Benevolent Organizations can incorporate either federally as a corporation without share capital under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act, or under a provincial act such as the Society Act of British Columbia. Throughout this website when we provide information on provincial incorporation, we will only be referring to the Society Act of British Columbia.

Section 2 (1) of the Society Act of British Columbia further identifies the purposes for which a society may be incorporated as follows:

"A society may be incorporated under this Act for any lawful purpose or purposes such as national, patriotic, religious, philanthropic, charitable, provident, scientific, fraternal, benevolent, artistic, educational, social, professional, agricultural, sporting or other useful purposes..."

Section 154(1) of the Canada Corporations Act will grant a charter to organizations created:

"for the purpose of carrying on ... objects ... of a national, patriotic, religious, philanthropic, charitable, scientific, artistic, social, professional or sporting character..."