Legal update
Religious freedom at the Supreme Court
The EFC will argue in support of religious freedom at the Supreme Court on October 9. The Vabuolas case addresses whether the state can compel religious communities to release confidential records about decision-making on purely religious matters. The EFC and the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities argue that Charter protections include the ability of faith communities to deliberate, pray and make decisions on purely spiritual matters with the expectation of confidentiality.
Waiting for two key decisions
The case of a Christian ministry whose rental agreement was cancelled by the provincial government because of their beliefs was heard in February 2026. The EFC is part of a coalition arguing that religious groups should have equal access to public space and not be denied access because of their beliefs. The Quebec lower court has not yet released a decision in the Harvest Ministries case.
This spring a B.C. lower court wrapped up its hearing of a significant case related to conscience protection. Providence Health Care has been taken to court by a family and some euthanasia advocates who are challenging the B.C. government policy which allows faith-based facilities not to provide euthanasia. The EFC argued for a Christian hospital to be able to provide health care without compromising its Christian ethic. This case will determine whether faith-based health care facilities can be MAiD-free spaces.
National women’s study being translated, presented
The recent release of the National Study on Women in Canadian Evangelical Churches (WCEC) culminated nearly four years of planning and collaboration and two years of active research partnership. The online survey concluded with over 2,000 validated responses from across the country, providing a remarkably robust and rich dataset. The sheer volume of engagement from women underscores how deeply Evangelical women in Canada care about expressing their opinion through research, as well as a keen interest in the topic and an urgent need for this data.
The Centre and the research partners are profoundly grateful to the thousands of participants who took the time to share their vital insights. The research team is now shifting to resource expansion, translation, and national speaking engagements with the continued partnership and advocacy of affiliates.
First, the Centre is developing French-language translations to ensure the findings serve as much of the Canadian Church as possible. The full research report has been translated into French and can be accessed for free at: https://files.evangelicalfellowship.ca/research/L-etude-nationale-sur-les-femmes-dans-l-eglise-evangelique-canadienne-3-juillet-2026.pdf
French translations of the research were funded by the Charis Foundation. The EFC is grateful the foundation shared the EFC’s vision of making the resources available to French-speaking women so they see themselves reflected in this national portrait of Canadian evangelical churches.
Second, lead researcher Lindsay Callaway recently presented the WCEC research at a workshop for the Central Canada District Conference of the Wesleyan Church held in Brockville, ON. The large sample of survey respondents allowed Lindsay to customize her presentation based on the responses from Wesleyan and Holiness (traditions with Methodist roots) respondents. Lindsay will also be presenting at the Fellowship National Conference in November, where she will provide a custom look at Fellowship and wider Baptist trends in Canada.
By presenting the research, the EFC research team not only shares the national data and addresses critical findings but also advocates for data-driven support structures for women as they participate in their local churches. Change in response to research takes time, but the research team is quickly being invited into decision-making spaces, underscoring the immediate relevance of this research project.
If you're interested in having Lindsay speak about the research, you can fill out a speaker form on the EFC’s website.