Operations Manual

Member Content

In this section you will find the National Council’s Operations Manual.

Section 1 – Introduction

1.1 Mission and Values Statement
1.2 Logo
1.3 Organizational Chart
1.4 Role of the National Council

 

Section 2 – National Council Official Documents

2.1 Letter of Institution of the council of Canada dated September 27, 1971
2.2 Certificate of Incorporation, 1982, (Canada Corporations Act); Letters Patents
2.3 The National Council of Canada Charitable Registration- CRA #132410671 RR0001
2.4 Society of Saint Vincent de Paul National Council Bylaws

Section 3 – National Council Board of Directors

3.1 Board of Directors – Directory
3.2 Board of Directors – Code of Conduct
3.3 Fundamentals of Parliamentary Procedure      (Updated: 2017-12)

Section 4 – National Council Board Committees     (Updated 2024-01)

4.1 NC Board Committees – Table of Contents 
4.2 Role of Board Committees  

4.3 Standing Committees and Terms of References     (Updated 2024-01)

4.3.1  National Executive Committee    
4.3.4  National Strategic Planning Committee  
4.3.5  Statutes, Rule and Policy Committee   
4.3.6  National Twinning Committee    
4.3.7  Spirituality Committee    
4.3.8  Finance Committee    
4.3.9  Formation Committee    
4.3.10 Social Justice Committee    
4.3.11 By-Laws Review Committee   
4.3.14 Youth and Young Vincentians Committee  
4.3.15 Public Relations/Media Committee  
4.3.16 Stores Committee    
4.3.18 North of 60 Committee 

4.4 Ad hoc Committees and Terms of References     (Updated 2024-01)

4.4.1  Mediation/Arbitration Committee
4.4.2 Fund Development Committee  

Section 5 – National Council Personnel (On file in Ottawa office)

5.1 Personnel Policies
5.2 Description of work

Section 6 – National Council Policies and Administrative Procedures

6.2 Administrative (ADM)

6.2.1 ADM-001 New Incorporations & By-Laws    (2021-09)
6.2.2 ADM-002 Addressing Social Justice Issues
6.2.3 ADM-003 Dispute Resolutions Among Members of the Society
6.2.4 ADM-004 Member Screening and Related Mandatory Training    (Updated: 2017-12)
6.2.5 ADM-005 Conflict of Interest
6.2.6 ADM-006 Public Communications on behalf of the Society
6.2.7 ADM-007 Abuse, Discrimination and Harassment Prevention    (Updated: 2017-12)

6.3 Financial (FIN)

6.3.1 FIN-001 Fundraising Events- Respect for Boundaries
6.3.2 FIN-002 Expenditure of Society Funds and Issues of National Concern
6.3.3 FIN-003 Special Works – Stores Operations – Allocations of Funds
6.3.4 FIN-004 Special works – Non Incorporated Stores Operations
6.3.5 FIN-005 Reimbursement of Travel Expenses – National Council    (Updated: 2024-01)
6.3.6 FIN-006 Annual Contributions to the International Council General
6.3.7 FIN-007 Financial Contributions to the National Council of Canada    (Updated: 2025-03)

6.4 Twinning (TW)

6.4.1 TW-001 Twinning External – Designated Countries (2022-07)
6.4.2 TW-002 Twinning External – Contributions (2022-07)

6.5 Administrative Procedures (ADMIN PR)

6.5.1 ADMIN/PR-001 Policy Development
6.5.2 ADMIN/PR-002 Closing of Conferences/Councils
6.5.3 ADMIN/PR-003 Removal of a Member or Officer
6.5.4 ADMIN/PR-004 Existing Corporate By Law – Review/Approval Process (2021-09)
6.5.5 ADMIN/PR-005 Change of name of a Conference or Council
6.5.6 ADMIN/PR-006 Applying for a CRA Charities Business Number
6.5.7 ADMIN/PR-007 Application for Member Recognition Certificates (pins) (Updated:2017-04)
6.5.8 ADMIN/PR-008 Support to Conferences/Councils within Canada (Updated: 2017-04)

6.6 Governance Policy

6.6.1 GOV-001 Governance Policy
6.6.2 GOV-002 Approach to Governance
6.6.3 GOV-003 Board Evaluation
6.6.4 GOV-004 Directors’ Code of Conduct
6.6.5 GOV-005 Member Orientation
6.6.6 GOV-006 Board Roles and Responsibilities
6.6.7 GOV-007 Policy Review Process
6.6.8 GOV-008 Confidentiality
6.6.9 GOV-009 Policy on In-Camera Board Meetings
6.6.10 GOV-010 Delegation of Authority to the Chief Executive Officer
6.6.11 GOV-011 Executive Limitations
6.6.12 GOV-012 Board Member Compensation and Expense Reimbursement
6.6.13 GOV-013 Director Conflict of Interest
6.6.14 GOV-014 Contract Authority
6.6.15 GOV-015 Contracts – External Services
6.6.16 GOV-016 Diversity and Inclusion Policy
6.6.17 GOV-017 Sexual Harassment
6.6.18 GOV-018 Harassment-Personal
6.6.19 GOV-019 Use of External Advisors

Section 7 – Strategic Plan Documents

7.1 Strategic Planning

Section 8 – National Guidelines

8.1 Guidelines for social justice activities
8.2 Conflict of Interest Guidelines
8.3 Screening and Duty of Care Guidelines    (2024-03)
8.4 Twinning Guidelines    (2022-07)
8.5 Communications on Behalf of the SSVP Guidelines (2024-11)
8.6 Financial Guidelines     (2019-04)
8.7  Abuse Prevention Guidelines       (2017-04)
8.8 Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Guidelines    (Updated: 2017-12)
8.9 Starting a New Conference Guidelines    (2017-12)
8.10 Society of Saint Vincent de Paul National Council Branding Guidelines    (2017-09)

Section 9 – Official Forms

To access all the functions in these documents open the files in the latest version of Acrobat Reader, available here:  https://get.adobe.com/reader/
I recommend that you uncheck the Optional offers (McAfee) before installing.
Please open the links and save the documents on your computer before entering any information on the forms.

9.1 – 9.2 Aggregation and Institution information and forms
9.3 Annual Statistical Report Form / Annual Statistical Report Guidelines
9.4 Annual Financial Report Form / Annual Financial Report Guidelines
9.5 Application for a Conference Name Change/Merger AND/OR Closure of Conferences
9.6 Application for a Particular/Central Council Name Change/ Merger AND/OR Closure of Councils
9.7 Charity Number Information Page

9.8 Expense Reimbursement Form    (Updated: 2024-09)
9.9 Screening – Membership Application
9.10 Screening – Interview checklist/Reference Check Report
9.11 Screening – Member Service Covenant/Confidentiality Agreement    (Updated: 2025-03)
9.12 Screening – Member role description    (Updated: 2017-12)
9.14 Voting Members Proxy form
9.15 Twinning – Application Form (Twinning Resources)
9.16 Twinning – Annual Report to National Council (Twinning Resources)
9.17 Twinning – External Transmittal Form (Twinning Resources)
9.19 Catalog Order Form
9.20 Letter of Application for Certificates (Pins)
9.22 By-Law Approval/Signature Page
9.23 Abuse, Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Checklist and Acknowledgment Form    (Updated: 2018-01)
9.25 Home Visitations Form (SAMPLE)
9.26 Letter requesting nominations for Conference or Council President
9.27 Nomination Form for the Election of a Conference or Council President
9.28 Application for Funding    (Updated: 2020-04-05)

©2025 Society of Saint Vincent de Paul National Council of Canada
Charitable Registration Number: 132410671 RR0001
Privacy Policy

The SSVP National Council acknowledges the location of its office on the traditional, unceded territories of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation. In doing so, we acknowledge our responsibility to the Algonquin people and a responsibility to adhere to Algonquin cultural protocols.

Notice – Trademark / Copyright

The trademarks SOCIÉTÉ DE SAINT-VINCENT DE PAUL, SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL, SSVP, CONFÉRENCE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ DE SAINT-VINCENT DE PAUL, CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL, the motto SERVIENS IN SPE and the fish design (SSVP logo) shown in this document are trademarks of the International Confederation of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (“SSVP Global”), and used in Canada by Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – National Council of Canada (“SSVP Canada”) pursuant to a licence granted by SSVP Global. Unless otherwise indicated, the content of and the materials available from this document are protected by copyright and the intellectual property rights, pursuant to Canadian and international laws, of SSVP Global and SSVP Canada, as the case may be. All rights reserved. Any use or reproduction not authorized in writing by SSVP Global and SSVP Canada, as the case may be, is prohibited.