🚀 go-pugleaf

The 1995 Canadian Federal Budget contained a piece of good news--in
principle--for people interested in helping The Nature Trust achieve
conservation goals.

Canadians who donate land for conservation purposes may currently claim a
deduction which can amount to more than 50 cents on each dollar donated.
Other tax rules allow this amount to be spread over five years. However,
"ecologically sensitive" land donations to charities like The Nature Trust
were, until now, capped at 20% of the donor�s net income. 

The new Budget proposes to exempt any "land, covenants, servitudes and
easements" from the cap if: it has federal Environment Ministry
registration showing its ecological value, and the donation is made to a
charity like The Nature Trust. There�s a hefty tax penalty if such land is
subsequently re-sold or used for non-ecological uses without Environment
Ministry approval. 

The Budget document says the change applies to any such land donated after
February 27, the date of the Budget, even though the legislation and
regulations authorizing the change are not yet law.

�We�re in the process now of asking the Environment Ministry for details
on exactly what qualifies as �ecologically sensitive�,� says The Nature
Trust�s Executive Vice-President Ron Erickson. �If anybody wants to know
what we find out, just drop me a line asking to be placed on our regular
mailing list for the information.�

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This article is posted as a public service by The Nature Trust of West
Vancouver, B.C. Canada. The Nature Trust is a Charitable Corporation
(#0398650-53), which is dedicated to conserving areas of ecological
significance in British Columbia. If you wish to make a donation, please
call (604) 925-1128.

Since 1971, The Nature Trust and its partners in conservation have
invested more than C$25 million to secure over 200 acquisitions in British
Columbia. These cover 13,055 strategically located hectares (32,259
acres), thus creating a legacy of grasslands, marshes, forests and
mountains that protect the plan and wildlife species they nurture.

This article is copyright, (c) 1995, by The Nature Trust of British
Columbia, 808-100 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V7T 1A2.
All rights reserved. 

E-mail should be addressed to: nature.trust@morgan-news.com