Founded in 1997, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) protects fish and wildlife for Albertans to enjoy. According to ACA, Alberta’s rising population poses a threat to the province’s native habitat. The charity reports that as of 2019, Alberta’s population was over 4.4 million and 62% of the province had been altered by industrial or agricultural development. The charity focuses its efforts on three main areas: wildlife, fish, and land.

In F2020, ACA allocated 47% of total program spending to enhancing wildlife. The charity partners with ranches and farms to mitigate the effects of working operations on wildlife habitats, tracks the location and population of animals, and restores water quality by improving wildlife habitat along the shores of waterbodies. In F2020, ACA secured 100,000 acres of new ranching partnerships and raised 4,687 hens. The charity also released 28,610 pheasants and 760 roasters in Alberta to increase hunting opportunities.

ACA spent 28% of program spending on fisheries in F2020. Through the fisheries program, ACA conserves and manages fish species populations and habitats in Alberta. The charity focuses on increasing the populations of vulnerable species and improving opportunities for recreational harvest. In F2020, ACA stocked 61 waterbodies with 95,995 rainbow trout, 6,760 brook trout, and 2,500 brown trout. The charity also surveyed 24 rivers/creeks, 25 lakes, and 11 ponds to gather information on the fish population.

In F2020, ACA allocated 25% of total program spending to land management. The land management program works to restore damaged habitats and protect healthy ones. ACA’s goal is to ensure that all animals have a healthy habitat to live in. In F2020, ACA inspected 181 conservation sites and completed repairs on 60 sites. In total, the charity spent over 12,500 hours on management, enhancement, and maintenance of conservation sites in F2020.

In F2020, ACA reported $1.5m in grants; however, its T3010 filing reported only $934k granted to qualified donees. The charity grants money to support conservation activities that will increase the health of wildlife and fish populations. ACA also funds research projects on wildlife management and graduate students studying biodiversity.

In F2020, Alberta Conservation Association had total donations of $601k. Government funding represented 96% of total revenues in F2020. Administrative costs are 7% of revenues (less investment income) and the charity did not report any fundraising costs in F2020. This results in total overhead spending of 7%. For every dollar donated, 93 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

ACA has $6.0m in funding reserves, once $20k in debt is accounted for. The charity could cover 44% or five months of annual program costs with reserves.

Charity Intelligence sent an update of this report to Alberta Conservation Association for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 19, 2021 by Sydney Olexa.