Humanist Canada

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.

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

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

• Secular ceremony officiants
• Humanist chaplaincy services
• Membership-based advocacy
• Nonreligious community building
• Secular educational programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association humaniste du QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-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 AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial 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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the secular and freethought community. Collaborated on research quantifying the cost of religion in Canada and joint advocacy on secularism issues.
• Humanists InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal 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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic 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) CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare advocacy partner. Humanist Canada hosted a webinar with NAF Canada on abortion care in Canada and collaborates on reproductive justice advocacy.
• Canadian Armed ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional 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 TorontocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor city affiliate providing local programming, community events, and member services in the Toronto area. Co-partner in Pride parade activities.
• Ontario Humanist SocietycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvincial affiliate in Ontario providing local programming and community connection. Co-partner in Pride parade activities.
• The Clown's CompassminorOthersPartner organization mentioned in humanist community context for climate action and legal initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkEh8_52CiQedhtcYhAcXg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humanist-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humanist Canada