Operating for over 30 years, the Ontario Knights of Columbus Charity Raffle was initially known as the C.A.R.S Raffle and the prizes consisted of 10 cars. The reason for this was that the raffle was instituted to provide assistance to the Canadian Arthritis Society (CAR S) and that organization has been the primary recipient of funds from that raffle for every year of operation.

The raffle is provincially licensed under the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission and the license is held by the Knights of Columbus Ontario Charity Foundation Inc. The raffle is administered by the Ontario State Office under the authority of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

In order to provide purchasing opportunities for as many Ontario residents as possible, tickets are sold by members of the more than 500 local subordinate councils of the Knights of Columbus in Ontario. The councils act as selling agents for the license holder. In consideration of this the councils receive 5% of their gross sales as a commission.

Tickets are normally available for sale from individual knights or at other commercial outlets like shopping malls from September / October each year until the draw date which always falls on the Sunday of the Victoria Day weekend in May. The results of the draw are published in three newspapers, indicated on the tickets, the second Tuesday after the draw. See our winners list.

The raffle has evolved over the years to its present prize board of 7 vehicles, 1 Travel voucher, 4 trips and 12 cash prizes (1 X $50,000, 1 X $25,000, 5 X $10,000 and 5 X $5,000). The recipients of the charitable funds derived from this project has now grown beyond just the Arthritis Society, which is now specifically the Ontario Division of the Arthritis Society in order to abide with the Lottery Commission rules and regulations, to a list of suggested recipients whose activities meet the moral teachings and guidelines of the Roman Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. In addition to the donations made by the Foundation, 35% of the gross sales are returned to the local councils for their donations to their local charities which comply with the list of recipients published by the Foundation.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors thanks all who have purchased tickets over the years and hope that your generosity will continue and increase. We hope you will buy a ticket or 2 and with that goes our wishes for “Good Luck in the Draw”

Annual Charities Raffle Winners List
Draw Held May 22, 2011

2011 Raffle Winners List (PDF)