Just to inform you that International Charity Association Network has lost their charitable status.  To read the review please click here.

One of the justifications for revoking the charitable status is, "The Minister alleges that is almost five times the total charitable donation receipts issued by United Way of Greater Toronto in the same year, although ICAN had only 16 employees in Ontario, compared to 165 full-time and 43 part-time employees of United Way of Greater Toronto. The Minister also alleges that ICAN failed to provide the auditor with evidence that it has carried on its charitable activities on the scale on which claims to operate."  The problem I have with comparing one charity to the United Way is that it puts the United Way as the benchmark for efficency and effective operations.  I don't believe this is always the case, nor that this one organization should be the standard by which charities measure themselves.  

A fair comparison for this organization would be to other organizations that are distributing surplus inventories to the poor like food banks.  This is not to say that I don't disagree with the CRA ruling.  I don't know the in's and out's of the case.  The one red flag that got me was when clicking on the programs section all that came up was the promotion of a dental and health insurance program.

According to their website they have helped over 100,000 people each year through the distribution of food and educational services.  If they auditor can't prove this, I am not sure how ICAN makes the claim.  Is it up to the auditor to prove that they have provided supports for 100,000 end users, or simply supports for the members who service those end users?

Oh - a bit of irony: One of their member partners is the Province of Ontario Correctional Institute... a provincial government body has been sourcing educational materials from an organization that has been under investigation by the CRA. 

What I would like to know is if they have been the source for food items and other things for a large segment of Ontario's poor how is this revocation going to impact the breakfast and snack programs that are supported by this organization in the various community agencies across Canada?

Donor advisement - if you are considering making a donation to this organization, please be advised that they no-longer have charitable status.