List of advocacy groups in Canada

The List of advocacy groups in Canada includes groups engaged in advocating for a common political, economic, or social interest.

Definition

According to the government of Canada, social advocacy groups "comprises establishments primarily engaged in promoting a particular social or political cause intended to benefit a broad or specific constituency". Some advocacy organizations "solicit contributions or sell memberships to support their activities".^[1]

Types of advocacy groups

The government of Canada subdivides advocacy groups into "accident prevention associations, advocacy groups, animal rights organizations, antipoverty advocacy organizations, associations for retired persons, advocacy civil liberties groups, community action advocacy groups, conservation advocacy groups, drug abuse prevention advocacy organizations, environmental advocacy groups, humane society (advocacy group), natural resource prevention organizations, neighborhood development advocacy groups, peace advocacy groups, public interest groups (e.g., environment conservation, human rights, wildlife), social Service advocacy organizations, taxpayers advocacy organizations, and tenant advocacy associations".^[1] Advocacy groups are further divided into micro (1-4), small (5-99), medium (100-499) and large (500+).^[1]

In Bill C-86, Budget Implementation Act, 2018, the government adopted recommendations of the Report of the Consultation Panel on the Political Activities of Charities, which affirmed that charitable organizations can engage in public policy dialogue and development activities (PPDDA or P2D2A) that support their charitable purposes.^[2]^[3] As a result, the Income Tax Act (ITA) was revised to change the "long-standing requirement that charities must be constituted and operated exclusively for charitable purposes". The changes to the ITA now allow charitable organizations to engage in advocacy in support of its stated charitable purpose(s) but they are not allowed to engage in advocacy for a "political purpose".^[2]

Advocacy groups

A

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) is a Vancouver, British Columbia-headquartered pro-choice registered non-profit—but not a charity interest group founded in 2005. It is currently the only political group in Canada which is engaged in pro-abortion activism on a national level.^[4]^[5]
Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) (2003 –) a provincial organization funded by the provincial government and the oil and gas industry.
Alberta Wilderness Association Environment^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]
Ancient Forest Alliance political
Anishinaabe tribal political organizations political
Anishinabek Nation political
Anti-Corruption and Accountability Canada political
Anti-Poverty Committee political
Apathy is Boring political
Autistics for Autistics disability rights^[7]

E

Ecojustice Environment,^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]
East York Learning Experience Education,^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]

Egale Canada LGBT rights
Electronic Frontier Canada political

F

Fair Vote Canada (FVC) is a Kitchener, Ontario-based grassroots, nonprofit, multi-partisan citizens' movement—created in June 2001—that calls for the replacement of the first-past-the-post electoral system with proportional representation, as part of electoral reform in Canada.^[14]^[15]
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting political
Focus on the Family Canada anti-abortion
Foundation for Equal Families LGBT rights

G

Gay Alliance Toward Equality LGBT rights
Gay Liberation Front LGBT rights
Generation Squeeze political
Generation Screwed political

I

Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) political
Indspire Education,^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]
International Conservation Fund of Canada Environment,^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]
International Railroad for Queer Refugees LGBTQ rights
Iranian Queer Organization LGBT rights
The Isaac Foundation patients rights

J

Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms political

L

Lambda Foundation LGBT rights
Law Union of Ontario civil rights
LGBTory LGBT rights
Leadnow political
League for Social Reconstruction political
Liberals for Life anti-abortion
Life Chain anti-abortion
Ligue des droits et libertés civil rights

M

MADD Canada political
Maquila Solidarity Network political
Migrant Action Centre social justice
MiningWatch Canada political
Monarchist League of Canada political
Modern Miracle Network pro-fossil fuel, political

N

National Action Committee on the Status of Women abortion rights,
National Citizens Coalition (NCC) is a Canadian conservative lobby group, founded in 1967, that has "promoted freedom" for fifty years. The Coalition supports smaller government, cuts to social spending, abolition of medicare, extra-billing by doctors, lower taxes for the wealthy and is against public sector unions.^[16]^[17]^{: 197–206} The Coalition was successful in persuading Justice Medhurst of the Alberta Supreme Court to strike down the 1983 federal restrictions on non-party campaign expenditures as an interference with freedom of expression. The NCC spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to help Conservatives win the 1984 federal election, the first Conservative majority government in 30 years.^[18]^: 129
National Council of Canadian Muslims civil rights
NATO Association of Canada political

O

Ontario Autism Coalition political
Online Rights Canada political
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty political
Ontario Health Coalition political
OpenMedia political
Option citoyenne political
Option consommateurs political

P

Pathways to Education Education,^[6] Ci A+ rating 2020^[6]
Pembina Institute
PFLAG Canada LGBT rights
Pilgrims of Saint Michael political
Polaris Institute political
Pro-Choice Action Network abortion rights
Pro-Life Alberta Political Association anti-abortion
Progress Alberta is an Edmonton-based non-profit with Duncan Kinney as executive director that was formed in January 2016 to support progressive policies in Alberta.^[19] Progress Alberta receives funding from Canadian labour unions as well as from individual supporters.^[19]^[20]^[21]^[22]
Progressive Group for Independent Business political
ProudPolitics LGBT rights

Q

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid LGBT rights

R

Rainbow Railroad LGBT rights
Raging Grannies political
REAL Women of Canada anti-abortion, political
Rideau Institute political
RightOnCanada.ca political
Right to Privacy Committee LGBT rights
Rock for Choice abortion rights

S

Samara (charitable organisation) political
Sex Professionals of Canada political
SoChange political

T

The Compass Social Service > Food banks,^[6] Ci A rating 2020^[6]
Toronto Environmental Alliance political
Toronto Public Space Committee political
Transparency International Canada anti-corruption
Transport Action Canada political

U

United Nations Association in Canada political

V

Voice of Canadians political
Voices-Voix political
Vote Marriage Canada political

W

WE Charity
Wildrose Party of Alberta political
World Federalist Movement-Canada political
World Vision Canada International aid,^[6] Ci A+ rating 2020^[6]

Y

You Can Play LGBT rights

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Social Advocacy Organizations", Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, Canadian Industry Statistics, no. 8133, February 14, 2018, retrieved February 23, 2020
^ ^a ^b Wilkinson, John; Brock, Cecile Ko (May 7, 2019), "New Rules For Charities And Their Public Policy Dialogue And Development Activities", Mondaq, retrieved February 23, 2020
^ "Can I Engage In Political Advocacy? 3 Things Charities Need To Know". Imagine Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ "Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada". Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ Arthur, Joyce (2015). "Why ARCC Supports Reproductive Justice" (PDF): 2. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t "2020 Top 100 Rated Charities" (PDF). Charity Intelligence Canada. 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
^ "Autistics for Autistics Ontario". Retrieved April 26, 2024.
^ "Canadian Jewish Congress is discontinuing its activities". Canadian Jewish Congress. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.
^ "Founding of the Canadian Jewish Congress National Historic Event". Directory of Federal Heritage Designations. Government of Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
^ Cotler, Irwin (Fall 1999). "Jewish NGOs, Human Rights, and Public Advocacy: A Comparative Inquiry". Jewish Political Studies Review. 11 (3–4). Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: 61–95. JSTOR 25834458.
^ "Canadian Wildlife Federation". Charity Intelligence Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ "Mycio, L. (2011). The Canadian Encyclopaedia. The Canadian Wildlife Federation. Retrieved July 19, 2011".
^ "Mission". Canadian Wildlife Federation.
^ "About Fair Vote Canada". Fair Vote Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
^ Pilon, Dennis (August 2007). The Politics of Voting: Reforming Canada's Electoral System. Emond Publishing. p. 89.
^ "50 Years of Promoting Freedom". National Citizens Coalition. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ Dobbin, Murray (October 1, 1998). The myth of the good corporate citizen: Democracy under the rule of big business (First ed.). Toronto and New York: Stoddart Publications. ISBN 978-0-7737-3087-8..
^ Gertler, Meric S. (April 1991). New Era of Global Competition: State Policy and Market Power. McGill-Queen's Press (MQUP). ISBN 978-0-7735-0817-0.
^ ^a ^b Keller, James (January 20, 2020). "Progress Alberta, a group targeted by Jason Kenney, threatens legal action over public inquiry". The Globe and Mail. Calgary. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ "About Us". Progress Alberta. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ Graney, Emma (December 28, 2018). "UCP files complaint against left-leaning third-party advertiser". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
^ "Progress Alberta, new progressive advocacy group, will make waves … and not just with opponents". Rabble. January 6, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[GC_socialadvocacy_20180214-1] "Social Advocacy Organizations", Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, Canadian Industry Statistics, no. 8133, February 14, 2018, retrieved February 23, 2020

[Mondaq_Wilkinson_20190507-2] Wilkinson, John; Brock, Cecile Ko (May 7, 2019), "New Rules For Charities And Their Public Policy Dialogue And Development Activities", Mondaq, retrieved February 23, 2020

[3] "Can I Engage In Political Advocacy? 3 Things Charities Need To Know". Imagine Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[4] "Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada". Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[5] Arthur, Joyce (2015). "Why ARCC Supports Reproductive Justice" (PDF): 2. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[Ci2020_top100-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t "2020 Top 100 Rated Charities" (PDF). Charity Intelligence Canada. 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.

[7] "Autistics for Autistics Ontario". Retrieved April 26, 2024.

[8] "Canadian Jewish Congress is discontinuing its activities". Canadian Jewish Congress. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.

[9] "Founding of the Canadian Jewish Congress National Historic Event". Directory of Federal Heritage Designations. Government of Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2018.

[10] Cotler, Irwin (Fall 1999). "Jewish NGOs, Human Rights, and Public Advocacy: A Comparative Inquiry". Jewish Political Studies Review. 11 (3–4). Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: 61–95. JSTOR 25834458.

[11] "Canadian Wildlife Federation". Charity Intelligence Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[Canadian_Encyclopaedia-12] "Mycio, L. (2011). The Canadian Encyclopaedia. The Canadian Wildlife Federation. Retrieved July 19, 2011".

[Mission-13] "Mission". Canadian Wildlife Federation.

[About_FVC-14] "About Fair Vote Canada". Fair Vote Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2011.

[15] Pilon, Dennis (August 2007). The Politics of Voting: Reforming Canada's Electoral System. Emond Publishing. p. 89.

[16] "50 Years of Promoting Freedom". National Citizens Coalition. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[17] Dobbin, Murray (October 1, 1998). The myth of the good corporate citizen: Democracy under the rule of big business (First ed.). Toronto and New York: Stoddart Publications. ISBN 978-0-7737-3087-8..

[Gertler_GlobalCompetition_1991-18] Gertler, Meric S. (April 1991). New Era of Global Competition: State Policy and Market Power. McGill-Queen's Press (MQUP). ISBN 978-0-7735-0817-0.

[G&M_Keller_20200120-19] Keller, James (January 20, 2020). "Progress Alberta, a group targeted by Jason Kenney, threatens legal action over public inquiry". The Globe and Mail. Calgary. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[progressalberta-20] "About Us". Progress Alberta. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[edmontonjournal_Graney_20181228-21] Graney, Emma (December 28, 2018). "UCP files complaint against left-leaning third-party advertiser". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[22] "Progress Alberta, new progressive advocacy group, will make waves … and not just with opponents". Rabble. January 6, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

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