A poll conducted in time for the Thanksgiving weekend showed that only about one-third (34 percent) of Canadians believe that “religion has a positive influence on societal values.” And that percentage is even lower in British Columbia, where 28 percent…
Roughly 40 percent of all charitable organizations in Canada are religious. Their status was threatened just before Christmas, when the Standing Committee on Finance released its “Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2025 Budget” in the House of Commons on…
First United Church is in the midst of a major redevelopment – and they want to make sure the final result visually represents the local community. The church has been serving their Downtown Eastside neighbourhood for nearly 140 years. Here…
Cardus released a report November 12 which all pastors and church leaders should keep tucked away somewhere. In the face of increasing demands that churches should be taxed, ‘Why Religious Tax Exemptions Benefit All Canadians’ provides a convincing argument that…
A room full of pastors and Christian leaders from around Vancouver gathered June 16 at Tenth Church to learn more about the significance and potential of churches and ministries working together in the community. They enjoyed the opportunity, denied during…
The church is resilient, not fragile. There are signs of decline, but also of renewal. Religious congregations contribute billions of dollars to the good of our nation. Such are the findings of two recent studies by WayBase and Cardus, and…
A new study estimates the value of religion to Canadian society at $67 billion each year. A September 21 article by Tyler Dawson in The Vancouver Sun described ‘The Hidden Economy: How Faith Helps Fuel Canada’s GDP’: Even as the…
Church-goers know the many benefits of participating in a congregation. Outsiders might not be convinced – and sometimes even feel that churches (mosques, synagogues, temples) are parasitic and should be paying taxes. Now there is a good way to assess the…
A new book and a just-released study offer some fascinating insights into the positive role of religion in Toronto – and suggest some avenues for exploring the role and value of local congregations in Vancouver. Revisiting ‘Toronto the Good’ demonstrates…