Canadian Rugby Foundation Newsletter – January 2023

Posted on January 19, 2023July 27, 2023 by Jeff

In this issue of the Canadian Rugby Foundation Newsletter, “News & Views”, we have updates since the June 2022 Newsletter. Click here to read the complete Newsletter.

The headlines are as follow:

Foundation News and Announcements

Funds News

Unrestricted Fund News

2022 Awards News

Donation Appeal and Contact

As always, we look forward to hearing from you – whether rugby club executives or members, donors, representatives of our 69 Funds, rugby players of all ages and levels, and dedicated or casual rugby union fans – with your questions, suggestions, or other feedback.

Cheers,

Jeff Chan

Rugby Canada and Canadian Rugby Foundation announce new agreement

Posted on May 10, 2022May 10, 2022 by MarkB

May 10, 2022 (Langford, BC) – Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Foundation are pleased to announce a new memorandum of agreement which focusses on increased collaboration and co-operation, communication and joint fundraising efforts between the two organizations.

At its core, the agreement recognizes their common purpose to grow and develop the sport across the country for those of all ages, genders, races, cultures, ethnic groups and socio-economic circumstances.

Since 2001, when Rugby Canada’s Board of Directors first endorsed the Foundation, the links between the two organizations have developed significantly. With expanded global competition on the pitch at a high-performance level and increased grassroots participation, the need for financial support for rugby at all levels in Canada has grown in the last two decades.

As such, Rugby Canada recognizes the Foundation’s unique role and acknowledges the working relationship between the two organizations must be more effective than ever. To create an environment in which that can occur, this new agreement has been developed to set out how the organizations will work together while still allowing each to continue important work they do autonomously.

“This agreement is an important step in our collective efforts to find efficiencies and alignment,” said Jamie Levchuk, Interim CEO, Rugby Canada. “The agreement highlights our joint desire to collaborate in communications, fundraising and grant provisions, all of which will be integral in the future efforts of both organizations. Moving forward, we believe that Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Foundation can coordinate to address where gaps exist in our funding as well as which individuals and groups we need to engage to raise required funds.”

“We are excited to have formalized a framework within which our two organizations can support each other,” commented Jeff Chan, Executive Director of the Canadian Rugby Foundation. “Both organizations are committed to working together to ensure we collaborate on important initiatives and activities that require funding, and we look forward to being a part of a new era for Canadian rugby.”

About Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of Rugby Union in Canada. They administer and operate Men’s and Women’s Senior and Junior National programs in both rugby 15s and 7s, as well as govern the Club and community game for more than 30,000 registered participants from coast to coast in conjunction with ten Provincial Union members.

Rugby Canada is headquartered at the Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, BC, residing on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Lekwungen/Songhees peoples, with staff also working from Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Rugby Canada business operations, programs and events are delivered nationwide, including the internationally recognized HSBC Canada Sevens annual tournaments.

About the Canadian Rugby Foundation
The Canadian Rugby Foundation is a Canadian Not-for-profit Corporation incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a public foundation, registration number 869159186.

The Canadian Rugby Foundation has within its mandate the ability to create endowed funds and award funds to promote and support rugby activities, including but not limited to players, clubs, coaches, officials, and National teams. Among its purposes are to foster, encourage and promote the game of rugby within Canada; and to raise funds or cause the raising of funds through its Fund partners for the promotion of the objects and purposes of the Foundation.

CANADIAN RUGBY FOUNDATION CONTACTS
Mike Holmes, Chair – mike@phre.ca
Jeff Chan, Executive Director – jeffchan@gmail.com

RUGBY CANADA MEDIA CONTACT
Oliver Wheeler
Manager, Communications
Gestionnaire des communications
owheeler@rugby.ca

Fletcher’s Patrons Fund

Posted on December 22, 2021January 10, 2023 by Jeff

Fletcher’s Fields Limited (FFL) is a share capital corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). FFL is a not-for-profit organization within the meaning of paragraph 149(1)(l) of the Income Tax Act (Canada). On its initial incorporation as a letters patent corporation under the Corporations Act (Ontario) in 1970, the objects of FFL were stated in part as follows:

a) To establish, maintain and operate athletic facilities and to promote an interest in athletic games, recreation and sports;

b) To construct and operate grandstands, arenas, playing field, booths, refreshment rooms, food services and other buildings and conveniences whether of a permanent or temporary nature;

c) To arrange or hold matches and competitions of every nature and to offer or grant and contribute towards prizes, awards and distinctions;

d) To buy, sell and deal in all kinds of equipment, apparatus and provisions required by or conveniences for the persons frequenting the Company’s facilities; and

e) To use such facilities and to permit the same or any part thereof to be sued on such terms as the company shall think fit for any purposes, public or private, and in particular for public and other gatherings and meetings, exhibitions, picnics, tournaments and other performances.

On November 23, 2021, the Canadian Rugby Foundation (the Foundation) was pleased to accept a historic donation in the amount of $11.65 million from Fletcher’s Field Limited (FFL), this following the sale of its Fletcher’s Fields rugby facility in Markham Ontario to the City of Markham. The Foundation and FFL have entered into a donation agreement (the “FFL Master Agreement”) effective June 1st, 2021. In addition, the Foundation established from its own Unrestricted Fund a restricted fund to be named the “Fletcher’s Patrons Fund” in the amount of $120,000.

The Fletcher’s Patrons Fund is named for the generous supporters or “Patrons” who in 1995 enabled Fletcher’s Fields to undertake major renovations to the clubhouse and install an electronic scoreboard and a grandstand to accommodate three thousand spectators. Funds for the improvements came by way of an Ontario grant and a major fundraising drive in the rugby community. The fundraising drive involved donors contributing one thousand dollars to Fletcher’s in return for being named a patron and receiving free entry to games. Almost $150,000 was raised from members of the FFL shareholder clubs and other Ontario rugby clubs.

The Fletcher’s Patrons Fund is intended to provide funding from its endowment, and from capital disbursements that continue the objects of FFL. These include:

(a) To encourage and further the game of rugby in Ontario and Canada in accordance with the laws of World Rugby (“WR”);

(b) To actively support rugby players and participants in the Province of Ontario by furnishing equipment, kit, and facilities for the game of rugby; and

(c) To promote all forms of rugby recognized by WR and to arrange matches and rugby competitions and to offer or grant and contribute towards prizes, awards, scholarships and honorariums related to playing rugby in the Province of Ontario.

USE THE FORM BELOW TO DONATE TO THE FLETCHER’S PATRONS FUND: