After this year, The Salvation Army will no longer be able to fundraise at the Avalon Shopping Center. It all comes down to religion

This is the last holiday season in which the Salvation Army’s annual kettle campaign will be allowed at the Avalon Shopping Center in St. John’s, thus ending a tradition that had been going on for several decades.

It all comes down to religion.

The Avalon Shopping Center is owned by Crombie REIT, a real estate investment trust that owns more than 300 properties nationwide, mostly grocery stores, shopping centers and plazas.

Crombie did not provide an interview to CBC News, but in an emailed statement he said he had updated his “community impact strategy” and would no longer work with any religiously affiliated organizations.

The Salvation Army also declined an interview with CBC News and provided a statement via email. He says Crombie isn’t the first company to stop holding fundraisers.

The statement said that “every year” organizations withdraw from hosting the Kettle campaign due to new corporate strategies or “concerns about our religious affiliation or misconceptions about inclusivity.”

Last chance

The Salvation Army has been raising money at the Avalon Shopping Center for many years as part of its kettle campaign. He says the money raised will go to causes such as food banks and soup kitchens, as well as school supplies, coats and toy hampers.

WATCH | A famous fundraising sight has been taking place at the Avalon Mall over the past year:

Avalon shopping center allows Salvation Army Christmas kettle campaign – but only for one year

This is a recognizable collection that has been held at Avalon Mall for 20 Christmas seasons. But as CBC’s Jessica Singer explains, while other charitable groups will continue to be able to use the mall space, the company is moving away from the Salvation Army and other religious groups.

Earlier this month, Crombie told the Salvation Army in St. John’s that it cannot run a kettle campaign in a shopping center over Christmas.

CBC News sent Crombie an email asking about the decision. Later that evening, the company contacted the Salvation Army, advising it would be permitted to set up the boilers this year, but noted that this holiday season would be its last.

“We have made the difficult decision to end our relationship with The Salvation Army, which we informed them earlier this year,” read an emailed statement from Elizabeth Engram, Crombie’s public relations manager.

“It has recently come to our attention that this change has unfortunately not reached our local branch in the Avalon Mall region. We can confirm that The Salvation Army will continue its collection campaign at our Avalon Mall during the 2024 holiday season.”

Crombie says organizations aligned with the new “community impact strategy” include United Way, First Light Friendship Center and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

It also says it will continue to work with VOCM Cares and the Happy Tree campaign. The Salvation Army is distributing donations made to the Happy Tree, but will not be able to open a store at the mall to collect its own money.

The Salvation Army claims to serve everyone regardless of race, gender or sexuality. He says the money raised by the campaign is essential to helping Canadians who need it most.

“These decisions have profound consequences,” read a statement from John Murray, one of The Salvation Army’s communications leaders.

“Supporting initiatives like the Kettle Campaign costs very little to the organizations that organize them, and yet the impact on Canadian families is immeasurable.”

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