Resources for the administration of the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act

Here you will find information to help you with the administration of your institute.

Reporting requirements

Reports are to be filed annually, as stated in the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation: 

• Section 9 (1) The secretary of each farmers' institute shall file an annual report to the superintendent, on the form provided by him, within 7 days after the annual general meeting
• Section 9(2) The secretary of each women's institute shall deliver an annual report to the secretary treasurer of the British Columbia Provincial Board of the B.C. Women's Institute, on the form provided by the Superintendent, within 7 days after the annual general meeting, and she shall file all of the annual reports with the superintendent

Bylaws and constitution

If an institutes' approved bylaws that are on file with the Province have not been altered from the original form bylaws in the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation from 1920 to 1984, the current form version of the Constitution and Bylaws in the Farmers and Womens Institutes Regulation is in effect, as per section 12 of the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation.

New or updated bylaws and/or constitution can be proposed by an institute for approval by Extraordinary Resolution to the Superintendent of Farmers' Institutes.

Registration of farmers' and women's institutes

All institutes and district institutes should be individually registered under the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act. To register a Farmers' or Women's Institute contact the Superintendent of Farmers' Institutes.

Institutes have not-for-profit designation, but are not necessarily registered charities, as that is a federal designation.

BC Registry Services do not include institutes registered under the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act. This Act and the registration of institutes is administered by the Province.

Information about the incorporation, registration, maintenance and dissolution of farmers' and women's institutes are not on a publicly searchable database, so it is not uncommon for companies or governments doing checks into legal status to struggle with finding registration information to verify the status of institutes.

Confirmation of institute incorporation under the Act

To confirm that an institute is incorporated under the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act for issues such as grant applications, please request a letter of “Confirmation of Institute Incorporation” from the Superintendent of Farmers' Institutes. This letter is issued when it is confirmed that an institute is current with their Annual Reports. It will include the Institute Incorporation Number. Requests should be sent to AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca.

Extraordinary Resolution

Extraordinary Resolutions are to be submitted at a General Meeting, and are defined in the Act as follows:

• "Extraordinary Resolution" means a resolution passed by 2/3 of the members entitled to vote who are present in person at a general meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as an extraordinary resolution has been given

As per section 15(2) of the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act, only a member in good standing under the bylaws is entitled to vote on an extraordinary resolution.

When to submit an Extraordinary Resolution

The form bylaws under the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation can only be amended through an extraordinary resolution. The following are other situations under which you are required to submit an extraordinary resolution under the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act. An institute's approved new or amended bylaws may indicate other instances.

Borrowing powers

•  Section 8(2): Debentures must not be issued without approval by an extraordinary resolution

Membership in other societies

• Section 10: If authorized by an extraordinary resolution, an institute may subscribe to, become a member of and cooperate with another society or association, whether incorporated or not, if all or some of its objects are similar to the objects of the institute

Change of constitution

• Section 11: An institute, by extraordinary resolution, may change its name or its objects to include an object that may conveniently or advantageously be combined with its existing objects

Surrender of certificate of incorporation

• Section 20(1): An institute may, by extraordinary resolution, surrender its certificate of incorporation

Voting

• 15(2) Only a member in good standing under the bylaws is entitled to vote on an extraordinary resolution

Meetings

Certain requirements for meetings are stated in the form bylaws in Schedule 2 of the Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation. Please note that the form bylaws could be subject to changes by an institute, if approved by the Superintendent. Your bylaws may include other or different requirements for meetings than the following:

• The president or any 2 directors may convene a general meeting, and on a meeting being convened the secretary shall notify all members of the time and place where the meeting shall be held
• The secretary shall give 7 clear days notice in writing of the date, time and place of every annual or general meeting to every member at his recorded address and the secretary shall, when directed by the directors, advertise the meeting by the means that the directors determine
• If an annual or general meeting is not held on the day specified in the notice calling it, it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and place, and if it be not then held, the directors shall call a fresh meeting
• At an annual or general meeting the quorum is 5 members

Annual general meeting

The Farmers and Womens Institutes Act Regulation requires that the annual general meeting of an institute shall be held not later than 3 months after the end of the fiscal year.