemes licence to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux must have an establishment in Québec.”
Act respecting lotteries and amusement machines (Quebec) — Lottery Scheme Rules, s. 2 · Read it at LégisQuébec · Verified 2026-11-09
“a detailed description of the charitable or religious purposes for which the application is made and the proposed use of the profit, which must be compatible with the purposes pursued by the organization”
Act respecting lotteries and amusement machines (Quebec) — Lottery Scheme Rules, s. 3 · Read it at LégisQuébec · Verified 2026-11-09
“the gross annual revenues from the conduct and management of the lottery schemes may not exceed $20,000”
Act respecting lotteries and amusement machines (Quebec) — Lottery Scheme Rules, s. 20.1, class A licence · Read it at LégisQuébec · Verified 2026-11-09
Taxation Act (Quebec) — Revenu Québec, Registered charities and other donees
“Registered charities and qualified donees can enjoy tax benefits and be exempt from income tax if they meet their obligations.” “You have six months after the end of the organization’s taxation year to send the prescribed form to the address below.” “Each official receipt must be signed by the person authorized by the organization to acknowledge receipt of donations.”
Source: Revenu Québec, Registered charities and other donees · Checked 2026-11-10