Wow aren't we so lucky to have generous souls like him in this world. /'s

Philanthropy and tax planning are dirty dirty industries. If he wants to give his money away that's fine. However instead of the different levels of government funding community and recreation centres, this guy gives $3.5 million and gets a tax credit of approximately $1.75 million. This is basically the government subsidizing his delusions of noblesse oblige. His tax credit takes tax revenue from the different levels of government where it could of been democratically dispersed and it allows one rich individual decide how that money should be spent without oversight or transparency.

Not only that, but the YMCA then spends a bunch of money paying for staff and administration to ensure the "stewardship" of this donor and his gift (basically sucking up to him) so they can secure more funding from him in the future.

We should just tax these people at a higher rate so we can take back the wealth they expropriate from society and spread it around. This way we can properly fund community services, education and healthcare and don't have to rely on donations that support philanthropists' delusions of noblesse oblige.