Canadian Cancer Society is a 3-star rated charity and one of Canada's largest charities in terms of donations. The charity is financially transparent and has an above-average results reporting grade. Its overhead costs are outside of Ci’s reasonable range, and, with its current reserve funds, the charity can cover one year and eight months of its annual program costs and grants.  

Founded in 1938, Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) supports those affected by cancer and funds cancer research. It also advocates for policy change. The charity states that an estimated two in five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime. It adds that as of 2018, there were 1.5 million people in Canada living with or beyond cancer. In addition, the charity found that cancer patients face almost $33k in cancer-related costs in their lifetime. The charity runs two major programs: Support Programs and Research. Charity Intelligence calculates CCS spent $118.8m on its programs and grants in F2025. 

Support Programs received 55% of program spending in F2025. The charity supports people affected by cancer through online resources, an information hotline, transportation services, free wigs and prosthetics, and other services. CCS provided cancer information to 18.3 million website visitors in F2025. The charity reports that it assisted 334,000 people via smokers’ helpline and Talk Tobacco and supported 135,000 people in finding cancer-related services. It adds that it distributed 3,300 wigs and breast accessories. CCS’s Camp Goodtimes provides a fun and safe summer camp experience for kids affected by cancer. The charity reports that 700 people attended Camp Goodtimes in F2025.  

Research received 41% of program spending. CCS reports that it supported 470 cancer-related research projects. It adds that is began funding 100 new projects in F2025. CCS states that it supported 54 institutes across all 10 provinces and enables 3,973 people to access 119 clinical trials. 

Advocacy received the remaining 4% of program spending. CCS reports that 1,060 elected officials and policy-makers engaged in CCS advocacy. 

Learn more:  

Charity Intelligence's report on fundraising costs in the cancer sector and Canadian Cancer Society's merger with Breast Cancer Foundation: $67 million in cost-cutting. July 2019  

Charity Intelligence's report Cancer in Canada 2011  

Canadian Cancer Society is a Major 100 charity, one of Canada's largest charities in terms of donations. In F2025 it received $144.0m in donations. It also received $24.6m in government funding, representing 13% of total revenues. 

Administrative costs are 5% of revenues (less investment income), and fundraising costs are 36% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 41%. For every dollar donated, 59 cents go to the cause. This falls outside Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending. 

In F2025 CCS spent $118.8m on its programs and grants, which is 61% of its revenue. In F2025 it had a surplus of $16.1m. 

Canadian Cancer Society has $208.9m in net reserve funds, of which $9.6m is donor endowed. Reserve funds include CCS's cash and investments, net of debts and unfunded pension liabilities ($58.7m in cash, $153.9m in investments, $1.0m in debt and $2.7m in unfunded pension plan). Charity Intelligence has not deducted $15.5m in other unfunded non-pension retirement benefits. Excluding $9.6m of donor-endowed funds, Canadian Cancer Society funding reserves cover 169% or one year and eight months of annual program costs. 

CCS has committed $66.3m (32% of its funding reserves) to fund cancer research over the next four years: $35.1m in F2026, $21.6m in F2027, $5.8m in F2028, and $3.8m in F2029. 

In F2025, the charity paid external fundraisers $295k to raise $6.9m in donations. This means it cost Canadian Cancer Society 4 cents to raise a dollar through external fundraisers. 

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Canadian Cancer Society for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on November 21, 2025 by Victoria Allder. 

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