MADD Canada is a 2-star, low demonstrated impact charity. It has a B+ results reporting grade, which is above average. Its funding reserves are within Ci’s reasonable range and can cover just under two years of program costs. For every dollar donated to MADD, 58 cents are available to go to the cause, which is outside Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1989, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada (MADD Canada) is a national charity that works to reduce impaired driving and support people affected by it. Its mission is to stop impaired driving through education, awareness campaigns, advocacy, and victim support. MADD runs programs across Canada through local chapters, schools, and community partnerships.

Impaired driving remains a major public safety issue in Canada. In 2021, police issued an average of nine alcohol or drug-impaired driving chargers every hour.  Police reported about 78,480 interactions with impaired drivers that year. MADD reports 459 Canadians died in alcohol-related crashes, or about one in four road deaths in 2021. Another 496 Canadians died in crashes where at least one driver tested positive for drugs.

MADD Canada’s programs include Public Awareness and Education, Youth Services, and Victim and Survivor Services. In F2025, MADD spent $3.8m on its programs.

Public Awareness and Education was MADD’s largest program in F2025, representing $2.2m, or 58% of its program spending. The program uses campaigns, events, and outreach tools to raise public awareness about road safety, and advocate for policy changes. In F2025, MADD’s television PSAs aired 108,704 times and reached 1.5 billion views. The charity also installed over 2,000 new road and highway signs.

Youth Services accounted for $847k or 23% of its program spending in F2025. It aims to educate students in grades 7-12 on the dangers of mixing alcohol, drugs, and driving. The charity reports about 50% of road crash fatalities among 15–24-year-olds involved alcohol or drugs in 2022. In F2025, MADD delivered 937 English and 834 French school presentations, reaching 135,666 students. The charity also awarded seven bursaries totalling $40k to help survivors pursue post-secondary education.

Victim and Survivor Services represented $747k or 20% of program spending in F2025. The program supports people affected by impaired-driving crashes through emotional support, information and coping strategies. In F2025, MADD recorded about 1,920 contacts with victims and survivors through calls, emails, and information packages. The charity hosted 75 online support group meetings throughout the year, with more than 638 total participants. MADD held eight provincial monument ceremonies in F2025 and honoured over 600 impaired driving victims.

MADD Canada’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing which is a best practice. This means its expenses are clearly defined between program, administrative, and fundraising categories.

MADD had total revenues of $38.2m in F2025. It received $6.4m in donations, equal to 17% of its revenue, and $216k in government funding. The charity also received $30.8m in donated airtime, marked as donated goods in kind, accounting for 81% of revenue. Investment income was $473k in F2025.

The charity spent $3.8m on its programs, which is 51% of its revenue (excluding donated airtime).

Administrative costs were $604k, representing 2% of revenue (excluding investment income). MADD reported $2.6m in fundraising costs in F2025, representing 40% of donations. Total overhead spending was 42%. For every dollar donated to MADD, 58 cents are available to go to the cause. This is outside of Ci’s reasonable range, as the charity has been for the past three years.

MADD held $7.2m in reserve funds (cash and investments) in F2025. These reserves can cover 1.9 years of program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

MADD Canada uses external fundraisers, as reported on its T3010 filing with the CRA. In F2025, MADD paid the fundraisers $1.9m to collect $3.8m in donations. This equates to a cost of 50 cents to raise one dollar using external fundraisers. It is likely more cost efficient to donate to the charity directly.

This is a charity update that has been sent to Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada by Neela Jalilian on May 27, 2026.