Humanist Canada
Humanist Canada, founded in 1968 and headquartered in Ottawa, is Canada's national non-profit voice for humanism. It provides licensed officiant ceremonies, accredited chaplaincy services, and educational programs to members and institutions across Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Humanist Canada does
Humanist Canada is a federally incorporated non-profit membership organization founded in 1968, headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, that operates as Canada's national voice for humanism. The organization delivers three core service lines: (1) humanist ceremonies including weddings, funerals, memorials, and welcoming celebrations performed by a network of 110+ licensed humanist officiants across Canada; (2) accredited humanist chaplaincy services in institutional settings including the Canadian Armed Forces (where two humanist chaplains currently serve, representing the first such appointments in the Americas), hospitals, universities, and correctional facilities; and (3) educational and community programs comprising webinars (over 56 archived sessions), two podcast series (Humanist Canada Podcast and Choice Chat Podcast), a publishing arm (Humanist Canada Press), a member book club, weekly member gatherings, an annual student essay contest, and the Dr. Henry Morgentaler Scholarship Fund. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Martin Frith, with an Executive Director and small operational staff.
Humanist Canada firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Humanist Canada
- Legal name
- Humanist Canada
- Website
- https://humanistcanada.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Humanist Canada, founded in 1968 and headquartered in Ottawa, is Canada's national non-profit voice for humanism. It provides licensed officiant ceremonies, accredited chaplaincy services, and educational programs to members and institutions across Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Humanist Canada industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secular and Humanist Community Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Religious Organizations (81311)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ceremony Planning & Officiant Coordination (HSACABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH), Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI), Religious & Spiritual Festivals/Observances (Public Events) (MPAGAEAC)
Keywords
Where Humanist Canada is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Humanist Canada business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Humanist Canada generates revenue through annual membership dues from individual members across Canada. Members receive access to member-only content, community platforms, book club, and various member perks.
- Ceremony Officiant Services: Licensed humanist officiants conduct secular wedding ceremonies, funerals, memorials, and welcoming celebrations across Canada. While officiants set their own fees, Humanist Canada supports and credentials this network.
- Donations and Legacy Giving: The organization accepts charitable donations and encourages legacy giving through bequests in wills, supporting the ongoing mission and work of advancing humanism in Canada.
- Humanist Canada Press Publishing: Humanist Canada operates a publishing arm (Humanist Canada Press) that publishes books on humanist perspectives, such as 'This World First' by Marc Schaus and 'Humanism: Canadian Perspectives'.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Humanist Canada product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Humanist Canada delivers secular ceremony officiant services (weddings, funerals, memorials, welcoming celebrations) through a network of over 110 licensed humanist officiants, accredited chaplaincy services in military, healthcare, university, and correctional settings, training and certification programs for officiants and chaplains, and educational programming via webinars, podcasts, and publications. It operates as a membership-based national non-profit headquartered in Ottawa, serving Canadians through chapters, affiliates, and an online platform.
Product overview
Humanist Canada is Canada's national voice of humanism since 1968, operating as a membership-based nonprofit organization rather than a technology product company. The organization provides a portfolio of programs and services centered on humanist philosophy, including humanist ceremonies (weddings, funerals, memorials), chaplaincy services (accredited chaplains for military, healthcare, and institutional settings), educational programs (webinars, podcasts, book club, essay contests), publishing (Humanist Canada Press books and academic research), training programs (officiant and chaplain certification), advocacy (reproductive justice, secularism, human rights), and community events (World Humanist Congress, conferences, celebrations). The offerings are organized around advancing humanist values of reason, compassion, dignity, and justice without reliance on the supernatural.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Humanist Ceremonies and Celebrations Provides licensed humanist officiants to conduct legally recognized secular weddings, funerals, memorials, and welcoming celebrations without religious elements, for couples, families, and individuals across Canada.
- Humanist Chaplaincy Services Accredited humanist chaplains provide secular spiritual care in Canadian Armed Forces, hospitals, universities, and correctional facilities, addressing the gap in non-religious spiritual support in institutional settings.
- Humanist Officiant Training Program Training and certification program that prepares individuals to become licensed humanist officiants authorized to perform legal marriages and other secular ceremonies across Canada.
- Humanist Chaplain Training Program Cohort-based training program that prepares individuals to become accredited humanist chaplains eligible to serve in institutional settings such as the Canadian Armed Forces, hospitals, universities, and prisons.
- Humanist Canada Press Publications Publishing arm of Humanist Canada producing and selling books on humanist perspectives, including 'This World First' by Marc Schaus and 'Humanism: Canadian Perspectives'.
- Annual Membership Program Annual membership program providing individual members with access to member-only content, community platforms, book club, member perks, voting rights in organizational governance, and community programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Two military humanist chaplains now serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, making Canada a leader in military humanist chaplaincy in the Americas
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Humanist Canada
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Humanist Canada technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Humanist Canada partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Association humaniste du QuébeccoreFrench-language counterpart and strategic partner for humanism in Canada. Co-hosts annual essay contests for students on humanist themes and collaborates on advocacy for secularism and humanist values in Canadian education and public policy.
- BC Humanist AssociationcoreProvincial affiliate and key partner in British Columbia. Collaborates on advocacy campaigns including petitions to end prayer in the House of Commons and other secularism initiatives.
- Centre for Inquiry Canada (CFIC)minorPartner organization in the secular and freethought community. Collaborated on research quantifying the cost of religion in Canada and joint advocacy on secularism issues.
- Humanists InternationalcoreGlobal humanist organization. Humanist Canada is a member and participates in international humanist advocacy, conferences, and initiatives to protect humanists at risk worldwide.
- University of Waterloo (Institute for Religion, Culture, and Societal Futures)minorAcademic research partnership. Dr. Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, co-founder of IRCSF, has presented research on nonbelief in Canada through Humanist Canada platforms.
- National Abortion Federation (NAF) CanadaminorHealthcare advocacy partner. Humanist Canada hosted a webinar with NAF Canada on abortion care in Canada and collaborates on reproductive justice advocacy.
- Canadian Armed ForcescoreInstitutional partner for military humanist chaplaincy. Humanist Canada credentials and supports humanist chaplains serving in the CAF, including Anne Marie Tapp and Marie-Claire Khadij.
- Humanist Association of TorontocoreMajor city affiliate providing local programming, community events, and member services in the Toronto area. Co-partner in Pride parade activities.
- Ontario Humanist SocietycoreProvincial affiliate in Ontario providing local programming and community connection. Co-partner in Pride parade activities.
- The Clown's CompassminorPartner organization mentioned in humanist community context for climate action and legal initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Humanist Canada competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Humanist Association: National membership-based humanist advocacy organization in the United States, structurally analogous to Humanist Canada as a country-level 'voice of humanism' advancing secular values, ceremonies, and education.
- Centre for Inquiry Canada: Canadian secular and freethought advocacy organization and existing partner of Humanist Canada; competes for overlapping secular audiences and donor dollars in the same Canadian market.
- Humanists UK: The UK's primary humanist membership organization offering ceremonies, chaplaincy, advocacy, and education — the most direct functional analog to Humanist Canada's portfolio of programs and services.
- Association humaniste du Québec: Quebec-focused French-language humanist organization and existing strategic partner of Humanist Canada, jointly co-hosting essay contests and advocacy — a regional peer overlapping in audience and programming.
- Humanist Society of Scotland: Scotland's national humanist organization providing non-religious ceremonies, education, and chaplaincy services under a similar membership and credentialing model to Humanist Canada.
- Council of Australian Humanist Societies: Federated national body of Australian humanist societies, providing ceremonies, education, and advocacy — functionally comparable to Humanist Canada's national federation role across multiple state affiliates.
- Humanist Society of Friends: US-based organization that licenses ministers and celebrants for secular and humanist ceremonies — directly comparable to Humanist Canada's officiant licensing and credentialing program.
Others
- Humanists International: Global umbrella organization for the humanist movement and existing core partner of Humanist Canada; sits one level above as an enabling, networking, and advocacy body rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Freedom From Religion Foundation: Large US-based secular advocacy organization that overlaps with Humanist Canada's advocacy mission on separation of church and state, though it operates as a broader legal/advocacy incumbent rather than ceremonies-and-chaplaincy provider.
Emerging players
- The Satanic Temple: US-based non-theistic advocacy organization that, like Humanist Canada, has pursued government chaplaincy access and ceremonial rights; partially overlaps as a niche secular advocacy and chaplaincy peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Humanist Canada social profiles
Digital presenceHumanist Canada financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Humanist Canada leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Humanist Canada funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Humanist Canada M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Humanist Canada
What does Humanist Canada do?
Humanist Canada delivers secular ceremony officiant services (weddings, funerals, memorials, welcoming celebrations) through a network of over 110 licensed humanist officiants, accredited chaplaincy services in military, healthcare, university, and correctional settings, training and certification programs for officiants and chaplains, and educational programming via webinars, podcasts, and publications. It operates as a membership-based national non-profit headquartered in Ottawa, serving Canadians through chapters, affiliates, and an online platform.
Is Humanist Canada a public or private company?
Humanist Canada is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Humanist Canada founded?
Humanist Canada was founded in 1968. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Humanist Canada based?
Humanist Canada is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Humanist Canada make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are ceremony Officiant Services, donations and Legacy Giving and humanist Canada Press Publishing.
Who are Humanist Canada's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Humanist Association, Centre for Inquiry Canada, Humanists UK, Association humaniste du Québec, Humanist Society of Scotland, Council of Australian Humanist Societies and Humanist Society of Friends. Humanists International is listed as an others. Freedom From Religion Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. The Satanic Temple is listed as an emerging player.
Does Humanist Canada have an API?
No public API is recorded for Humanist Canada.
What industry is Humanist Canada in?
Humanist Canada's product category is Secular and Humanist Community Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACABAL, Ceremony Planning & Officiant Coordination, with a secondary code of BPAGAJAH, Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.