Do you charge GST?
No, EMSAA is a registered non-profit in the province of Alberta under the Society’s Act (Non-Profit #5019853380), as per legislation & Canadian Revenue Agency rules we’re not required to charge GST unless we generate over $30,000 in revenue within a year.
Why can’t I order more than 5 coins at a time?
This is done to ensure the appropriate shipping costs are applied to the number of coins ordered; the coins are being shipped with Canada Post Lettermail, and there are weight restrictions to that category, so we had to max out the number of coins per order.
Can I re-order more coins if I want more than 5?
Yes! You’ll have to place another order & we’ll ship that one to you as well, it will be in a separate envelope to ensure we don’t have Canada Post return anything.
Why do the shipping costs change?
The shipping costs are set up based on the weight of the coins, the weight of the envelopes, and the cost of the envelopes.
Why are you using stamps for shipping instead of targeted shipping @Canada Post outlets?
EMSAA at present is a very small organization & the shipping is being managed out of our personal residences, so having the ability to use stamps then place the envelopes in the neighborhood post box allows us to ship the coins much faster. If we weren’t using stamps, we’d be going to the local Canada Post outlet possibly on a daily basis, and this just isn’t feasible. Using stamps does increase the cost of shipping slightly, however it also increases our ability to ship faster. We have also tested the PayPal linked Canada Post shipping method, and the shipping costs become rather ridiculous, greater than $8 per package.
Why aren’t you using an online shipping system with the online store?
Unfortunately the online shipping systems all have a cost to them, and aren’t fantastic with dealing with Canada Post Lettermail. So we’re trying to keep costs down as much as possible. We have also tested the PayPal linked Canada Post shipping method, and the shipping costs become rather ridiculous, greater than $8 per package.
When do you ship my coins?
Relatively quickly since we’re shipping with Canada Post Lettermail & stamps. Once your status is updated to Completed then the coins have put in the mail to be shipped to you. Since this is being done out of our personal residences, so we won’t be shipping on an everyday basis, it’ll likely be a weekly basis.
Once Shipped, when should I expect them to show up?
Canada Post Lettermail shows Local (Edmonton) as 2 days, within a province (Alberta) 3 days, and national as 4 days. Canada Post Lettermail Timeframes
Why are you using PayPal for online payments?
PayPal is a very user friendly easy to use payment system, and easily linked into the WooCommerce online store. With PayPal you can pay with your PayPal account if you have one, or just simply pay with your credit card.
If I see a board member, can I get a coin from them in person?
Yes & No. We’re moving to the majority of the sales to be online, however Sean Vesak (Treasurer) usually has coins with him while at work, so you maybe able to get one from him directly when he’s not engaged in patient care, and can pay via cash, e-transfer, or using the PayPal system (he has a special code that cancels the shipping costs in this situation). You can also get coins in person from Ron Ree in Peace River, he also has a special coupon code that cancels the shipping for you. Please ensure that if you are purchasing a coin in person that you don’t use the online ordering system prior as you will be charged shipping if you do.
Doesn’t PayPal charge fees?
Yes unfortunately. Despite being a registered non-profit, we still get charged 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
I entered my shipping & billing information into PayPal’s Express Checkout, did you get that information since I didn’t enter it in on your store’s website?
Yes, the online store & PayPal accounts are linked, so if you used Express Checkout, your address is returned to us & we know where to ship your coins.
Do you keep my personal credit card or banking information?
No. Since we’re using PayPal for online payments, all of your personal information is managed by them via their secure servers, we do not have any of your banking information at any time.
What Does the Alberta EMS Challenge Coin Cost?
$25. At present $20 is to cover cost of the coin and to fundraise for future EMSAA projects (Retirement Gifts, Years of Service Pins, etc). The other $5 is being put towards the PIN Fund (Paramedics In Need Fund) with the funds from the first 300 sold going directly to the Slawuta Family, and due to the likelihood that Bill will need a lot more support we are likely to commit more than the initial 300 coins sold.
How Do I Know The Money Is Going Where You Say It’s Going?
EMSAA is a registered non-profit in the province of Alberta under the Society’s Act (Non-Profit #5019853380), and we have to abide by legislation in regards to how the funds are managed. Yearly we have to submit our financial books to the Alberta Government for auditing, and our books have to be internally audited by board members other than the Treasurer.
We also plan on publishing our finances on the website at least yearly to allow anyone with a vested interest in what we are doing to see where the money is and email us with questions if they have any.
Is EMSAA a registered charity?
No, not at present. However if revenues from challenge coin sales, other products, or the PIN Fund exceed $30,000 we will be looking at obtaining charity status.