How To Build Not-for-Profit By-laws

When registering a Not-for-Profit corporation under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (NFP Act), you must create by-laws. By-laws set out the rules for governing and operating the corporation, and act like a "constitution" for the organization.

By-laws can be modified at a later date as the needs of the corporation change. The link below is to model Bylaws provided by Corporations Canada, and which can be adapted to the specific needs of your Not-for-Profit or charity.

Model Bylaws - Corporations Canada

Corporations Canada also offers a By-law builder, with which Canadian not-for-profits can choose from a variety of clauses to govern their Not-for-Profit.

Bylaw Builder - Corporations Canada

As bylaws rules can have serious implications for how a charity and not-for-profit is run, including loss of control by founders, it is recommended that you have a lawyer who specialises in Charity and Not-for-Profit law to review them.