Can I leave a gift to a charity in my Ontario will?

Yes. Leaving a gift to a registered Canadian charity in your will is straightforward and comes with a significant tax benefit. A charitable bequest made in a will generates a charitable donation tax credit that can be used in the year of death and, if needed, carried back to the prior year. This can substantially reduce or even eliminate income tax owing at death.

To ensure the gift reaches the right organization, use the charity's full legal name as registered with the Canada Revenue Agency — not just its common name, which may differ. You should also include the charity's registration number where possible. If the charity has merged or changed its name by the time you die, the executor may need to do some investigation, so keeping the information current matters.

You can leave a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, a specific asset (such as publicly traded securities), or the residue of your estate to a charity. Leaving publicly traded securities directly — rather than selling them first — has an additional tax advantage: the capital gains triggered on the transfer are eliminated.

Revisit the gift periodically to confirm the charity still exists and aligns with your values.