Donating to charity in your Will:
The why and the how
Did you know that, as part of your Will, you can set aside money for charity?
You may have heard this called planned or legacy giving. And you’ll probably hear a lot more about it in the coming years: a Will Power study found a significant increase (5% to 8%) in the number of Canadians donating to charity in their Wills.
In real numbers, that’s 1.2 million more Canadians giving in their Wills, creating roughly $37 billion in future donations.


Why the surge in Will-based charitable donations?
One obvious reason is an economy forcing us all to hold our wallets a little (or a lot) tighter. Donating in your Will lets you make a big difference without using the money you need now.
This, coupled with an urgency to do something in the face of growing global need, has made gifts in Wills a popular solution. Inflation and cost of living may have put pressure on Canadian incomes. But the desire to help has never been stronger. Here’s a way for people to drive the kind of change they want, and it’s well within their reach.
Another reason is demographics. Roughly a trillion dollars will be passed down over the next 10 years, the biggest wealth transfer in history. It’s given many of us pause, realizing we probably will have enough to support family AND a charity in our Wills.
Lastly, Canadians are just getting more savvy with their money. This includes harnessing the power of Wills, RRSPs and other assets to give more strategically. More on that later…
Why donate to charity in your Will?
It might sound funny to think of your Will as a tool for change in this world, but when it comes down to it, there are many benefits to donating this way:
Contribute more than you could otherwise.
It’s amazing what a small percentage in your Will to the Bruce Trail Conservancy could look like.
Even 1% in your Will could make quite the impact.

Remember that the value of your “estate” is the sum of any property and/or business you own, your pension and/or registered funds, any securities like stocks or mutual funds, any cash savings, and life insurance. It adds up, even if you subtract debt.
In fact, the average Canadian family in 2023 had a net worth of $981,816. If you put just 1% of that aside for charity, you’d be looking at a donation of about $10,000! When else could the average Canadian make such an extraordinary impact?
Continue the good work you’ve done.
When a donor tells us they’ve left a gift in their Will, we often get into the “why.” Most speak about the work of the Bruce Trail Conservancy as an expression of their values; many share fond memories of hiking with friends and family over the years or volunteering with their local Club. They see their commitment of time and money as meaningful and important contributions to the future of the Bruce Trail, and the conservation efforts on the Niagara Escarpment.
So it only makes sense that they’d want their good work to continue on after they’re gone. Not just to keep their contributions going, but also to show leadership and motivate others to get involved.
Keep your memory alive in a unique way.
Talk about motivation – imagine the pride your children or grandchildren will feel knowing that you’ve helped to secure the Bruce Trail permanently and expand the conservation corridor on the Niagara Escarpment.
When your loved ones have something tangible, meaningful and bigger than you to associate with your memory, you will have created a legacy that future generations can rally around.
Tax breaks. Big ones.
Taxes probably aren’t the first thing you think about when it comes to charity. But Canada actually has some of the most generous charitable tax incentives in the world! In Canada, when you make a donation, you get a charitable tax credit that can go a long way to help pay down what you owe.
Your loved ones might need that charitable tax credit when you pass, because your estate is likely to be hit with a huge tax bill they’ll have to take care of. You can even structure your donation in different ways so that you get the biggest tax break possible.
A popular approach is to name a charity as a beneficiary of your RRSP, because the credit received will close to cancel out what would be owed on this heavily taxed asset.
If you’re interested to learn more, you can always book a consultation with a financial advisor who specializes in charitable giving.
How to write a Will that includes a charity.
It’s easier than you think. In fact, it can actually be fun to dream about the future and give shape to the mark you will make…
- Choose the charity or charities you’d like to support. It’s wise to book a chat with someone at your charity to talk about your options and make sure they can fulfill your future wishes.
If you’re thinking about making a donation in your Will to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, thank you. You can speak to Gloria Vidovich at gloria.vidovich@brucetrail.org or 1.800.665.4453, ext 248. You won’t be held to any commitment or sent any additional communications if you wish. - Make sure you have their legal names and registration numbers. For reference, our legal name is The Bruce Trail Conservancy, and our registration number is #119217578RR0001.
- Get a rough estimate of the size of your estate and what percentage you’d like to go to family vs. charity.
P.S. The Will Power legacy calculator makes this really easy. - Choose a lawyer, notary (if you live in Quebec or BC), or trusted online Will platform to draft your legal documents. You can find legal professionals who can help on the Will Power website too.
- Make sure your Will’s executor and your family know about your plans.
FAQs about donating to charity in your Will.
If you have any questions Gloria Vidovich, Planned Giving & Donor Relations Officer can go into more detail with you. You can reach them at gloria.vidovich@brucetrail.org or 1.800.665.4453, ext 248.
The Will Power campaign
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a partner in Will Power, a national awareness campaign that encourages Canadians to use their Wills as a force for good. Together with Will Power, we want to connect people like you with resources to make the best decisions for their family, their future finances, and the causes that matter to them.