Burnaby Hospital is a community serving a community. Providing medical services to what once was a small city of 80,000 people, Burnaby Hospital now supports the health and vibrancy of over 500,000, the majority coming from the surrounding areas of Burnaby and East Vancouver.
Since opening in 1952, Burnaby Hospital has provided acute care services including emergency care, critical care, surgery, maternity, neonatal intensive care, palliative and adult mental health and substance use services. The hospital is one of the busiest in the Fraser Health region, seeing approximately 200,000 patients a year, including 83,000 visits to the Emergency Department.
As demand for health care services continues to grow, along with the medical needs of an expanding elderly population, Burnaby Hospital urgently requires more space and essential upgrades. The hospital currently faces increasing challenges while operating at capacity. Limited space, aging equipment, and an outdated design makes it difficult to provide high-quality medical care to their patients.
Burnaby Hospital Foundation is the philanthropic organization supporting Burnaby Hospital, which helps bridge the gap between what the government provides and what the community needs. Since the start of their Proud History, Bright Future Campaign, the community has come together to raise funds to support the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital.
“It might not be you, it could be a parent or friend who ends up needing the services of a local hospital,” shares Kristy James, President & CEO of Burnaby Hospital Foundation. “Someone that you know will need access to a hospital sometime during their lifetime and we want to ensure that every patient will receive the best possible care.”
Phase One of Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment is underway and projected to be completed in 2025. The first phase focuses on four key services that are important for all families: expanding emergency care, growing and improving
surgery services, creating a new maternity centre and building a new mental health unit – replacing and upgrading the one destroyed in a 2020 fire. Construction in this phase includes the 6-storey Keith and Betty Beedie Pavillion, the new Jim Pattison Surgery Centre and the Burnaby Community Emergency Department.
“For me as a surgeon, and for my staff, an updated hospital with new and improved operating and procedure rooms will be amazing,” shares Dr. Tim Kostamo, Head of Orthopedic Surgery at Burnaby Hospital and Foundation Board Member. “Burnaby Hospital encourages innovation in new techniques and we are known to be a centre of excellence for knee and hip replacement surgeries. This is made possible by our world-class medical team and I can’t wait to have them work in a facility designed to encourage even more cutting-edge innovation.”
Once complete, the transformed Burnaby Hospital will have 399 beds, an increase of almost 50 percent. The redevelopment will also bring two new patient-care towers and a new cancer treatment centre. These changes will have an immediate and future impact on patients, staff, and the surrounding community, equipping the hospital to meet medical needs for generations to come. The newly redeveloped hospital will include spaces designed for modern equipment, technologies and processes. This will help create an environment that fosters innovation, attracts talented staff, and offers best practices in patient-centred care.
The Foundation has also recently surpassed a significant milestone of $30 million raised towards the redevelopment campaign.
“This is truly a moment that we should all be proud to celebrate,” says James. “The amount that we have raised so far shows that our community recognizes the urgent need for an upgraded Burnaby Hospital.”
“However, I must stress that our job is nowhere near done. The redevelopment is an ongoing project and while this milestone is worth celebrating, it is only the first step in a much bigger project.”
Burnaby Hospital Foundation is calling upon you to support the delivery of quality health care close to home. Your donation will provide funds to purchase the medical equipment and state-of-the-art technology that will help our talented and dedicated caregivers provide the best care for you and your loved ones. Every donation, no matter the size, creates an impact.
“Burnaby Hospital is at the heart of our community—you’re born there, your life journey may end there, and you have unexpected situations throughout your life where you need the care of a local hospital. It’s there for you when you need it,” James explains. “Contributing a donation to the redevelopment campaign is a great way to make an investment in your future and in the future of your community.”
To learn more about the many ways you can support the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital, please visit: bhfoundation.ca/
Paving the way for a brighter future
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JEFF NORRIS
When I was a younger man with stronger knees, I was a decent skier, despite living in the flatlands of Saskatchewan. Every so often, I traded wheat fields for mountains and headed west to Whistler Blackcomb, eager to test my skills and nerve. Eventually I believed I had the ability (or foolishness) to take on the challenge of Saudan Couloir, a straight down double-black diamond run described by Condé Nast Traveller in 2014 as one of the nine most terrifying ski slopes in the world.
As I stood at the top of the run, trying to get up my nerve, I received this advice. Because my body would be under extreme stress, my fight or flight instincts would kick in. If I let ‘flight’ take over, I would retreat from the moment – I would lean back on my skis, lose control and the mountain would toss me around as it pleased. If I chose to ‘fight,’ I had to lean forward and embrace the moment in order to navigate the challenge.
When the fight or flight instinct kicks in during times of societal crisis, philanthropic support often increases as people and business choose to lean into the challenge rather than retreat inward. However, in their 2022 Increased generosity under COVID-19 threat study, researchers Ariel Fridman, Rachel Gershon and Ayelet Gneezy observed that, “in the face of crises – wars, pandemics and natural disasters – both increased selfishness and increased generosity may emerge.”
During 2020, selfish actions abounded – a roll of
toilet paper became harder to find than your baggage at YYZ. But the researchers also observed an increase in generosity in areas with significant threat of COVID. Comparing giving in U.S. counties from early 2019 with early 2020, Fridman, Gershon and Gneezy reported that giving remained steady in areas with less threat of COVID, while, in areas under greater threat, donations increased 30 per cent year over year. In Canada, we saw an increase of nearly three per cent in donations claimed on Canadian tax returns in 2020.
Not surprisingly, health and social service organizations saw a shift to increased support for their work during this time. A less predictable shift – one that cannot be quantified on tax returns – was generosity in the form of the direct support people gave to friends, local businesses and members of their community.
At Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, we saw a tremendous number of people who wanted to care for our caregivers. With this new focus, donors funded meals for staff, accommodation for health-care providers who could not go home to their families and the medical equipment needed to care for patients. Our donors chose to lean into generosity.
As for my journey down the Couloir, it was like a scene from a Warren Miller movie. I went over the edge in my bright green and pink ski suit, leaning in, exhilarated. But as thrilling as that was, it in no way matched the outpouring of support people gave to health care, and each other, during this critical time of need.
WHEN THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT INSTINCT KICKS IN DURING TIMES OF SOCIETAL CRISIS, PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT OFTEN INCREASES AS PEOPLE AND BUSINESS CHOOSE TO LEAN INTO THE CHALLENGE RATHER THAN RETREAT INWARD
Jeff Norris is president and CEO of Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.Social justice and philanthropy fuel a new era of climate action that focuses on more than just science
CLAIRE WILSON
Taking care of our planet and the environment has never been more imperative, as communities across Canada experience adverse climate events ranging from floods and atmospheric rivers, to droughts, forest fires and heat domes.
Despite these adverse events – or, perhaps, because of them –individuals and groups are coming together to tackle climate change in new ways.
Philanthropy has been a powerful driver for many social and environmental movements. And as approaches to addressing climate change shift, so too do the ways in which companies, groups and individuals fund climate initiatives.
According to Devika Shah, executive director of Environment Funders Canada (EFC), climate issues are all encompassing and the only way to solve them is through systemic change.
EFC is a collection of funders that work together to respond to climate and biodiversity crises with bold action, says Shah.
“The real shifts that are required in order to get emissions under control are all systemic solutions. It’s in the way we build our infrastructure, our transportation solutions, how we power our homes. These are big, wide-scale things that nobody can do on their own, and the benefit of philanthropy is that unlike other sectors, we have a lot more flexibility with how we can deploy capital,” she says.
Philanthropy is unlike the corporate sector, which may be beholden to shareholders, or government, which bears a responsibility to taxpayers, says Shah.
“We are probably the sector with the most amount of flexibility in the way we can deploy capital. Therefore, even though the amount of capital we have relative to other sectors is smaller, what we can do with it is quite impactful.”
Shah says that she is seeing an increase in the amount of funding that climate action receives, but exact numbers are not available in Canada. EFC has a current initiative to get more accurate numbers.
She says that, for a long time, philanthropy devoted to the environment accounted for two per cent of contributions, and climate change causes received only part of that, environment-focused donations also encompassed other issues such as animal welfare.
“All the trends from other countries are showing that the number is increasing, but it still hasn’t cracked the double digits yet,” Shah says.
According to Heather McGray, director of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, new philanthropic players coming out of the technology sector are investing a lot in climate action.
“[Philanthropy’s] started realizing climate change matters for their values and for the things that they’ve invested in for a long time. So, we’re actually seeing that kind of shift in
philanthropy to where intersections of other social justice issues with climate change are starting to get addressed by funders,” McGray says. This integration of social justice issues and climate change demonstrates a shift in the philanthropic approach toward putting people at the centre of the conversation. This perspective is the foundation of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, which has been labelled a pioneer of North American climate justice.
Historically, philanthropy that targeted climate action was technically focused, with goals such as lowering carbon emissions or facilitating scientific advancements. More recently, climate initiatives have moved from being climate change focused to being climate justice focused, meaning that they take a more human-centred approach.
“For so long, climate change was this kind of scientific thing
Devika Shah Executive director Environment Funders Canada Heather McGray is director of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund • SUBMITTEDTHESE ARE BIG, WIDE-SCALE THINGS THAT NOBODY CAN DO ON THEIR OWN, AND THE BENEFIT OF PHILANTHROPY IS THAT UNLIKE OTHER SECTORS, WE HAVE A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH HOW WE CAN DEPLOY CAPITAL
that had a lot of focus on melting ice caps and polar bears, and people hadn’t really tuned into what it means for human beings, and in particular, for some human beings more than others,” says McGray.
Shah agrees.
“It’s a real shift that’s happening in the climate movement,” says Shah. “For a long time, we’ve left people out of the equation. And I think more and more as climate change itself intensifies, and we see who it’s affecting the most, it’s clear that there are massive equity dimensions to the impacts of climate change, and they can’t be ignored.”
Both EFC and the Climate Justice Resilience Fund are working to highlight groups affected by climate change.
For example, the resilience fund is working with SmartICE to give Inuit communities real-time ice information in order to plan travel. SmartICE, which claims the worlds first climate change adaptation tool that integrates traditional knowledge with advanced data acquisition and remote monitoring technology, is working with the Climate Justice Resilience Fund through a three-year, $500,000 grant project.
More opportunities materialize when capital and action expand beyond a strict focus on the science, according to McGray. It’s a shift away from “very siloed thinking” – the result of a desire for efficiency, results or strategy – that can be common in philanthropy.
“It leads to a kind of ‘go at it alone’ tendency which sometimes misses the forest for the trees,” she says. “[But] the complexity of this issue and the intersections with so many other issues can’t really be dealt with in silos very well.”
Collaboration, and engagement with people who are being affected – and funded – is key. “Those folks actually engaging in philanthropy is what I’m most excited about right now,” says McGray. “Models that enable that to happen often lead to very holistic solutions, and often very inexpensive solutions.”
Critical to the people-centred approach is collaboration, which
SmartICE and the Climate Justice Resilience Fund are part of a threeyear, $500,000 grant that aims to capture real-time ice information to help Inuit communities plan travel. The photos left and below show the Pond Inlet remote sensing training • KATHERINE WILSON
Heather McGray Director Climate Justice Resilience Fund Raven Indigenous Capital Partners
is important when organizations are looking to create systemic change.
The basis of collaboration at EFC means that many of the groups involved can accomplish far more together than on their own. Not only does this improve project and program outcomes, but it allows organizations to approach initiatives with new conceptualizations of how to create change.
“Our role is to provide the convening power and the capacity building for funders to come together and work collectively in ways that have a bigger impact than any of them would achieve by working independently,” says Shah.
WE’RE ACTUALLY SEEING THAT KIND OF SHIFT IN PHILANTHROPY TO WHERE INTERSECTIONS OF OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ARE STARTING TO GET ADDRESSED BY FUNDERS
Vantage Point is exploring a strategic network to strengthen the sector
ZAHRA ESMAIL
I have worked in the not-for-profit sector, in various parts of Canada and internationally, for the past 15-plus years. Every organization I have worked with has had similar struggles: A talented and dedicated workforce that experiences high levels of stress and burnout, limited ability to invest in infrastructure, short-term grant cycles that lead to high staffing turnover and short-term programs.
Ultimately, these are conditions that create challenges that in turn distract from the ability to focus on the core community work for which such organizations exist.
Each of these issues has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the understanding of the value of not-for-profit organizations has never been clearer.
When COVID-19 hit, most sectors shifted to working from home and our streets became bare. It was pandemic heroes who stayed on the frontlines and supported community members in one of their toughest moments. This includes health-care workers, grocery clerks, transit workers, not-for-profit teams and several other groups. I worked at a neighbourhood house in 2020 and when fear was at its peak, my team stepped into high gear: Accompanying seniors to pharmacies to get essential medications, arranging grocery delivery for older adults and people with immunocompromised health, setting up food distribution centres for people who could no longer access their local food bank, supporting youth who were experiencing isolation and challenges with mental health, shifting arts and physical literacy programs online so people could still enrich their minds and bodies. The list goes on.
My neighbourhood house was no exception – not-forprofit organizations showed up in neighbourhoods and
communities, large and small, all across Canada. Neighbours expressed gratitude for these frontline heroes who went above and beyond to meet the needs of community members. They banged pots and pans nightly to thank us all for our efforts.
Now that we are in a different phase of the pandemic, I have to wonder if it is possible to show gratitude and support for not-for-profits in a more sustainable way. After working in unstable conditions for decades, many sector leaders have asked ourselves: Can we do better?
And if so, how?
I am now the CEO of Vantage Point, a B.C.-based notfor-profit that serves other not-for-profits in British Columbia.
We convene, connect and equip leaders to lift organizational capacity and elevate the not-for-profit sector. Our services in education and consulting provide resources to B.C. not-for-profit leaders so they can enhance their capacity to guide their organizations towards their missions.
Over the past few years, Vantage Point has been exploring the role we could play in overall sector development to strengthen the connections, organization and visibility of the not-for-profit sector in B.C., and build the bridge between not-for-profits and government.
Learning from our counterparts in other parts of Canada and the world, we have come together with partners to explore the development of a formal BC Not-for-profit Network. If B.C.’s not-for-profit sector was more organized, connected and visible, could our conditions change for the better? Could we move from surviving to thriving? Could increased advocacy and partnership at a strategic level allow our sector to stabilize, and could communities experience increased impact? We certainly hope to find out.
Esmail is CEO of Vantage Point.
NOW THAT WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC, I HAVE TO WONDER IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHOW GRATITUDE AND SUPPORT FOR NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY
Zahra
The most-asked questions about charity flows, answered
PETER NICHOLSONIf you’ve been a reader of Philanthropy Magazine over the years, odds are you have seen my annual column and heard a lot about charity flow-through shares.
Since my firm Foundation WCPD (Wealth, Creation, Preservation & Donation) completed the first-ever Canadian charity flow-through transaction in May 2006, I have spoken with thousands of major donors, foundation board members and professional fundraisers. It’s fair to say, over these 16 years, I’ve heard it all.
It’s also fair to say we’ve come a long way since 2006.
The numbers speak for themselves. More than $300 million has been created for charities using charity flows with immediate liquidity, all across Canada, with no Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issues. We have issued over 8,000 cheques on behalf of clients through the Foundation WCPD, and just last year, we receipted more than $48 million on donations, while disbursing $38 million to charities.
There is no doubt the structure is more popular and trusted than it has ever been before.
And yet, despite its popularity, it is often misunderstood. “Is this real?”
“Does the government know about this?”
“It seems too good to be true.”
Over 16 years of meetings and I still occasionally hear these comments and concerns. So for my column this year, I decided to get back to basics and answer the five burning questions I most often get asked by clients and professional fundraisers.
On their own – without immediate liquidity – absolutely.
First introduced in 1954 (three years older than your RRSP), flows are a financial policy instrument used by junior mining companies, and facilitated by the government, to raise capital for natural resources and critical minerals through a tax deduction equal to the amount invested.
That’s a fancy way of saying: You will receive a 100 per cent tax deduction on the amount you buy.
But there is just one problem: Traditionally, these investments end up being a home run, or a strike out. These junior mining companies use the money you invested to drill and hopefully find that next big discovery. But nine times out of 10, they fail. Meanwhile, investors must hold these shares for at least four months after purchase, and during that time, the stock could skyrocket or plunge.
Nicholson is president of the WCPD Foundation • WCPDOur structure turns that home run or strike out into a double – every time. That’s why I often call it “the GIC of tax reduction.” What makes our structure so special? The liquidity provider. Liquidity providers are institutional buyers of shares that understand the mining business. They are willing to assume this stock market risk. However, in return, the flow-through liquidity provider requests a discount on the shares – generally around 30 per cent. Their hope is the share price doesn’t dip
Peterbelow that discount by the end of four months.
But that’s not your problem. When you buy the shares, you immediately donate them to charity. In turn, the shares are then instantly sold to the pre-determined liquidity provider at a discount. In the process, the donor retains that 100 per cent tax deduction. Finally, the charity receives the cash proceeds from that sale to the liquidity provider and issues a charitable tax receipt to the donor, triggering a second 100 per cent tax deduction on the cash value of the donation.
This whole process happens almost instantly. It is seamless for both the donor and the charity.
We all know it costs 50 cents to give a dollar, when you donate cash via cheque. A better method is you donate public stock; for example, stock that has doubled without paying a capital gain is a $0.37 cost to donate a dollar, or $0.27 cost for stock that has increased 10 fold. With the charity flow method, due to the double tax policy deductibility, it can cost as little as a penny and as high as $0.25 to donate a dollar, motivating donors to give more.
So are charity flow-through shares risky? With an immediately liquidity provider – absolutely not. There is no stock market risk for the donor or charity. There is one small risk related to how the mining company spends the money, which I will address later.
SO ARE CHARITY FLOW-THROUGH SHARES RISKY? WITH AN IMMEDIATE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THERE IS NO STOCKMARKET RISK FOR THE DONOR OR CHARITY
A tax loophole implies that someone is skirting the law, or bending the rules. Charity flow-through shares are the exact opposite.
The entire structure is based on two long-standing government tax policies. By definition, tax policies were created to achieve specific objectives that are important to the Canadian economy. In other words, the government wants us to use them.
In this case, flow-through shares are intended to raise capital for junior mining companies. To clarify, these are companies with no revenue – they only believe there is a nickel, copper or cobalt deposit. And the government is more than willing to
provide tax breaks to Canadians that help them find out.
While you might not think about it, Canada is a world leader in mining, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and more than $100 billion towards our annual gross domestic product.
In fact, because most of this mining occurs in the north, the sector is the No. 1 employer of Indigenous Peoples. Meanwhile, mining produces many of the minerals and raw materials we require to create products that we use in our day-to-day lives. In the last federal budget, critical minerals took centre stage for their role in serving as the building blocks of renewable energy technology – a subject I will explore further below.
The charitable tax receipt speaks for itself. Since 1918, the government has offered a 100 per cent tax deduction for Canadians that support charities. And why not? We are doing the government’s work. Every dollar you give to charity is one dollar less that government needs to spend to help society.
The government wants two things: More drilling, and more charitable giving. Put simply, the government is well aware of how charity flow-throughs work. It is just up to Canadians who qualify to use them.
In the past, when you mentioned mining, it conjured images of our grandparents’ generation – destructive, archaic and faces covered in soot.
But on April 7, 2022, the government opened the eyes of many Canadians when it announced the first ever Critical Minerals Strategy – a new set of laws, regulations and tax incentives to
help boost the supply of critical minerals, or the building blocks of technology and green energy solutions.
Think cobalt for electric car batteries and wind turbines. Think titanium for solar panels, or copper for circuit boards and electronics. There is no path to a low-carbon future without critical minerals.
Fortunately, Canada has major deposits of critical minerals within our borders – we just need to confirm how much we have through exploration.
The government is spending $3.8 billion to boost critical mineral production and supply chains over the next 10 years, and introducing an additional 30 per cent critical minerals tax credit (or 60 per cent tax deduction) on charity flow-through deals that involve these precious resources. This tax credit is on top of the typical 100 per cent tax deductibility you receive from a standard charity flow-through deal.
What it adds up to is not only great news for Canada’s transition to green energy, but also for our clients looking to make the biggest splash possible for their charities.
Nothing in life is perfect. Charity flow-through shares with an immediate liquidity provider are no exception.
There is one remote risk in this deal: The junior mining company must put the funds raised towards exploration. They cannot use it for payroll, office rent or anything that isn’t related to the drill bit, and mining companies must sign an indemnification that they will spend the money correctly.
In all my years of business, across more than 1,000 flow-through share transactions, I’ve only seen money not spent correctly 18 times – or 1.8 per cent of the time.
If a mining company uses funds on something unrelated to exploration, and is reassessed and found in violation of the rules, our clients are made whole by a payment from the mining company.
In my discussions with clients, I think people often assume this structure is only for the super wealthy. While it is indeed a niche product, anyone with a minimum income of $250,000 per year would qualify. It could also work for certain types of corporations.
Remember, charity flow-through shares allow you to reduce your taxes and direct them to charities of your choice. Therefore, wealth is not enough. If there is no tax to pay, then charity flows are not the right fit.
For decades, Peter Nicholson has been a recognized leader in Canadian tax-assisted investments, with a specialized focus on philanthropic tax planning and tax reduction. Through his work with donors, foundations, institutions and boards, he has helped generate in excess of $300 million in client donations.
It’s no secret that climate change is a top priority for Gen Z, and that Canadians born between 1996 and 2012 are fighting it by donating their time, effort and money. Time, talent and treasure, as we charity nerds like to say.
In a 2020 Deloitte survey, for instance, 55 percent of Gen Z respondents – more than any other age group – reported taking extra time to use public transportation, and to bike and walk more often, to reduce their personal greenhouse gas emissions. Gen Z volunteer efforts are similarly skewed towards environmental causes.
Another form of giving involves money, and there are many charities whose programs fight climate change. Here, Gen Z needs to step up like previous generations never did.
According to a 2021 Ipsos poll, Canadians aged 18 to 34 were the most likely age group to say they would spend an extra $100 per year to help fight climate change. Trouble is, charity data shows that most Gen Zers are not actually taking this step. No wonder three-quarters of Gen Z respondents to the Deloitte survey said they believe the world is at a tipping point, but less than half are optimistic that efforts to protect the planet will be successful. This cynical attitude is partly rooted in the general lack of understanding and confidence among Gen Zers around how to give meaningfully and impactfully. This is a problem older generations can relate to.
Gen Z represents the first wave of digital natives who
have little or no memory of a time when cell phones weren’t ubiquitous. When it comes to charitable donations, it should come as no surprise that they are focused on tech-forward outreach methods and mobile giving. At the same time, because Gen Zers have spent their entire lives hearing that the planet is doomed, they are more interested in learning about solutions to the problem than about the problem itself.
That’s why donor-advised funds (DAFs) are ideal for engaging Gen Zers and enabling them to act more confidently and impactfully on their generosity. By offering digital cause-neutral platforms that allow donors to add assets to accounts, realize immediate tax benefits and then disperse assets when they choose, DAFs suit Gen Z to a T – allowing them the confidence to allocate money and take responsibility for their decisions.
DAFs used to be exclusively for high-wealth philanthropists. Now, with more progressive DAFs like Charitable Impact accepting donations of as little as $5, there are avenues for anyone and everyone to create change on their own scale and at their own pace, and in the process, become better donors. Gen Zers are aware of and anxious about climate change. They are analytical and know how to use digital tools to learn, conduct research and interact with others. They show a willingness to give. Now it’s time for them to take DAF-based tools and support built specifically for them, and start exploring how to make the most impact with their generosity. And when they do that, they will go on to lead the charge in protecting our planet. And I’ll bet older generations will follow.
THERE ARE MANY CHARITIES WHOSE PROGRAMS FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE. HERE, GEN Z NEEDS TO STEP UP LIKE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS NEVER DID
John Bromley is CEO of Charitable Impact.GEN Z HAS THE WILL TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT WILL THEY DO IT?
It’s time for younger donors to address climate concerns with impactful philanthropy
Our lives are made richer by the people who work, live, and play alongside us. When we have the chance to contribute to our communities, whether emotionally or financially, it’s a gift to ourselves as well.
There’s no better way to give back than with an endowment through Vancouver Foundation. Endowment funds are the ideal way to grow funds for charity. Donations are pooled and invested; the investment income is then gifted to grassroots and charitable organizations. Vancouver Foundation takes a unique approach to charitable giving: it’s incredibly flexible, allowing you to give back to your community in a plethora of ways, and yet securely structured, so you can feel assured every dollar is being used in the very best way possible.
“Endowment funds make it possible to give back to the community today, while also funding charitable work in the future — immediate impact meets legacy-building”
With tried-and-true investment vehicles and community expertise, Vancouver Foundation offers the opportunity to achieve the maximum impact for your charitable giving, in a way that’s meaningful and rewarding for you. Whatever your project or cause of choice, endowment funds make it possible to give back to the community today, while also funding charitable work in the future — immediate impact meets legacy-building. With a gift of $10,000 (or $1,000 to start), funds can be customized to your personal giving goals. You may wish to support a favourite cause, memorialize a loved one, establish a scholarship, or encourage a family legacy through giving. Or, perhaps you’re interested in providing community support, either long-term or short-term: your goals of giving back are easily within reach with an endowment.
An endowment fund is far simpler to set up than a private foundation, and its
connections to community and financial professionals mean that the organization can maximize the impact of every dollar. In many ways, it’s like having your own family foundation, without expenses and administration. No wonder, then, that thousands of donors have trusted Vancouver Foundation to help them make a positive impact on their communities. Without the pressure of book-keeping and paperwork, you can focus on what matters most: giving.
“An endowment fund is a lot like having your own family foundation, without the expenses and administration”
Setting up an endowment fund just takes a few decisions. Vancouver Foundation will then handle the paperwork, and the issuing of grants. First, you’ll need to decide when you would like your fund to start. Would you like to establish something immediately, so that you can start giving grants right away? Or, would
you prefer to build your fund over time? Once you’ve decided when to create the fund, you’ll need to identify which type of fund you’d prefer to operate. The most popular way to give with Vancouver Foundation is through Donor Advised Funds. Much like a private foundation, these funds allow you to recommend grants to any charity in Canada. (You’ll also receive donation tax receipts in the process.)
Choose a focus area — such as housing, arts and culture, or the environment — or a specific registered Canadian charity. Your work here is done and you can rest assured that your donations are in skilled hands; through careful investment the fund earns income that in turn feeds future giving.
With an endowment fund, you can create lasting support for the charities in your community that mean the most to you — and with Vancouver Foundation, you can make sure every last dollar counts.
Make a lasting impact on your favourite charities and causes with a fund at Vancouver Foundation
In the Winter of 2021, British Columbia declared a state of emergency as the Lower Mainland experienced the worst flooding to hit the region in a century. Floods and landslides cut off major transportation routes and entire communities were under water. People lost their homes, businesses were destroyed, and the disruption in transportation limited the number of essential supplies that were available. In Indigenous communities, support was desperately needed as many of the villages were cut off completely from all forms of help.
The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services responded swiftly and were on the scene in six of the hardest-hit communities, feeding and hydrating first responders and evacuees, while also providing shelter, blankets, jackets and much-needed spiritual care. Thanks to your generous support they were able
to quickly raise over $1.8 million to use towards urgent and long-term recovery efforts.
Immediately funds were used to provide relief: food security, evacuation supplies, and temporary shelters. As The Salvation Army stayed on the scene in communities dealing with recovery and restoration money was put towards construction, equipment and labour, and continued support with food security.
Neighboring communities supporting evacuees such as Kamloops and Kelowna stepped up with everything from food security, to clothing, to Christmas gifts for those who were displaced into the holiday season.
Farms in areas of Chilliwack were badly flooded, leaving many people without basic necessities including food and baby supplies. Stepping into this gap to provide support, Salvation Army volunteer Lindsay Armstrong helped organize food deliveries
in these hard-hit areas—even delivering by boat where necessary. “We saw a desperate need,” she says. “A lot of people lost everything.”
The Salvation Army cannot thank supporters enough for putting their trust in them to manage their donations responsibly and efficiently. Thank you everyone who contributed and supported individuals and families during this very difficult time.
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882. Outside of the government, they are the largest direct provider of social services in the country. If you would like to learn more about the programs and services that feed, clothe and shelter vulnerable people every day, while helping others escape violence and addiction please visit salvationarmy.ca
Forever Guardians support a more humane, safe and caring future for animals in BC
What does it mean to be a BC SPCA Forever Guardian? It means that you have lasting impact on the lives of animals in immediate need of care while also sup porting the future of animal welfare.
That includes saving animals like Bailey. Bailey is a loving mom to 5 beautiful puppies. Not long ago Bailey and her pups were struggling to survive. Dirty floors… cramped living space…not enough food… Bailey was losing weight fast as she gave all of her nutrition to her nursing pups. On top of that, Bailey had inverted eyelids on both of her eyes. As she worked to care for her sweet babies, she could hardly see to know that they were okay.
But her pain didn’t last long, thanks to the kindness and love of Forever Guardians and other supportive animal
lovers. Once she and her pups arrived in our care, Bailey had two surgeries to treat abscesses on her swollen feet. She also received surgery to fix her inverted eyelids, so she can now see more clearly and without pain.
Every step of the way in Bailey’s recovery, Forever Guardians were there. From the moment her and her pups first arrived in our care, needing immediate food, shelter, and grooming, to the surgeries that removed her ongoing pain, to the ongoing care she received in order to transition to a loving new life in a caring home.
Forever Guardians give this care to animals today and long into the future. To learn more about joining this caring group of supporters with a kind gift in your will, visit foreverguardian. ca or contact Clayton Norbury at cnorbury@spca.bc.ca or by phone at 1.855.622.7722, ext. 6059.
Your everlasting love will always protect them. .
Canada Forest Trust, a national ESG company, launches practical solution for the net-zero ambitious
JEFF TODDSustainability – it’s a buzzword we’ve all heard a million times. As the climate crisis worsens, and uncertainty for the future grows, companies have never been more sensitive about doing their part for the environment.
And yet, at the same time, the path to true sustainability has never been so murky and confusing.
Gary Zed felt equally confused.
As a tax lawyer and adviser for family offices, corporations and high-net-worth families, he kept hearing first-hand a growing desire for environmental, social impact and governance (ESG) solutions. But he never knew how to act on it.
How can you connect the dots between a demand to get to net-zero emissions, and a clear, tangible solution that creates practical results?
The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, was found in nature.
For more than 25 years, Zed has maintained a salmon lodge in New Brunswick. While it was always a place of peace for him, he often heard complaints from locals about the devastation of forests.
Then he saw it with his own eyes – vast forests being prematurely cut for lumber and other commercial uses, rather than preserved and nurtured for future generations.
So Zed, now one of the largest landowners in Atlantic Canada, started to connect another set of dots. He began buying both deforested and forested land in the area, simply to
manage, preserve and protect it.
“The power of nature, the climate anxiety experienced by our youth and the demands from consumers and capital markets for businesses to be net-zero focused, opened my eyes to something more meaningful,” he explains.
“And frankly, I am an entrepreneur at heart. So it got me thinking: I have seen ESG take off around the world, and the compelling need around climate action. Meanwhile, there is now a necessity that corporations take steps toward a net-zero world. If I am already buying deforested land, and I am going to reforest it, why wouldn’t I get corporations and individuals involved? It kills three birds with one stone.”
That was the moment Canada Forest Trust (CFT) took root.
In plain language? CFT builds forests for clients to help them get to net zero.
CFT, a national company, has spent the last two years building and refining its offering and beta testing its platform. It now has 25 members on the team, has built strategic partnerships and has attracted leading experts to its boards.
Using the company’s proprietary carbon calculator, companies and individuals determine their impact on the
environment and then CFT can guide them to the type and size of forest they need to build.
From there, according to Zed, it is a five-step process to achieve a net-zero goal, beginning with land procurement.
Zed recently launched a sister company – Canada’s Land Trust – for farming and forestry families wanting to sell or lease their land for the purpose of reforestation efforts.
“We need to have a portfolio of land available across the country for our customers wanting to participate in forest building exercises to get them to net zero,” Zed says.
Some clients are very focused on economic reconciliation and are keen to have meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities. In those cases, partnering with Indigenous communities is often crucial to the process: Communities bring profound generational land knowledge, and CFT’s program brings the potential to create meaningful economic opportunities and skills development for Indigenous youth wanting to remain on their lands.
“When we meet with Indigenous community leaders, we talk about partnership building, sustainable employment, skills
development, education, knowledge sharing and revenue sharing”, says JP Gladu, a prominent Indigenous leader and former CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. He now serves as the chair of CFT’s board of directors, providing a key connection to Indigenous leaders across the country.
The next step in the process is land preparation, or getting land ready for its environmental makeover. That includes
[IT’S ABOUT] DEMOCRATIZING FORESTS TO MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE TO ALL CANADIANS SO WE CAN ALL DO OUR PART TO GET TO NET-ZERO EMISSIONS
Gary Zed Founder Canada Forest TrustGary Zed, founder of CFT, says seeing the devastation of forests first-hand inspired him to found his company. Originally from N ew Brunswick, Zed has maintained a salmon lodge there for more than 25 years • CFT
scarifying the land, performing a species assessment and getting the client up and running with their very own private portal on the CFT website, known as the Smart Forest Intelligence Dashboard.
This digital platform helps put the “smart” in smart forests, according to Zed. It provides a significant amount of information for clients, such as the location of the forest, its type, its age and a breakdown of the species and biodiversity found there. Most importantly, it offers statistics on a company’s path to net zero.
With a carbon footprint determined, and the land identified and prepared, it is soon be time for everyone’s favourite step – planting.
Although planting tends to get the most attention, Zed points out this step means little without the final two steps – preserving and protecting.
Trees might be in the ground, but CFT must measure, monitor and maintain the forest through professional inspections and management to ensure the mortality rate is low. These results are then reflected in real time on a client’s personalized dashboard and in an annual audited report.
“When you come on board, you end up with a forever forest guarantee. Which essentially means, once we build the forest, we will apply proper forest management to ensure the long-term health and maximum carbon sequestration,” Zed adds.
Clients need to be real about their respective climate pledges. Most are looking out to 2050 and beyond in terms of their goals to be net zero.
The vision, Zed explains, is to create a real, tangible and personal solution that all Canadians can feel invested in.
That means a forest for everyone – whether it be for an individual, a small business, a large corporation or even a school.
According to Zed, developing partnerships with educational institutions has been a key area of growth for CFT. Students can now raise funds to create and support a forest for their school by selling seedlings. The forest’s growth and preservation can be incorporated into a school’s curriculum through field trips, digital monitoring and volunteerism.
Zed adds that CFT hired several student interns this past summer, and over the coming years, the company has committed $250,000 for student scholarship programs.
The overarching philosophy, he says, is improving the impact, reporting and storytelling around carbon and biodiversity and the important role each of us can play to bring nature to the forefront as a solution.
“[It’s about] democratizing forests to make them accessible to all Canadians so we can all do our part to get to net-zero emissions,” he says.
“Many social impact investments can be out of sight – so the biggest fear is whether you are truly having a measurable and transparent impact. So, CFT is about an authentic turnkey program, where you can experience forest building in a transparent way.”
Gary Zed is one of the largest landowners in Atlantic Canada. He began buying deforested and forested land in the area to manage, preserve and protect it • SUBMITTED
For 125 years, YWCA Metro Vancouver has worked tirelessly to advance gender equity and provide integrated services for the personal, collective and economic wellbeing of women and children.
Your legacy gift today will help continue this work and improve the lives of women and children for generations to come.
Find out more at ywcavan.org/legacy or call 604 895 5859.
Long gone are the days where a company is judged solely for the quality of its products and services. And any damage caused by a business’s operations can no longer be swept under the rug with a goodwill gesture, donation or apology.
ALBERT VAN SANTVOORT
How corporate giving can offer opportunities for greater corporate social responsibility
Today, companies not only have to consider the social and environmental impacts of their procurement, production and distribution processes, but they have to actively work to find ways to minimize, eliminate or restore any damage caused.
“Cutting cheques is cheap,” says Melissa Orozco, founder, CEO and chief impact strategist of Yulu Public Relations. “What you want to do is: You want to help address the problems, you want to get to the root issues that are holding these communities back and you want to find ways to lift those communities up.”
Corporate giving has developed into corporate social responsibility, and it is much more than merely a marketing strategy.
Orozco’s firm is a certified B Corp that specializes in developing strategies to help companies operate in more environmentally and socially conscious ways.
Despite her company’s name, she says she cringes when people call it “just public relations.” After all, being a socially and environmentally responsible company is more than a marketing campaign: It’s something that has to be at the core of a company’s strategy and woven into each aspect of its business.
“Commitment needs to come from the top,” Orozco says.
“If we are meeting with an organization and there’s pushback, there’s not buy in from the very top, or the CEO won’t make time for it, we will actually tell them: ‘Call us back when you’re ready to properly commit to this because it needs the respect and attention of your upper leadership. We can’t do without [them].’”
If organizations want to commit to being responsible corporate citizens, they need to consider the social and environmental impact of their business, including their carbon footprint, foreign and domestic labour conditions and sustainability.
Beyond limiting negative externalities, companies can also leverage their business and industry expertise to become a part of the solution.
The online audiobook and podcast company Audible, Inc. is one example. Rather than donating to Indigenous causes, the company thought about how it could leverage its audio platform for a greater social benefit.
Audible started its Indigenous Writers’ Circle program to mentor emerging First Nations, Inuit and Métis writers, and provide them with a platform and resources to help them get a licensing deal.
CUTTING CHEQUES IS CHEAP. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS: YOU WANT TO HELP ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS; YOU WANT TO GET TO THE ROOT ISSUES THAT ARE HOLDING THESE COMMUNITIES BACK; AND YOU WANT TO FIND WAYS TO LIFT THOSE COMMUNITIES UP
Melissa Orozco Founder and CEO Yulu Public RelationsDedicated efforts like this go far beyond the pocket book. Raquel DiPerna, who heads up the initiative for Audible, says the program leverages the company’s service, brand power and resources to help create a level playing field for Indigenous writers by giving them equitable access
to writing opportunities.
Creating new, dedicated and socially conscious programs is one way corporations can give. Another is through corporate partnerships.
According to Kathryn Anderson, education coordinator of the non-profit Ocean Legacy Foundation, corporate giving has evolved into corporate partnerships, where businesses help charities expand by taking them in and giving them access not only to their cash, but their brand, reach and organizational expertise.
Telus Inc. did this by collaborating with Ocean Legacy Foundation to advance education on ocean plastic pollution.
The influx of money and resources was vital to the foundation and its work, allowing it to hire full-time staff and expand its program.
But Anderson says that was far from the only thing Telus brought to the table. The telecommunications giant’s broad reach has allowed Ocean Legacy Foundation to expand its education program and adapt it to different provincial and global jurisdictions.
Attaching the name of a multibillion-dollar, multinational company to the initiative helps elevate the foundation and its mission.
“[Telus is] able to help get the message out by putting their stamp on this curriculum,” says Anderson. “Telus is in 28 countries across the world. It’s nice to be able to partner with them and take advantage of their pull and their network.”
Corporate social responsibility – and what it means for philanthropy – has come a long way.
Now, Orozco says that people at least know the phrase “environmental, social, governance,” (ESG) as compared to five years ago. And she says companies have generally made the most progress on the environmental front.
But there is still a ways to go, and businesses are still trying to figure out the social and governance pillars, according to Orozco.
There are many ways for companies to start down this path. The gold standard, according to Orozco, is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which include 17 objectives that range from zero hunger, to education, to sustainable cities.
No matter the industry or the operation, a business should be able to tie their philanthropy, community efforts or business model to one of those sustainable development goals.
But the desire has to be there. Integrating an ESG framework into the core of a business takes time, and is and should be about much more than philanthropy or positive public relations, Orozco says.
“We explain to our clients, ‘Be ready to not talk about this for six to 12 months because we implement it and demonstrate it internally before we start talking about it,’” she says. “Otherwise, it’s just PR.”
"As fundraisers, we hold a responsibility to be agents of change within the social impact sector. It is a special moment when we can come together to celebrate our collective achievements that benefit society. At the same time, it is important we use that moment to be self-reflective on how there is much more for us to achieve in unlearning our biases and decolonizing the structures within our workplaces."
London, President of AFP Greater Vancouver.
With special thanks to our generous sponsors and incredible committee for making this possible: Presenting Sponsor: RBC Keynote Sponsor: KCI Giving Hearts Awards Sponsors: CAGP, CanadaHelps, Gerard Search, Global Philanthropic Canada, Mail-O-Matic Services Ltd., North American Direct Marketing, University of the Fraser Valley Podcast Sponsor: The Discovery Group Spirit of Philanthropy Sponsors: DonorPerfect, Givergy, HeartPress, Stratcom
In-kind Sponsors: Charity Village, Hemlock Harling Media Sponsors: Global BC, BIV, Miss604
When the unthinkable happens and a family is uprooted for their child’s critical medical treatment, there are many barriers they must overcome to stay together. Hotel stays are expensive, siblings need to be cared for, and staying in the hospital longterm is unsustainable. That’s where Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon (RMH BC) comes in—providing accommodation, meals, and laundry facilities along with comfort, compassion, and a sense of community to these families in need.
Families who depend on RMH BC often arrive in Vancouver on short notice, not knowing how long they will need to stay: weeks, months, or even years. At the House, families can stay together under the same roof with their seriously ill children. They can enjoy everyday family moments
like a home-cooked meal, playing catch outside, and snuggling up for superhero movie night. Most importantly, they can focus on helping their child to heal. Staying at RMH BC also affects families long after their stay. A study by RBC found that families with seriously ill children experience a catastrophic financial burden that takes an estimated 10 – 12 years to recover from. By staying at RMH BC, they can save between $3000 – $6000 per month, making them stronger once they return home.
RMH BC depends on generous community supporters like you to provide a home away from home for families when it matters most, 365 days a year. With the Holiday Season approaching us, there are many ways that you or your
organization can help Light The House by making a difference to the families who are currently staying at RMH BC. From Making a Generous Donation or joining our HouseWarmers Monthly Giving Club to Sponsoring a Christmas Tree in the House, your heartfelt gifts will help make RMH BC a home-away-from-home for families who are uprooted from their communities.
We also offer many corporate engagement opportunities and invite you to rally your team in support of BC and Yukon families with seriously ill children. Host a fundraiser at your workplace, collect gifts for our Wish List, and more! Find out more at: www.rmhbc.ca/light-the-house/ Learn more about what we do at the House: 604-736-2957 or info@rmhbc.ca
It is an exciting year for Surrey Hospitals Foundation as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary; 30 years of supporting innovative medicine; 30 years of supporting life-changing health care; 30 years of caring for the health of now over 1.9 million residents in the Fraser Health region. Since 1992, the Foundation has raised over $200 million and continues to be the largest non-government funder of health care for families in Surrey and surrounding communities.
Thanks to the generosity of community donors, Surrey Hospitals Foundation continues to support every one of the region’s major health facilities including Surrey Memorial Hospital and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. The Foundation also funds the Czorny Alzheimer Centre, along with many specialized community programs for
newborns, children, adults, and seniors.
In the past 30 years, Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s donors have supported important projects such as:
opening of the Jim Pattison Outpatient Centre in 2011.
Department in 2013, one of only two in the province, at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
improved space for patient care in the 8-story Surrey Memorial Hospital Critical Care Tower built in 2013.
patients at Czorny Alzheimer Centre, a specialized home for 72 dementia patients.
Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital in 2018, which included a new space for children
receiving cancer treatment in the Joseph Chung Pediatric Oncology Unit.
COVID-19 research studies in Surrey during the height of the pandemic. There is much to celebrate, but urgent medical needs only continue to grow. With Surrey being the fastest-growing
children living in the Fraser Health region, exceptional health care for children remains one of the top priorities. This fall, Surrey Hospitals Foundation is calling on the community to support important children and youth programs including mental health treatments and the new phase of the Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
To learn more about Surrey Hospitals Foundation and their current campaigns, please visit SurreyHospitalsFoundation.com
- Pia, pediatric oncology patient
HELP US KEEP KIDS UNSTOPPABLE.
SurreyHospitalsFoundation.com/donate S H it l F d ti /d t
“The first thing I want to do when things are back to normal is go see my friends. It’s not a big thing to go see friends, but to me, right now, it is.”
Greater awareness of autism is creating more inclusion
WENDY LISOGAR-COCCHIA
Autism is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in Canada: One out of every 50 Canadian youth has a diagnosis. Autism – which touches every region, class and culture – is a common and serious developmental disorder that profoundly affects the way you feel, communicate and learn. And across Canada, 79 per cent of neighbourhoods are home to one or more children with autism.
The facts surrounding autism can be grim. Autism does not cause death, but individuals with autism die an average of 36 years younger than individuals in the general population because of other conditions and circumstances. Accidental drownings are 40 times higher in the autism community. About one third of children with autism remain minimally or completely nonverbal throughout their lifespan, speaking few or no words.
These vulnerabilities, and uninformed responses to autistic traits, can lead to devastating consequences for autism community members. Yet most professionals have no training on autism or on how to interact successfully with this community.
Furthermore, when it comes to inclusion, although most autistic individuals want to work, only 14.3 per cent of autistic adults are employed.
Autism doesn’t come with a manual for families, but many in the autism community do have parents and siblings who never give up. I understand this because of my first-hand experiences as a mom in the autism community, and as co-founder of Pacific Autism Family Nework (PAFN), along with my husband and business partner Sergio Cocchia.
Despite a growing understanding of the needs of this community, there is little or no government support available for autistic individuals or their families in many regions across the country.
But new and better things are on the horizon. For over 12 years, the PAFN has been working with police, firefighters, paramedics, hospital staff and other
professionals to improve awareness, education and understand related to autism. To date, our organization has trained over 15,000 first responders on how to recognize and effectively help autistic individuals.
In part through our advocacy, some of Canada’s biggest businesses are starting to pay attention to the autism community. This fall PAFN and Vancouver International Airport launched a joint initiative to make air travel more accessible for autistic people and their families. The initiative includes professional training for airport staff, skills building and communication assistance for travellers, as well as a supported work program in a newly launched airport coffee shop.
There is power and mutual benefit to supporting autistic individuals in the workforce, and I fundamentally believe employing someone with autism is one of the best decisions an organization will ever make. To that end, PAFN has developed a suite of employment-focused programs for individuals with all different skill levels. This includes programs for supporting youth employment, inclusive workforce engagement, adult pre-employment skills and education and training for autistic individuals with high-support needs.
Together with our in-house partners, PAFN helps over 160 individuals daily through four locations in B.C. We focus on the helping people throughout their lifespan, and offer programs that span from an inclusive preschool, to a first-of its-kind program that tackles the challenges of autistic adult palliative care. Our programs also extend across the country through our national initiative, AIDE Canada, which is a free online resource.
Working in this space is challenging, but even the small things that we do to be kind can make a huge difference for our kids and our families. As we collectively consider ways to support and develop greater inclusion, diversity and equity in our businesses and communities, I urge you to consider how we can support neurodiverse individuals and the families they rely on.
UNDERSTANDING
DESPITE A GROWING
OF THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS OR THEIR FAMILIES IN MANY REGIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRYWendy Lisogar-Cocchia is CEO of Century Plaza Hotel and cofounder of Pacific Autism Family Network.
The Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation’s calling has always been to solve complex issues to improve patient outcomes. While this aim has remained unchanged since our founding over forty years ago, we are constantly evolving to bring high-level services to an even larger number of people across all of British Columbia.
Part of our continued commitment to world-class care to all who come through the hospital’s doors involves support for one of the largest health care redevelopments in British Columbia’s history. This $1.49 billion project presents an unprecedented opportunity, and challenge, to elevate critical care at a hospital that serves one third of our province’s population in the largest and
fastest growing health region in BC.
Rising to this challenge could not be more vital as Royal Columbian is a major critical hospital and referral centre for cardiac care, trauma, neurosciences, mental health, high-risk maternity and neonatal intensive care. No other hospital in the province provides all of these services, at this level of care, on one site.
By 2030, the key population our hospital serves will grow to 2.2 million. As our population increases and ages, it is imperative that we prepare for a future that will see significantly increased demand for the services we provide. The redevelopment of Royal Columbian is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ensure that our clinicians and frontline healthcare providers have both the facilities and innovative technology to offer optimal patient care for decades to come.
With construction set to continue through 2026, the coming years will see the opening of a new acute care tower, emergency department and enough new beds to increase capacity by more than half allowing us to care for more people than ever before. The acute care tower will house a centralized interventional and surgical “super floor,” creating more space for the specialized work Royal Columbian provides to treat heart attacks and stroke. All of these major improvements are being made in service to an even larger vision: ensuring uncompromising care to every single person who needs it. We’re making this vision a reality with support from people who understand the significance of our work and share our deep-seated passion for helping those who need our care, throughout the province.
A certain kind of caregiver is called
to this work. A certain kind of donor understands its importance. And everyone at Royal Columbian rises to every challenge because it’s who we are, and what we value.
Help us help BC.
Help us help BC.
RCHfoundation.com
RCHFoundation.com
Since 1966, Variety - the Children’s Charity has been making a difference in the lives of children with special needs across the province. Variety recently announced that in addition to their core grant areas of adaptive & mobility equipment, specialized therapies, tutoring & tuition bursaries, mental wellness counselling and private autism assessments, they will now be funding private psychoeducational assessments.
“Families are having to wait more than two years through the public system for their child to be assessed which is too long for a child who is struggling in the classroom to have to wait,” said Josh Pasnak, Interim CEO, Variety BC. “A psychoeducational assessment and the learning strategies that are developed from it impacts the child’s entire life so early intervention is vital to help the child succeed and reach their full potential.”
For information on how you can support Variety by becoming a Corporate Partner, contact Leslie Hoffman at 604.268.3892 or leslie.hoffman@variety.bc.ca.
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Our expert counsellors and support workers walk alongside more than 10,000 people each year to empower them to make meaningful change in their lives.
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Together, we are building a brighter future for all those who depend on us. Learn more: fsgv.ca 604-731-4951 x4 giving@fsgv.ca
With the right support, it is possible.
You can help make recovery a reality by donating today.
Visit coastmentalhealth.com/donate
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Mental illness impacts everyone, regardless of age, income, or job title.
Coast Mental Health provides people living with mental illness an opportunity to recover and thrive. Coast bridges the gap between the hospital and the community, providing those who need it most a place to live, a place to connect, and a place to work.
Thanks to kind people like you, each year over 5,000 people receive a lifeline of support at Coast Mental Health.
With compassion and courage, recovery from mental illness is possible.
Transform a life by giving today. Visit our website at coastmentalhealth.com/donate to donate today.
“The hospital saved my life, but Coast taught me how to live.”
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