Two new charity partners have joined the fundraising effort to make donating to the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail project easy and secure.
Splatsin, Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), and Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) rail trail ownership partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shuswap Community Foundation (SCF), and Community Foundation of the North Okanagan (CFNO). The SCF and CFNO will now be accepting all public donations and holding them in a special reserve fund earmarked for the construction of the Rail Trail.
“We are extremely excited to be partners in the development of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail into a world-class, year-round destination for people to enjoy. The new trail will offer increased access to green space in the spectacular Shuswap and will contribute to the physical and mental wellbeing of residents and visitors alike”. Roger Parenteau, Manager – Shuswap Community Foundation
Together with the help of private donors the rail trail partners are building a world-class, 50 kilometre of non-motorized rail trail that will connect our communities to each other, our past to our future, and our citizens to healthy active lifestyles.
“We are embarking on a journey in partnerships with other jurisdictions to show the world that we as Splatsin te Secwepemc have much to offer in our rich connection to the lands and water with our culture, songs and dances, we are still here after thousands of years, the land is the ashes of our ancestors,” said Splatsin Kukpi7 (Chief) Wayne Christian.
YOUR DONATION HELPS ACCESS GRANT FUNDS
One metre of hard-packed aggregate trail surface costs approximately $160, and with 50,000 metres to go, our fundraising goal is $8,000,000. If we can raise funds to surface the trail, those funds can help leverage government funding to address all the other layers.
All contributions are tax deductible and tax receipts will be issued for any donation over $20. Donations to Shuswap Community Foundation can be made via credit card, cheque, etransfer or cash. For more information or to donate, visit www.shuswapnorthokanaganrailtrail.ca/donate
A NEW WAY TO CONTRIBUTE
A gift of publicly traded securities can also be an attractive option to Rail Trail donors. The Income Tax Act provides that capital gains on securities donated to a charity are exempt from tax, while the donor will receive a tax receipt for the full appreciated value.
When you sell your shares for cash, you are responsible for the tax due on the gain, even if you plan to donate the proceeds from the sale. If you pay the tax out of those proceeds, there is less money left to donate. Your preferred charity receives a smaller donation, and you have a smaller donation to claim for your charitable tax credit at the end of the year.
When you donate securities directly to Shuswap Community Foundation, those capital gains are not subject to tax. This means the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail receives a larger gift, and you benefit from a tax receipt for the full value of your eligible securities or equity mutual funds. Contact Shuswap Community Foundation by email at [email protected] or phone 250-832-5428 for more information.
More information on the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail can be found at: www.ShuswapNorthOkanaganRailTrail.ca
Media Contact:
Alex de Chantal
Fundraising Strategy Coordinator
250-682-9363
