What you need to know

• Legacy giving is becoming more common in Canada. About 8% of Canadians have included a charitable gift in their will.
• Nearly one in three Canadians are thinking about leaving a gift of legacy.
• This growth in legacy giving is expected to bridge gaps in funding by unlocking tens of billions of dollars for charities across Canada in the coming years

I grew up in Yellowknife, NWT, in the 1970s, and it was a remarkable place: the lakes, the long walks home, the Northern Lights lighting up the sky. The world felt wide open.

Yellowknife was a self-contained town back then. We had everything you would expect from a capital city — grocery stores, recreational facilities, hospitals, government offices, and a library for about 10,000 people. But go 15 minutes in any direction and you would be in the middle of nowhere. Even television arrived late. Before satellites, the North didn’t have the infrastructure for live broadcasts, so TV came to town on magnetic reels by plane. We’d watch news events unfold a week after the rest of the country.

The start of my giving journey

I first heard about Plan International’s Child Sponsorship program when television finally arrived in the community, although it was called Foster Parents Plan at the time.

I was 16 and working after school and on the weekends at a local hardware store, called Bromley’s. With my new income, I decided I wanted to sponsor a child. At the time, it felt like a small thing that I could do. I eventually became an engineer and was part of a team involved in developing the SMARTboard – a whiteboard that children can touch and interact with during lessons. These boards are now used around the world, from classrooms in Canada and the U.S. to South America, Africa, and China.

Over the years, I’ve done many things. I’ve biked and travelled all over the world. But through it all, my connection to Plan has remained steady.

I am an idealist. A believer in a fairer world. I knew I was fortunate – to have supportive parents who were determined to give their children the best education possible. I knew not every child had those same opportunities.

I was (and still am) determined to do my bit to change that.

As I got older, that awareness stayed with me. It shaped the choices I made – quietly, over time. Supporting children and families through Plan became one of the ways I tried to live out that belief: by supporting 12 children through Child Sponsorship, responding to emergency appeals, or thinking about the kind of future I wanted to help protect – my legacy. There were no announcements or big gestures. Just small, consistent choices – my way of continuing to work toward that fairer world I believed in as a teenager.

A legacy of giving

I have two children of my own. My wife and I raised them to work hard and find their own way, and I’m grateful for the lives my children have built. Now they’re grown, with children of their own, and that has made me think more about the example I want to set.

Leaving a gift in my will felt like a natural extension of the values I’ve carried with me for years, to continue supporting children and to do my small part to help level the playing field.

A large part of my estate will go to my own children, but I’ve also carved out a piece for Plan in my will.

If someone were to ask me what advice I’d give for leaving a gift in their will, I’d laugh and say, “Do it – children are our future, and giving them a good start matters.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is a gift of legacy?

A gift of legacy is a way to support a cause you care about by including it in your will. It allows your values – fairness, opportunity, care for others – to continue making a difference after your lifetime, while still prioritizing your family and loved ones.

2. Is legacy giving only for wealthy people?

Not at all. Legacy giving is about intention, not income. Many people choose to leave a modest gift that reflects what matters to them. Gifts of all sizes help create long‑term change and are deeply meaningful.

3. Does leaving a gift in my will cost me anything now?

No. Leaving a gift in your will to a charity doesn’t affect your finances today. You continue to use your assets as you always have. Your gift only takes effect when your estate is settled.

4. What are the ways to leave a legacy gift?

There are a few simple ways Canadians choose to leave a gift of legacy, often using assets they already have in place. Some include a gift to a charity in their will, while others name a charity as a beneficiary of an RRSP, RRIF, or life insurance policy. There’s no single right way – just the one that fits your life and values.

5. Can I leave a bequest or legacy gift to my sponsored child?

We’re honoured by the intent, but we encourage legacy gifts to support children and communities wherever the need is greatest, rather than one specific child. That’s because legacy gifts take effect in the future, and needs can change over time. A flexible gift allows us to respond to those changes – supporting education, protection, and opportunity for children and families, including the communities you’ve cared about. But please reach out and we’ll do our best to meet your requests.

For more details, visit Plan International Canada’s planned giving page.