The month of April is tax season for most Canadians, an appropriate time for the release of The Cost of Religion in Canada, “More Than Just Money,” the concluding report in our five-part series. In this series, CFIC reviews how the Canadian government subsidizes religious institutions in Canada. In this final report, CFIC summarizes the financial costs and explores the societal costs of Canadian religiosity.
“More Than Just Money” points out that there exists a negative correlation between state religiosity and quality of life: “Where faith determines (or significantly influences) public policy, society suffers from greater rates of homicide, violent crime, poverty, obesity, diabetes, child abuse, unemployment and teen pregnancy. Conversely, where governments neither support nor suppress religion, incomes tend to be higher, life spans longer, and people happier. This is true both between countries (Japan and Netherlands vs. Colombia and Pakistan) and within them (Vermont and New Hampshire vs. Mississippi and Alabama).”
This report summarizes the costs ($5.6 billion in 2019) associated with organizations which have obtained charitable status for the purpose of advancing religion. It reminds readers of the social costs of religion in Canada. Most grievously:
- Human rights violations caused by religious organizations’ exemption from government regulations related to anti-discrimination and human rights legislation, and
- Crimes against children, including those committed in Canada’s residential school system and Quebec “Duplessis” Orphanages.
Census data clearly illustrates that the number of non-believers in Canada is on the rise. Between 2001 and 2011 the number of people who indicated that they had no religious affiliation increased from 16.5 percent to 23.9 percent (2021 census data on religious affiliation is not yet available). However, CFIC raises concerns about the accuracy of this number. The wording of the question — “Indicate a specific denomination or religion even if this person is not currently a practicing member of that group” — artificially inflates the number of people identifying with a religion.
CFIC raises concerns about our governments’ religious activity to ensure that citizens understand both the cost of this activity and the harm it does to all Canadians.
This year, let’s say no to Canada’s “religious institution support tax” that amounts to $145 per Canadian per year. Tell your MP that it is time to end the inappropriate and expensive policy of treating proselytizing as a charitable activity. Canada is at its best when it lives up to its secular ideals: remaining neutral in matters of religion; showing no preference to any individual faith, nor to believers over non-believers.