Our annual Charities and Not-for-profit law symposium was held in our offices on November 5th. There were talks covering a wide range of issues of interest to the sector. Topics included what to look out for when negotiating and signing a real property lease; members' rights under corporate legislation; the new tax rules for charities; an update on the CRA's approach to not-for-profits; how to maintain member certification and accreditation; and dealing with charitable bequests in wills.
Nicole St-Louis spoke on lease issues and provided the following advice for organizations who enter into real property leases. Most of these issues are relevant for any contract.
- Know the terms and your obligations.
- Be aware of your rights under the document. For example, do you have a right to audit?
- Diarize important dates, including for renewals, options to purchase, other matters.
- Note any important or unusual provisions, such as reverse onus renewals, or deemed acceptance of various matters.
- Memorialize important amendments and events.
We will be addressing some of the details of other talks in future blogs.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.