Church Finances
George Klima, Victoria, BC
Volume 41 Issue 4, 5 & 6 | Posted: June 2, 2026
Churches have been closing across Canada, including Catholic churches due to financial pressures. Some churches have been re-purposed to accept community activities. Some have merged with other denominations. Parishes have responded to financial challenges with special appeals, selling assets, and seeking community aid.
The financial pressures on churches come from rising costs of all sorts: e.g., maintenance, leases, insurance, salaries, and utilities. The Archdiocese of St John’s was forced into liquidation due to a $121 million settlement for victims of abuse.
At the same time that costs have risen, revenue is declining due to reduced attendance. Between 1971 to 2021, Canadians who identified as Roman Catholic fell from 47 per cent to 39 per cent and attendance fell even more sharply, from 43 per cent to 27 per cent.
Further to the steps parishes are already taking, immigrant Catholics may be the group that saves churches. In 2021, foreign-born Canadians constituted 10 per cent of Catholics. However, in any given year, some 80,000 – 85,000 immigrants identify as Catholics – with the largest numbers having arrived from Philippines and Latin America.
The attendance among immigrants is double that among Canadian-born Catholics. Since parish collections contribute some 70 per cent of a parish’s revenue, the support from immigrant Catholics could stabilize parish churches
George Klima,
Victoria, BC
George Klima, Victoria, BC