Canadian Cancer Society is a 3-star charity and one of Canada's largest charities in terms of donations. It has an A- grade for results reporting, which is above average. The charity’s funding reserves are within Ci’s reasonable range and can cover one year and eight months of annual program costs. For every dollar donated to Canadian Cancer Society, 62 cents are available to go to the cause, which is outside Ci’s reasonable range.

The financial analysis in this report is based on Canadian Cancer Society’s F2026 audited financials. At the time of writing, its F2026 annual report has not yet been posted, so the program information is from F2025.

Founded in 1938, Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) supports those affected by cancer and funds cancer research. It also advocates for policy change. The charity states that an estimated two in five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime. It adds that as of 2018, there were 1.5 million people in Canada living with or beyond cancer. In addition, the charity found that cancer patients face almost $33k in cancer-related costs in their lifetime. The charity runs two major programs: Support Programs and Research. Charity Intelligence calculates CCS spent $118.8m on its programs and grants in F2025. 

Support Programs received 55% of program spending in F2025. The charity supports people affected by cancer through online resources, an information hotline, transportation services, free wigs and prosthetics, and other services. CCS provided cancer information to 18.3 million website visitors in F2025. The charity reports that it assisted 334,000 people via smokers’ helpline and Talk Tobacco and supported 135,000 people in finding cancer-related services. It adds that it distributed 3,300 wigs and breast accessories. CCS’s Camp Goodtimes provides a fun and safe summer camp experience for kids affected by cancer. The charity reports that 700 people attended Camp Goodtimes in F2025.  

Research received 41% of program spending in F2025. CCS reports that it supported 470 cancer-related research projects. It adds that is began funding 100 new projects in F2025. CCS states that it supported 54 institutes across all 10 provinces and enables 3,973 people to access 119 clinical trials. 

Advocacy received the remaining 4% of program spending. CCS reports that 1,060 elected officials and policy-makers engaged in CCS advocacy. 

Learn more:  

Charity Intelligence's report on fundraising costs in the cancer sector and Canadian Cancer Society's merger with Breast Cancer Foundation: $67 million in cost-cutting. July 2019  

Canadian Cancer Society’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.

Canadian Cancer Society is a Major 100 charity, one of Canada's largest charities in terms of donations. The charity had total revenues of $204.8m in F2026. It received $170.6m in donations, representing 83% of revenue and $27.7m in government funding, equal to 14% of revenue. donations. Investment income was $6.6m in F2026.

CCS spent $125.8m on its programs and grants, which is 61% of its revenue. The charity recorded a surplus of $12.6m in F2026.

Administrative costs were $9.7m, representing 5% of revenue (excluding investment income). The charity spent $56.7m on fundraising, equal to 33% of donations. Total overhead spending was 38%. For every dollar donated to Canadian Cancer Society, 62 cents are available to go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range.

CCS uses external fundraisers, as reported on its T3010 filing with the CRA. In F2026, the charity paid the external fundraisers $3.1m to collect $7.7m in donations. This equates to a cost of 40 cents to raise one dollar using external fundraisers. It is likely more cost efficient to donate to the charity directly.

Canadian Cancer Society held $221.0m in reserve funds in F2026, of which $9.6m was donor endowed. Reserve funds include CCS's cash and investments, net of debts and unfunded pension liabilities ($55.7m in cash, $168.9m in investments, $971k in debt and $2.7m in unfunded pension plan). Excluding donor-endowed funds, these reserves can cover one year and eight months of annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

CCS has committed $37.3m (17% of its funding reserves) to fund cancer research over the next four years: $21.0m in F2027, $8.6m in F2028, $5.9m in F2029, and $1.7m in F2030. 

This is a charity update that has been sent to Canadian Cancer Society by Neela Jalilian on August 20,2026. 

Tel: 1-888-939-3333