The Supreme Court of Canada ruled last year that sports organizations below the national level do not qualify as registered charities. The ruling is the result of a case involving the Amateur Youth Soccer Association (AYSA), which operates at the provincial level. Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based law firm Drache LLP, discusses the promotion of soccer and fitness as a charitable object, and the likelihood of obtaining charitable status for sports organizations.

Sports as a charitable object? (MP3)

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Run time: 10:11 minutes

External Resources:

Canada Revenue Agency – Charitable objects

Supreme Court of Canada – Ruling on sport as charitable activity

CharityTax.com – Adam Aptowitzer’s Online Office

Drache Charity Insights Newsletter

Do you have a burning question about charity law in Canada? Send it to editor@charityvillage.com. We may include it in an upcoming podcast.