Gifts of Securities
You Will Benefit by Donating Your Publicly-traded Securities – Not Cash

You may not have the available cash, but you can still make a difference and benefit tax-wise by the gifting of “publicly-traded securities”. This is more tax-effective than selling the securities and donating the cash proceeds. If, for example, you sell units of a mutual fund and donate the proceeds to HCP, you will have an income inclusion of the taxable capital gain, which is equal to 50% of the capital gain realized upon the disposition of the units.

However, if you donate publicly-traded securities “in kind” to a HCP the inclusion rate on the capital gain is 0% instead of 50%.  Your charitable donation receipt is for the same amount as if you had donated the cash proceeds from the sale of the mutual funds, yet the tax owing on the capital gain is eliminated by donating the securities “in kind”.

Example: You want to make a $100,000 donation to HCP’s Couvelier Pavilion Campaign and receive the right to name a portion of the building.

You have a mutual fund investment valued at $100,000 that you donate.

• The adjusted cost base for this investment is $40,000.
• The unrealized capital gain on the investment is $60,000.

Income inclusion if you cash in the mutual fund and donate the proceeds: taxable capital gain is 50% x $60,000 = $30,000

VS

Income inclusion if an “in-kind” donation of mutual funds is made through a transfer of ownership to HCP: 0% x $60,000 = $0

In either situation, you will receive a charitable donation receipt for $100,000, which is the fair market value of the gift.

To donate Gifts of Securities go to the secure online form at Canada Helps or, contact the Executive Director, Roger Charles, at 250-479-6162 ; email: director@hcp.ca

Planned Gifts

Have your made a plan in your will to benefit the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP) Join the Heritage Club!

Ruby and Jack Littlepage are Charter Members of the Heritage Club; reserved for donors who have declared their intention to remember the HCP in their wills. Although they are already annual donors, they hope to be able to make a bigger impact with a bequest in their will. “I am happy to know that I can support HCP and a couple of other charities through bequests from my estate” says Ruby.

They know that by making their intentions known, they can ensure that the impact they would like to make with their gift matches the vision of HCP and will be carried out. It also gives the Gardens the opportunity to thank and recognize the Littlepage’s, and inspire others to make a planned gift.

Since becoming members in 2001, Ruby and Jack have demonstrated their commitment to the HCP through the hours they have logged volunteering at the gardens- for everything but gardening!

Ruby is a past President of the Board, Director, Acting College Director and is our most dependable office volunteer. Jack is the designer of the newsletter, has prepared brochures, cooked many a hot dog and even directed traffic at our big events.

Whether an active volunteer or just an admirer of beauty, conservation and education, you may wish to leave a legacy to the HCP through a gift of life insurance, a bequest or security from your estate. Such a gift can be transformational to the Gardens and the Pacific Horticulture College by providing endowed operating funds, new or renovated gardens, named bursaries and more. We first suggest you consult with your financial advisor and lawyer.

Sample Bequest Wording
It is recommended to word a bequest so that the Board of Directors can take care of the priorities of the day.
A. To bequest a sum of money, please insert into your will: ”I give to Horticulture Centre of the Pacific the sum of (amount)…”

B. To bequest a particular property(ies) such as real estate, stocks, bonds, jewellery, works of art, or other items, insert into your will: ”I give to Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (description of property)…”

(Unless the property is useful to Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, it will be sold, and the proceeds, less any appraisals and selling costs, applied per the terms of the bequest.)

Purposes of Bequests

Whatever the form of the bequest, it may be designated for unrestricted uses, for a restricted use, or to establish an endowment. Below are “purpose” clauses that can be added to any of the examples of bequest language listed above under the forms of bequest.

A.        Unrestricted use: “…to be used for the general purposes of Horticulture Centre of the Pacific.” [May also add, “... at the discretion of the Board of Directors.”]

B.        Restricted use: “…to be used for (detailed description of what the you want the bequest to accomplish).”

Donors are encouraged to communicate with the Executive Director to ensure that the restricted use is considered a request that can be honoured. Examples:

“…to be used in support of the maintenance of the Gardens”

“…to be used for support of volunteers.”

“…to be used for support of the College students.”

C.         Establish an endowment

“This gift may be merged with any of the investment assets of the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, but it shall be entered in the Charity’s books and records as the JOHN AND MARY JONES ENDOWED… (Conservation Fund, etc.). The income from the endowment shall be used to… (support the ongoing maintenance of trails and viewing areas in the conservation area…).”

Note: Before providing specific language for an endowment the donor(s) and their agents should check with appropriate officials of the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific to make sure that the proposed endowment is consistent with the mission of Horticulture Centre of the Pacific and that the amount of the bequest would be sufficient for the endowment.

Power to Vary Provision

It is recommended that the following paragraph be added if the bequest is either for a restricted use or to establish an endowment:

“If, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, it should become impossible, inadvisable, or impractical to use this gift for the specified purpose(s), then the Board may in their discretion use the gift to the best advantage of the Charity, keeping in mind the original wishes of the donor. In any such alternative application, the support provided by this bequest shall be clearly identified with the name of MARY JONES.”

To join the Heritage Club, or to discuss your wishes to make a difference, contact the Executive Director, Roger Charles, at 250-479-6162 or director@hcp.ca.