This article was first published on rabble.ca
I watched last summer’s WE Charity brouhaha with particular interest.
An apparently hugely successful charity and social enterprise empire, WE Charity found itself vilified in the media, resulting in the loss of donors and the eventual closing of its Canadian operation. The fallout even saw the resignation of Finance Minister Bill Morneau. Continue reading “Reflections on the WE fiasco”
According to a June 2020 Statistics Canada study, in 2018 more than 12.7 million people in Canada volunteered for charities, non-profits and community organizations, contributing more than 1.6 billion hours. While not all are members of the organizations for which they volunteer, many are.
Under what circumstances does their membership have the legal status that will attract a judge’s jurisdiction and oversight, particularly when there are disputes leading to the expulsion or other discipline of members? This question is again headed to the Supreme Court of Canada for an answer later this fall.
The question is not an abstract one. It involves the interplay between the rights of the members and the discretion of those in charge of the organizations to make decisions that affect their members’ rights. If a member is dissatisfied with the decision, can they go to court?
The new building with its cut-steel artwork adorning the balconies.
St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society is a charitable organization that provides affordable mixed-income housing in downtown Toronto. St. Clare’s was formed in 1998 by people who knew that the only way to end homelessness was to build affordable housing. This summer, St. Clare’s celebrated the opening of 22 new deeply affordable units in Toronto’s Kensington Market neighborhood.
Audrey King, a Direct Funding program participant since 1995, and her attendant, Louis George wearing face shields as part of the personal protective equipment used to keep each other safe.
Through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, information about where to find precious commodities like masks and gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) items was shared and traded by many, particularly by individuals with disabilities who need regular physical assistance with activities of daily living like showering and dressing. Many people checked with traditional sources like medical supply stores, online retailers and big box stores, but not everyone would think to order surgical masks from their local convenience store to be delivered the same day, no less, via a food delivery and takeout app.
This unique suggestion came from one Toronto man in a Zoom call with a few dozen other participants of the Direct Funding program, which is administered by the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT). The participants are funded by the program to hire and manage the workers who assist them through the day; since it is impossible to maintain physical distance when one person is helping another to take a shower, PPE is critical for the health and safety of both individuals.
PNLT members and supporters celebrate the purchase of a 15-unit rooming house in Parkdale, the first affordable housing project of the land trust.
Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust (PNLT) was forged from the collective vision of community members and non‑profit organizations active in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto: to create an organization focused on preserving affordability, diversity and community‑owned assets.
As a result of steep increases in land values in Toronto, the neighbourhood has seen significant changes. Parkdale is home to a high concentration of affordable housing, including rental, social and supportive housing, and rooming houses. As rising prices see progressively more affluent residents moving in, PNLT’s goal is to ensure that everyone, particularly those with fewer resources and lower incomes, can also benefit from the changes in the neighbourhood.
Continue reading “Client Profile: Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust”
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