APPENDIX III: PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION WITHIN THE CHARITABLE SECTOR

Data compiled by Environment and Climate Change Canada shows the private land conservation sector in Canada includes 147 charitable organizations, based on a review of reports to the Canada Revenue Agency in 2018. In total, the sector holds $2.3 billion in assets, generates $396 million in revenue, and issues $87 million in tax receipts. The sector employs 1,463 full-time and 1,164 part-time or seasonal employees.(56)

The majority of private land conservation organizations operate in Quebec (32%), Ontario (27%) and British Columbia (19%), with the remaining 20% distributed across Alberta (7.5%), Saskatchewan (2%), Manitoba (1.3%), New Brunswick (3.4%), Nova Scotia (3.4%) and Prince Edward Island (2.7%). Two national private land conservation organizations represent roughly 1.3% of the total number of organizations.

A minority of private land conservation organizations employ staff, with 41% of these organizations offering full-time permanent positions and 59% operating without staff. Around 24% support one to six full time jobs, 13% support 7-26 positions and 4% over 50 full time jobs.

With respect to total annual revenue, 37% of private land conservation organizations have less than $100,000, 32% have $100,000-$600,000, 8% have 600,000 to $1.1 million, 16% have $1.1-$5 million and 6% over $5 million.

Around 7% of private land conservation organizations hold over $25 million in total assets, while 46% hold less than $1 million. The remaining 47% hold total assets ranging from $1 million-$23 million.

Within the broader charitable sector, there are 86,000 charities operating in Canada, of which environmental charities make up 2%, or roughly 1,720 organizations. The private land conservation organization community represents around 8.5% of environmental charities, and less than one percent of Canadian charities in total.

Table 5: Private Land Conservation Organizations with the Canadian Charitable Sector (57)

Canadian charities Private land conservation orgs    %
# of organizations    86,000    147    .17   
Assets    $519 billion    $2.3 billion    .44   
Revenue    $169 billion    $396 million    .23   
Jobs          1.5 million    2,627 (full- & part-time)    .18

Table 6: Charitable sectors by percentage of charities (58)

Percentage    Charitable Sector
7.50%    Religious   
22.40%    Social Services   
9.5%    Public Benefit   
9.4%    Arts & Culture   
7.6%    Health   
7.4%    Education   
2.0%    Environment   
1.6%    International   
0.8%    Animals   
0.3%    Indigenous Peoples

Table 7: Percentage of giving by Canadians per charitable sector (59)

Percentage Charitable Sector
41% Social Services
31%   Religious
26% Health   
19%    Education   
   16% Public Benefit   
12%    International   
7%    Arts & Culture   
6%    Animals   
5%    Environment   
1%    Indigenous Peoples

Table 8: Percentage of average government funding (all) as part of average revenue by charitable sector (60)

Sector    Av Revenue    Av Rev from Gov't    % Rev   
Health     16,352,316    13,357,255    82%   
Education    9,175,125    6,077,054    66%   
Social Services    1,504,381    931,498    62%   
Indigenous Peoples    2,427,199    1,394,112    57%   
Arts & Culture    974,026    501,384    51%   
Public Benefit    1,929,349    657,313    34%   
Animals    1,596,081    510,589    32%   
Environment    719,056    223,317    31%   
International    2,573,128    522,263    20%   
Religious    421,116    49,469    `12%

56. According to 2018 data available from the Canada Revenue Agency

57. Mark Blumberg, Canadian Charity Law (2021), Which Canadian charities had the largest assets in 2019?

58. Canada Helps, The Giving Report, Meet the Sector (some charities focus on more than one issue area, so are counted more than once)

59. Canada Helps, The Giving Report, Giving Facts

60. Canada Helps (2017), The Giving Report 2017