Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis, a global confederation of more than 160 Catholic organizations. Created in 1967 by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, it has grown into one of the country’s main international solidarity organizations, with over 13,000 members engaged in its democratic movement for global justice.
Role of Development and Peace — Caritas Canada in the funding ecosystem
The organization carries out community development and humanitarian aid overseas by working in partnership with local organizations in the Global South. Through these partnerships, it channels financial resources, humanitarian support and capacity-building to initiatives that address the root causes of poverty, oppression and inequality. Typical interventions include long-term development projects, emergency responses and support for social movements, often focusing on women as key agents of change.
In Canada, Development and Peace — Caritas Canada mobilizes communities through education, awareness-raising, advocacy and action. Its funding model combines donations from individual supporters, parishes and communities with contributions from institutional funders and government partners, which are then redistributed to vetted partner organizations and joint projects abroad.
Key themes and approaches
- Partnership: Working closely with local organizations and movements in the Global South, emphasizing their leadership and priorities.
- Women at the heart of change: Supporting initiatives that strengthen women’s rights and leadership in development and peacebuilding.
- Education and mobilization in Canada: Campaigns, solidarity tours and youth engagement to foster long-term commitment to global justice.
- Advocacy: Influencing public policy in Canada and internationally on issues such as ecological justice, peace, food security and human rights.
Values, accountability and governance
Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is guided by core values of dignity, participation, solidarity, preferential option for the poor and integrity. It stresses accountability to members, local communities, partners, donors and institutional funders. The organization manages entrusted resources with transparency and reports on its learning and results. Governance structures are rooted in its membership base across Canada, reinforcing its identity as a democratic movement.
Supported audiences and global impact
Its financial support and partnerships target communities affected by conflict, environmental degradation, hunger and social exclusion across regions such as the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia. By combining overseas project funding with education and advocacy in Canada, Development and Peace — Caritas Canada plays a key role in the Catholic and broader civil society funding ecosystem for international solidarity.