Incumbent school board candidate Christopher JK Richardson named in second charity revocation

The Canada Revenue Agency revoked the charitable registration of Virtual Vancouver Foundation and, in its public reasons for the revocation, listed Christopher JK Richardson as an 'ineligible individual.' That status arises when a person has been involved with charities whose registrations were previously revoked after CRA audits. The Investigative Journalism Foundation reported this on October 13, 2026, four days before Vancouver's election day.

According to the Investigative Journalism Foundation, the CRA found that Virtual Vancouver Foundation failed to provide any records to substantiate its operations and expenses during an audit, even after auditors gave the foundation extra time to do so. The CRA's public revocation notice listed Richardson as one of two 'ineligible individuals' among the charity's directors, citing his history of previous revocations.

Under CRA rules, a person who has been a director of a charity whose registration was revoked for misconduct can be designated an 'ineligible individual' for five years. That designation gives the CRA the power to revoke the registration of any charity that lists that person as a director. The Investigative Journalism Foundation reported that Richardson has been a director at 12 charities that later had their registrations revoked after CRA audits.

Richardson told the Investigative Journalism Foundation he first learned of the Virtual Vancouver revocation last week, after it was published in the Canada Gazette. He said he has requested more information from the CRA and that it would be inappropriate to comment on the specific reasons until he receives a response. In an email to IJF, he wrote: 'This new information was not available when I decided to file my nomination papers.' He added that similar concerns arose before the 2022 election but he was sworn in without objection and completed his full term.

According to the Investigative Journalism Foundation, Richardson faced similar concerns about his charity record ahead of the 2022 Vancouver school board election. He was still sworn in as trustee in 2022 and completed his term. He is now seeking re-election as an independent candidate in 2026.

According to CRA records cited by the Investigative Journalism Foundation, Richardson previously served as a member of CHIMP: Charitable Impact Foundation's board. His nomination papers show he still receives income from CHIMP as its part-time vice-president of finance and administration. CHIMP is a charity founded by a person named Bromley's son John. CHIMP did not respond to IJF's request for comment.

The Investigative Journalism Foundation's databases show that Virtual Vancouver Foundation disbursed $40,001 in gifts to two other charities in 2025. Both of those charities have had Bromley or former Benefic staff members as board members, according to IJF. Overall, CRA records show more than $22 million in gifts between Virtual Vancouver and other charities since 2012, all of which had connections to Bromley or others at a company called Benefic.

The CRA's revocation of Virtual Vancouver Foundation's charitable status is an administrative action by the tax agency. The CRA has designated Richardson an 'ineligible individual' under charity law, which affects his ability to serve as a charity director. No court has made a finding against Richardson, and the revocation carries no criminal penalty.

Voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026. Advance voting runs until October 15 at locations across Vancouver. You can find your voting place and the hours at /where-to-vote. The school board race has nine seats. Voters can choose up to nine candidates from across all parties and independents on the ballot.

The Investigative Journalism Foundation published the full article at theijf.org on October 13, 2026. The article is by Bethany Lindsay, an award-winning investigative journalist based in Vancouver who covers white-collar crime. The IJF is a non-profit news organization that publishes investigative journalism in Canada. Some of its content requires a subscription.