$75,000 over one year for resources to build on and catalogue the experience and knowledge of the restorative justice program. Community checklists, program delivery tools, and training and implementation manuals will be created and made accessible.

Diggable Communities Collaborative c/o Opportunities Waterloo Region

$102,900 over 18 months to strengthen and expand community gardens, which will create more innovative ways of linking people to local food production methods within the Waterloo region.

The Eating Disorders Awareness Coalition of Waterloo Region c/o CMHA

$9,300 to develop the capacity of the organization to be self-sustaining. Staff will assist volunteers in completing an assessment of the organization and creating a five-year business plan.

K-W Performing Arts Association

$75,000 over six months to upgrade the King Street Theatre Centre. Its two venues will be soundproofed so one can be rented while the association uses the other for arts and cultural initiatives currently underway in the Waterloo region.

The Multicultural Theatre Space (The MT Space) Inc.

$147,000 over two years to support the creation of the International Multicultural Platform for Alternative Contemporary Theatre in the Waterloo region. This biannual, international festival of world-class calibre will be launched in spring 2009.

Nutrition for Learning

$82,600 over two years for equipment, training and support for volunteers to expand breakfast/morning nutrition programs to over 450 high school students in the Waterloo region.

ROOF (Reaching Our Outdoor Friends)

$40,000 over six months toward the overall cost of installing a lift. This will improve the accessibility of the facility, which serves over 1,600 homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness in the Waterloo region.

Synergy Handbell Choir

$15,000 over one year to purchase handbells for this Kitchener-area choir, in order to deliver community concerts to over 3,000 people annually across Southwestern Ontario.

Waterloo Regional Children's Museum

$75,000 over one year for construction supplies and sound and light installations for the Urban Streetscape project. A permanent, interactive neighbourhood block will inspire youth and youth at risk to participate in learning initiatives.

OTTAWA - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has issued a Notice of Suspension to International Charity Association Network (ICAN), a registered charity under the Income Tax Act (ITA), stating that it has been suspended for one year beginning on November 28, 2007.

As stated in the Notice of Suspension:

"It continues to be the Canada Revenue Agency's (the "CRA") view that the International Charity Association Network (ICAN) is in contravention of subsections 230(2), 231.1(1) and 231.2(1) of the Income Tax Act (the "ITA") by failing to maintain and/or provide, and failing to provide access to, books and records relating to its involvement with tax shelter arrangements.

The Charity has failed to maintain sufficient documentation to support payments and expenditures including $26,372,685 in fundraising payments and $244,323,422 in charitable program expenditures. Further, the Charity has failed to provide required documentation to the CRA. It is the CRA's position, that these are serious contraventions of the Income Tax Act and warrant the immediate suspension of the Charity."

A charity that has been suspended has no authority to issue donation receipts for income tax purposes for gifts it may receive during its suspension. Also, during the suspension, the charity is deemed not to be a qualified donee, prohibiting other registered charities from making gifts to it during that period. It should be noted that this Notice of Suspension applies only to ICAN.

Registered charities in Canada perform valuable work in our communities, and Canadians support this work in many ways. The CRA regulates registered charities through the ITA and is committed to ensuring that charities operate in compliance with the law. Where a registered charity is found not to comply with its legal requirements, the CRA may apply monetary penalties or may suspend or revoke the charity's status under the ITA.

The CRA is reviewing all tax shelter-related donation arrangements (for example schemes that typically promise donors tax receipts worth more than the actual amount of the donation), and it plans to audit every participating charity, promoter, and investor. For more information about tax shelters, visit the CRA's Tax Alert section at www.cra.gc.ca/alert.

Notice of Suspension to International Charity Association Network

On November 21, 2007, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issued a Notice of Suspension to International Charity Association Network (ICAN), a registered charity under the Income Tax Act.

The following are extracts from the Notice of Suspension issued by the CRA:

"It continues to be the Canada Revenue Agency's (the "CRA") view that the International Charity Association Network (ICAN) is in contravention of subsections 230(2), 231.1(1) and 231.2(1) of the Income Tax Act (the "ITA") by failing to maintain and/or provide, and failing to provide access to, books and records relating to its involvement with tax shelter arrangements.

The Income Tax Act requires taxpayers to keep books and records and at all reasonable times, make their records, books of account and other supporting documents available for inspection by a person authorized by the Minister, and must provide every facility necessary to inspect them. The Minister may also require a person to provide any book, record, writing or other document or any information, for any purpose related to the administration or enforcement of the ITA, within a reasonable time as stipulated in a registered or certified letter, or a notice served personally.

The Charity has failed to maintain sufficient documentation to support payments and expenditures including $26,372,685 in fundraising payments and $244,323,422 in charitable program expenditures. Further, the Charity has failed to provide required documentation to the CRA. It is the CRA's position, that these are serious contraventions of the Income Tax Act and warrant the immediate suspension of the Charity.

The Charity's tax receipting privileges and qualified donee status as defined by the ITA, are hereby suspended for one year beginning on November 28, 2007.

In accordance with the terms of subsection 188.2(3) of the ITA, please be advised that, for the duration of the Charity's suspension, the Charity:

- May not issue official donation receipts for gifts it may receive;

- Must, before accepting a gift, inform the donor that the Charity has received a Notice of Suspension and no official donation receipt may be issued for gifts received; and

- Is no longer a qualified donee as defined by the ITA, and must inform other registered charities before receiving a gift that the Charity is not a qualified donee."

More information about registered charities is available at www.cra.gc.ca/charities or by calling the CRA's Charities Directorate at 1-800-267-2384 (toll free).

OTTAWA - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has a message for Canadians who donate to charities: "Be an informed donor." Tips for protecting yourself from fraud will be shared through public notices that will be published in newspapers across the country beginning the week of November 19, 2007.

"Canadians are very generous people. As a matter of fact, close to 5.8 million Canadians claimed donations to registered charities on their income tax returns last year", said Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Revenue. "As a government, we have taken steps to encourage charitable giving and to inform Canadians on the ways that they can ensure that every dollar given to charity has the maximum possible impact and stays out of the hands of fraudsters."

Public notices will appear six times over the next three weeks in more than 75 daily newspapers across the country, as well as in several Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, and Spanish publications. The notices will advise donors of the CRA Charities Listings, available at www.cra.gc.ca/donors, to verify that any charity they wish to donate to is registered. The notices also warn against getting involved in donation-related tax shelter schemes that promise tax savings greater than the donor's cost.

The public education initiative aims to help donors become more informed by accessing CRA resources to research registered charities before they give. The CRA also participates in trade shows to interact directly with donors, has published a pamphlet - Giving to Charity: Information for Donors (RC 4407 available online), recently completed a direct mail campaign to 400,000 households, and maintains an informative donor section on its Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/donors.

The CRA regulates registered charities under the Income Tax Act. Under this Act, donations to registered charities can help to reduce your individual income tax.

ST. AGATHA – kidsLINK, a local non-profit agency serving children, youth and families affected by - or at risk for - social, emotional and behavioural challenges, is gearing up to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2008. Throughout it’s sesquicentennial year, kidsLINK will be hosting a variety of events and activities, and the organization is looking to get in contact with former clients, students, residents, teachers, employees, volunteers and board members - anyone who has been involved with kidsLINK in some way.

“At kidsLINK, we are very proud to be one of Canada’s oldest voluntary, non-profit, child and family service organizations,” says Sonia Pouyat, CEO, kidsLINK. “We want to ensure that all who have been a part of our rich history have a chance to join in the celebrations. We‘re looking for anyone with ties to kidsLINK, including those who know us by one of our former operating names: the St. Agatha Orphanage, the Children's Village and Notre Dame of St. Agatha.”

The official launch of kidsLINK’s 150th anniversary celebrations will take place at the organization’s 10th annual Gourmet Trail fundraising event on April 26, 2008. Other planned activities include:

* a touring art show featuring the works of young people helped by kidsLINK

* a reception for alumni, staff, board members, community partners and dignitaries on June 11, 2008. kidsLINK’s latest environmental initiative, an outdoor classroom, will be unveiled at this event, along with a memorial garden dedicated to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, who were instrumental in the development of kidsLINK for more than a century and continue to maintain strong ties with the organization in the present day.

“We realize that many alumni no longer live in or near Waterloo Region, and that travelling to kidsLINK for our 150th anniversary celebrations may be impossible for this or other reasons,” says Pouyat. “We are still encouraging these individuals to reach out to us, however, to get reconnected and to share their stories. It’s a great opportunity to reunite with old friends.”

Lorenz "Walter" Bruechert is one of several kidsLINK alumni who have maintained contact over the years. Now a teacher in Vancouver, British Columbia, Bruechert resided at kidsLINK from 1965 to 1969 and has developed a network of kidsLINK alumni that spreads right across Canada. He invites alumni to contact him with their stories and memories at lbruechert@ndsa.on.ca. This information is also available on the kidsLINK web site at www.kidsLINKcares.com.

“We are pleased to be celebrating 150 years of success, but the reality is that young people continue to suffer with mental health issues and kidsLINK will continue to provide the services they need in the years ahead,” says John Vieth, President of kidsLINK’s Board of Directors.

Anyone wishing to keep informed about kidsLINK’s 150th anniversary celebrations can visit the organization’s web site at www.kidsLINKcares.com or contact the organization at 519-746-5437. Alumni willing to share stories are encouraged to contact fellow kidsLINK alumnus Lorenz “Walter” Bruechert at lbruechert@ndsa.on.ca.

kidsLINK was founded in 1858. Over the years, there have been significant changes in what the organization does, and how it is done. The mission of the agency has always remained the same, however, to improve the lives of children, youth and families so that they may achieve their potential and be responsible contributing members of their community.

Almost 1 in 5 of Ontario's young people are affected by social, emotional and behavioural concerns such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bi-polar disorder, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia. Many others are at risk. kidsLINK offers a broad range of services to help to these children and youth, focusing on prevention wherever possible. Initiatives range from preschool and school based intervention, through to clinical therapy and intensive school and residential treatment. kidsLINK also provides parents, caregivers, educators and other professionals with information, training and professional development opportunities.

kidsLINK operates five locations in Waterloo Region, including its head office located in St. Agatha. Every year, the organization helps over 10,000 children and youth. More information is available at www.kidsLINKcares.com.

The amount of donations increased in all provinces and territories. The highest increases occurred in Alberta (+15.5%), the Yukon (+15.2%), and Newfoundland and Labrador (+13.9%).

The number of donors declined slightly in all provinces and territories, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador where the number remained relatively stable.

Nationally, 25% of all taxfilers claimed charitable donations, roughly the same proportion as in the past. Manitoba had the highest percentage of taxfilers who declared a donation, at 28%, followed by Ontario with 27%. These two provinces have shown the highest and second highest percentage of taxfilers claiming charitable donations for the past 10 consecutive years.

For taxfilers reporting donations, the median donation has increased each year since 1998. In 2006, the median donation was $250, up from $240 in 2005. In other words, among those reporting charitable donations, half gave more than $250 and half gave less.

Donors in Nunavut have led all provinces and territories in terms of median donation since 2000. This trend continued in 2006, with a median donation of $450. Donors in Prince Edward Island had the second highest median at $350, followed by donors in Newfoundland and Labrador with $330. The median donation increased in all provinces and territories in 2006.

Among census metropolitan areas, donors in Abbotsford, British Columbia had by far the highest median donation at $620. Toronto donors were next with a median of $360, slightly ahead of Vancouver with $340. It was the fourth year in a row that Abbotsford and Toronto reported the highest median donations.

Note: The databank on charitable donors provides information on taxfilers who claimed a tax credit for charitable donations on their income tax return for 2006. Only amounts given to charities and approved organizations for which official tax receipts were provided can be deducted. It is possible to carry donations forward for up to five years after the year in which they were made. Therefore, donations reported for the 2006 taxation year could include donations that were made in any of the five previous years. According to tax laws, taxfilers are permitted to claim both their donations and those made by their spouses to get better tax benefits. Consequently, the number of persons who made charitable donations may be higher than the number who claimed tax credits.

Kitchener – On Saturday January 19, 2008 KPMG and the Centre In The Square will present the First Annual Celebrity Roast in support of the Centre’s Community Ticket Program. At this inaugural event the Mayor of Kitchener, Carl Zehr will be figuratively put on the spit and roasted in support of this important program.

This innovative program provides access to the best shows at the Centre In The Square for families and individuals that simply can not afford to attend performances and it may be the first chance for some members of our community to experience live theatre. Tickets for this program are distributed through local social service agencies. Jamie Grant, General Manager of the Centre said “We believe that our Community Ticket Program is the first initiative of its kind in Canada and that this program will become a significant force in enhancing the quality of life for people who could not otherwise afford to attend first-rate live theatre.” Mayor Zehr believes that the experience of live theatre is an integral component of a balanced life for all citizens and that is the chief reason he has agreed to be the target of this fundraising initiative.

This fun-filled event will take place on stage at the Centre In the Square and guests will be treated to a fabulous catered meal, wonderful silent and live auction items and all the hilarity that they can handle as the secret life and untold, fabricated failings of our roastee will be exploited for cheap, unfair laughs.

Join KPMG, the Centre In The Square and Mayor Zehr on Saturday January 19, 2008 as funds are raised to build a stronger community - one family at a time. Tickets can be ordered by calling 519-578-5660 extension 239.