2 Overlea Boulevard
Toronto, ON M4H 1P4
CEO: Evelyn Diaz
Board Chair: Floyd Tidd

Charitable Reg. #:10795 1618 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 2/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

B-

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

Low

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

79%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 79 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Salvation Army:

The Governing Council of the Salvation Army in Canada is a 2-star, Major 100 charity. The charity is financially transparent and has Low demonstrated impact. It has a below-average results reporting grade and reasonable overhead spending. Salvation Army has $1.6 billion in reserve funds, which can cover two years and four months of program costs.

Working in Canada since 1882, the Governing Council of the Salvation Army in Canada (Salvation Army) is part of a Christian international organization. It strives to help people struggling with addiction, lacking access to basic needs and experiencing hardships. Salvation Army mainly works in Canada and Bermuda and is the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada. Today, it serves 400 communities across the country. Its main programs focus on Addiction Services, Health Care, Community and Family Services, and Congregational Ministries. The charity reports helping over 2.7 million people in F2023. 

While the charity's F2024 financial statements were released at the time of this profile update, the charity had not yet released its F2024 annual report. Some of the program information below comes from the F2023 annual report. 

Addiction Services was 39% of program spending in F2024. This program aims to help people with substance use disorders. The charity runs 19 Addiction Services programs in Canada and Bermuda. In F2024 Salvation Army provided 5,500 shelters, addictions, detox, and mental-health beds each night.  

Health Care was 32% of program spending in F2024. Salvation Army works to improve people’s physical and mental health. In F2024 the charity provided 248 hospital beds, 1,158 long term care and supportive housing beds, and 30 hospice beds. In F2023 82,000 people were visited in hospitals, nursing homes, daycare centers and other facilities. 

Community and Family Services was 14% of program spending in F2024. This program included food, housing support and life skills building. The charity states that it has 250 community and family services locations around the country. In F2023 the charity assisted 1.5 million people with food, clothing and practical assistance. Salvation Army sent food hampers and toys to 359,000 people at Christmas. In F2024 the charity served 3.2 million community meals. In the same year it received 1.1 million visits to community and family services. 

Congregational Ministries was 7% of program spending. The charity reports that it currently has over 300 churches across the country. 

The remaining 8% of program spending went to Other Programs and Services (3%), Children and Youth (3%), Educational (1%), and Overseas Development and Missions (1%).  

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Results and Impact

Salvation Army reports that in F2024, 345 people graduated from its addictions and rehabilitation programs. The charity also reports that in the same year it removed 98 individuals from human trafficking situations. 

As part of Community and Family Services, Salvation Army supports the Pathway of Hope program. This program provides individualized support to achieve short- and long-term goals. These goals typically relate to housing, employment, education, health, or financial stability. In F2023, the program has seen the following outcomes: 54% of housing goals achieved, 47% of employment goals, 46% of education goals, 48% of health goals, and 55% of financial stability goals. 

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Salvation Army’s results and impact. 

Charity Intelligence has given Salvation Army a Low impact rating based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent. 

Impact Rating: Low

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Finances

Salvation Army is a Major 100 charity, one of the largest charities in Canada in donations. In F2024, Salvation Army received $237.2m in Canadian donations. It also received $440.6m in government funding (44% of total revenue) and $63.7m in fees for service (76% of total revenue).  

Administrative costs are 10% of total revenue excluding investment income. Fundraising costs are 11% of Canadian donations. This results in total overhead spending of 21%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 79 cents are available for programs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

In F2024 the charity spent $681.6m on its programs, which is 68% of total revenues. The charity had a $205.3m operating surplus, which is 20% of its revenues, and $54.2m in capital expenditures. 

Salvation Army has $1.6 billion in net funding reserves ($1.7 billion in cash and investments less $53.0m in interest-bearing debts). Its liquid assets also include $31.9m in donor-endowed funds. Salvation Army’s net funding reserves, excluding donor-endowed funds, can cover annual program costs for around two years and four months. 

Salvation Army’s reserve funds earned investment income of $181.2m in F2024. This represents an annual return on investment of 13% compared with investment returns of 3% in F2023. The average annual return on investment for the past five years is 8%. As of F2024, the charity holds its investments in stocks (51%), bonds (25%), and real estate/infrastructure (23%). 

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

Updated on July 23, 2024 by Alessandra Castino. 

 

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202420232022
Administrative costs as % of revenues 10.0%10.7%7.7%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 11.1%11.0%9.2%
Total overhead spending 21.1%21.7%16.9%
Program cost coverage (%) 232.2%236.2%254.9%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202420232022
Donations 237,154234,730259,582
Government funding 440,555389,966388,265
Fees for service 63,72458,59154,206
Business activities (net) 22,42422,7446,544
Investment income 181,18736,85435,221
Other income 61,67818,56626,228
Total revenues 1,006,722761,451770,046
Program costs - International 6,3767,2086,349
Program costs - Canada 675,185596,970554,909
Administrative costs 82,49777,84856,894
Fundraising costs 26,35425,82123,825
Other costs 11,0079,43812,035
Total spending 801,419717,285654,012
Cash flow from operations 205,30344,166116,034
Capital spending 54,19650,16347,605
Funding reserves 1,610,5881,455,4901,458,609

Note: DEEFERRED REVENUES: Ci adjusted for deferred revenue and included this amount in other income, as it is unclear from the charity’s audited financial statements whether this is government or non-government revenue. This affected revenues by $38.2m in F2024, $3.1m in F2023, and $13.4m in F2022.  BUSINESS ACTIVITY: Ci has reported Thrift Store operations as net of expenses in revenues, reducing total revenues and expenses by $162.4m in F2024, $155.1m in F2023, and $145.5m in F2022.  GAIN ON DISPOSAL OF CAPITAL ASSETS: Ci removed gain on disposal of capital assets, decreasing revenues by $59.3m in F2024, $18.8m in F2023, and $14.1m in F2022.  COMPENSATION: At the time of this update the F2024 T3010 filing was not yet available, hence the compensation information is from F2023. 

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 1,872

Avg. compensation: $63,165

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
1
$300k - $350k
2
$250k - $300k
7
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
0
$80k - $120k
0
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2023

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.salvationarmy.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 416-425-2111

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001