Registration Documents

1. General purpose

• The purpose is the type of cause, activity or support the society will promote. It could include any of the following purposes or types of activities:​ Agricultural, artistic, benevolent, charitable, educational, environmental, patriotic, philanthropic, political, professional, recreational, religious, scientific, social, or sporting.

• A purpose cannot include operating a business for profit or gain.

• Not-for-profit organizations do not earn any profits for its members. All money is donated to the organization’s cause or goal.

(which mean all the members including directors are volunteers.)

• The purpose becomes part of the society's constitution. It needs to comply with the Societies Act.

ACRS Purpose: Providing opportunities to find strength and encouragement to live your journey.

2. Society Type

ACRS is a member-funded society. It is funded primarily by its members to carry on activities for the benefit of its members.

3. Member funded society

• Member-funded societies exist primarily for the benefit of their members and have the following statement in their constitution: "This society is a member-funded society. It is funded primarily by its members to carry on activities for the benefit of its members. On its liquidation or dissolution, this society may distribute its money and other property to its members."

• A member-funded society may, on its winding up, distribute its money and other property to its members, and is subject to fewer accountability measures than an ordinary society. Here are the differences:

4.Determine if your society can be member-funded

A society cannot be a member-funded society if:

• It receives a significant amount of public donation or government funding (i.e. in a two-year financial period, it receives in public donations and government funding, or a combination of both, the greater of $20,000 or 10% of the society’s gross income for that period)

  • Gifts in kind count as public donations, but donations made by someone within the society (voting member, director, senior manager, employee, or a spouse or relative of such person) are not considered public donations

  • Government funding includes grants, interest free loans and similar funding – it does not cover fees that societies earn or income received under service contracts or other contracts

• Is a type of society prohibited by the Act or regulation from being member-funded such as registered charities, student societies, hospital societies or societies licensed to operate community care facilities

If the answer is yes to any of the following, your society cannot be a member-funded society:

• Is your society a registered charity or another “qualified donee” under the Income Tax Act (Canada)?

• Has your society, in its previous two financial years, received government funding or public donations of more than $20,000, and that amount constituted more than 10% of its gross income?

• Is your society a student society under the College and Institute Act or the University Act?

• Is your society a hospital society or a society that owns, manages or operates a licensed community care facility that is designated as a hospital society under the Hospital Act?

• Does your society receive or has your society received loans or grants of money from the British Columbia Housing Management Commission?

• Is your society or has your society been a service provider under the Community Living Authority Act?

• Is your society an authority that has received a grant for the previous school year under the Independent School Act?

5. Contact the BC Registries helpdesk

Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. They do not provide business or legal advice.

Email: BCRegistries@gov.bc.ca

Toll free: 1-877-526-1526

Victoria: 250-387-7848

Mailing address

PO Box 9431 STN PROV GOVT

Victoria, BC V8W 9V3