IJB unmasks Breast Cancer Canada’s mysterious financial recordsBCC raked in $18.8 million in 2021/2022 but only spent $1.4 million on its charitable mission. $13.9 million was spent funding its own fundraising
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An IJB investigation uncovers what Breast Cancer Canada actually does with its donations
BCC’s CEO Kimberly Carson. Photo by Andrew Francis Wallace, Toronto Star
In just two years, Breast Cancer Canada’s annual revenues skyrocketed from $1.2 million in 2019/2020 to $18.8 million in 2021/2022. The charity has said most of the money raised goes toward funding medical research and raising awareness about a devastating disease.
According to financial disclosures posted online, the charity spent more than 92 per cent of its nearly $16 million in expenditures in 2021/2022 on “charitable activities.” Breast Cancer Canada’s website links to these financial disclosures, encouraging the public to “see our donor dollars at work” in the name of “financial accountability and transparency.”
However, the charity has another set of financial documents that are not publicly displayed. These audited financial statements show the charity spending money much differently.
The charity’s audited financial statement for that same fiscal year shows Breast Cancer Canada (BCC) only spent $1.4 million on its charitable mission. The charity spent $13.9 million — most of the money it raised — on bankrolling its own fundraising, a Toronto Star/IJB investigation has discovered.
The discrepancy between the records reveals a blind spot for donors assessing how their donations are spent — and raises questions about how the CRA is protecting donors’ interests.
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