[Image description: A collage of photos of people at GCTC, including people sitting or standing and clapping in the audience, actors on stage, or audience members in conversation in the lobby.]
Leave a Gift in Your Will
Contribute to Ottawa’s creative future by including GCTC in your estate planning. Your legacy support ensures GCTC continues to be a place where art thrives for future generations.
GCTC was founded in 1975 by a group of professors and graduate students at Carleton University that envisioned a company that would only produce Canadian plays, especially those with social relevance. As we move into our second half century, we continue to foster, produce and promote excellent theatre that provokes examination of Canadian life and our place in the world. HELP US KEEP THAT MISSION ALIVE FOR THE YEARS TO COME.
Leave a gift in your will...
to give your family, friends and neighbours a place to gather with the purpose of enjoyment, reflection and connection.
to allow Canadian voices and perspectives be heard
to encourage conversations that move us towards a more peaceful and empathetic future
Leave a gift in your will if you would like others to experience the same magic that you feel coming here.
Ways to Leave a Legacy
There are several simple and flexible options to include GCTC in your legacy planning:
A Gift in Your Will – leave a fixed amount, a specific asset, or a percentage of your estate.
Gift of Life Insurance – name GCTC as a beneficiary or transfer ownership of a policy.
Retirement Funds – designate GCTC as a beneficiary of your RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA.
Charitable Remainder Trust – receive income during your lifetime, with the remainder going to GCTC.
Securities and Stocks – gifts of publicly traded securities may offer tax advantages.
Why I Chose to Leave a Legacy Gift
Michael Aylward
Legacy Donor and Chair of the Board, GCTC
Hi. I’m Michael Aylward, Chair of the Board at GCTC, and a lifelong lover of theatre. My journey began in Grade 9 when I joined the drama club at my Saskatchewan boarding school. My big role? Pulling a string to roll a tumbleweed across the stage for a George Ryga play. That moment captured me, and I’ve loved Canadian theatre ever since.
Though my career didn’t take me into theatre, it remained a vital part of my life. Since returning to Ottawa in 2000, I’ve been a loyal GCTC subscriber and now board member. I consider GCTC not just a community treasure, but a national one.
Recently, my wife and I wrote our wills. Of course, I wanted to leave something for our daughter and granddaughters. But more than wealth, I want to leave them a world rich in meaning—one where institutions like GCTC affirm and reinforce values that matter to me and make our community and nation a rich and wonderful place to live. I want for my daughter and grandchildren a world in which our stories, stories of our fellow Canadians, are told and celebrated in our theatres, in our communities.
That’s why GCTC is one of the organizations we’ve chosen to support with a gift in our wills. If you love this theatre as I do, I encourage you to consider making it part of your legacy too.
[Image description: Photo of a man with a light beard, wearing a wide brimmed hat and tan coloured button up shirt, with dark framed glasses, who is smiling at the camera. Behind him are trees.]
Recognition of Your Gift
We understand that recognition is a personal choice. Whether you wish to be celebrated publicly or remain anonymous, we will respect your wishes and honour your legacy with care and gratitude.
Your name can be acknowledged on:
The donor wall at GCTC
Our show programs
The donor list on the GCTC website
Let’s Talk
We’d love to connect with you about your legacy. For more information or to let us know that you’ve included GCTC in your plans, contact:
Carolina Gallegos
carolina@gctc.ca
613-236-5192 ext. 226
Thank you for considering a legacy gift to GCTC. Your generosity will ensure that theatre continues to inspire generations to come.
Legal Information
To include GCTC in your estate planning, please use the following legal details:
Legal Name: Great Canadian Theatre Corporation
Address: 1233 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, ON, K1Y 0G7
Charitable Registration Number: 119235836 RR0001
Sample Will Wording
Here is sample wording you can use to include GCTC in your will:
Residual Bequest (percentage of your estate):
“I give to the Great Canadian Theatre Corporation, currently located at 1233 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 0G7, [__]% of the residue of my estate for its general purposes.”
Specific Bequest (a fixed dollar amount):
“I give to the Great Canadian Theatre Corporation, currently located at 1233 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 0G7, the sum of $[__] for its general purposes.”
Please consult your lawyer or estate planner to finalize any bequest language.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to be wealthy to leave a legacy gift?
Not at all! Anyone can leave a legacy gift. Every gift, no matter the size, helps build a vibrant cultural future.
Q: Can I change my mind later?
Yes. A gift in your will is fully revocable—you can change it at any time.
Q: Will my gift be confidential?
Absolutely. We keep all information about your gift confidential unless you wish otherwise.
Q: How will my gift be used?
Unless designated for a specific purpose, your gift will support GCTC’s ongoing artistic and community work where it’s needed most.
The Great Canadian Theatre Company accepts the following methods of payment:
