Poppy Trust Funds

Poppy Trust Funds

Remembrance is the cornerstone of The Royal Canadian Legion's work in Canada. The Poppy Campaign is a major source of funds used to assist veterans, ex-service people and their dependents.

Who Owns The Funds

Poppy funds are public funds, held in trust by the Legion until spent as designed. They must be kept in separate trust accounts. And they must be spent, not accumulated for a rainy day. Normally, at least 90 per cent of the funds collected each year should be spent before the next campaign.

What The Funds Do

The funds provide financial assistance to needy Canadian ex-service personnel, and merchant navy personnel possessing or eligible for campaign stars or decorations, and their dependents. Also eligible are ex-service personnel of other Commonwealth and Allied countries, now resident in Canada. Authorized uses also include:

• the cost of operating a service bureau or its equivalent;
• bursaries to children and grandchildren of ex-service personnel;
• prizes for promotional contests directly connected with the campaign;
• campaign costs, including the purchase of poppies, wreaths, promotional aids, canvassing supplies, reasonable expenses of poppy chairmen and committee members, advertising expenses and telephone, telegraph, postage and stationery.

Other Uses For The Funds

• community medical appliances and medical research;
• drop-in centers’ for the elderly, meals on wheels, transportation and related services for veterans, their dependants and the aged;
• donations for relief of disasters declared by the federal or provincial governments;
• under certain conditions, housing for ex-service personnel, the elderly and disabled;
• within limits, assistance to ex-service personnel and dependants of Commonwealth countries residing outside Canada, e.g. donations to the Legion's BECL Fund.

What The Funds Can't Do

• cost of branch administration
• purchase, erection, extension or renovation of branch premises;
• rental of property or purchase of equipment or furnishings for branch use;
• public-service projects such as recreational facilities;
• furnishings and non-medical equipment for hospital wards/rooms;
• subscriptions to newspapers or periodicals, even for hospitals;
• purchase of wreaths for funerals;
• transportation cost of funerals for relatives;
• any form of entertainment;
• bus tours for elderly veterans, or recreational pursuits;
• scholarships;
• maintenance of cemeteries;
• loans.