Ecojustice
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
n/r
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.
70%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 70 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Ecojustice:
Ecojustice is a 5-star rated charity with best practice in financial transparency and above average accountability to donors as seen in the A results reporting grade. Its overhead costs are 30%, meaning that for every dollar donated, 70 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.
Founded in 1991, Ecojustice uses legal action to defend nature and fight climate change. Through its legal cases, Ecojustice aims to establish laws and rulings that protect environmental rights. The charity’s main office is in Vancouver, with four regional offices in Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, and Toronto. Ecojustice has fought a total of 103 cases, of which 54 were victorious, 29 are in progress, 19 are closed, and one is under appeal.
Ecojustice groups its advocacy into three main program areas: Climate, Healthy Communities, and Nature. It did not provide a spending breakdown for its programs in F2021.
Ecojustice’s Climate program pursues legal action relating to global warming, carbon emissions, and weak climate regulation. The charity advocates for serious climate action to stop the long-term effects of climate change. Ecojustice currently has nine cases in progress under its climate program.
The Healthy Communities program involves legal cases that deal with pollution, chemical waste, and local sustainability. Ecojustice has 11 healthy community cases in progress.
The charity’s Nature program urges governments to protect oceans, watersheds, forests, and other vital habitats. Ecojustice also protects national parks from projects that would threaten native wildlife. Currently, Ecojustice is undertaking nine cases involving nature.
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Results and Impact
Under its Climate program, Ecojustice helped propose Bill C-12. This bill requires that federal government hold all levels of government accountable in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Ecojustice also supported seven young people in suing the Ontario government due to weakening climate targets.
Under the Healthy Communities program, Ecojustice proposed a bill passed by the federal government. This bill proposes updates to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act that will protect Canadians from dangerous pollution and chemicals. Ecojustice also launched a lawsuit against the Ontario government. The charity states that its COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act was introduced without proper consultation and makes major changes to the province's environmental laws.
Under the Nature program, Ecojustice reports that following its advocacy, the British Colombia government stopped logging in the Spuzzum and Utzlius watersheds, home to endangered owls. Ecojustice also settled a lawsuit confirming the time limit of oil and gas exploration licenses, protecting marine ecosystems in Newfoundland and Labrador.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Ecojustice’s results and impact. This charity is not yet rated on impact (n/r).
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Finances
Ecojustice received $8.5m in Canadian donations in F2021. It also received $679k in international donations. Administrative costs are 11% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 19% of Canadian donations. This results in total overhead spending of 30%. For every dollar donated, 70 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
Ecojustice has $6.4m in total funding reserves. The charity can cover 115% or 14 months of annual program costs with its existing reserves.
According to its annual filing with the CRA, Ecojustice used external fundraisers in F2021. It paid a total of $85k to external fundraisers during the year. Ecojustice does not report how much these agencies raised. The charity states that these fundraisers do not collect any revenue, but instruct donors to send funds directly to Ecojustice instead.
Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Ecojustice for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on June 28, 2022 by Angelina Curwin.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending October
|
2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 11.5% | 13.2% | 15.6% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 18.6% | 20.7% | 25.9% |
| Total overhead spending | 30.1% | 33.9% | 41.5% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 115.4% | 114.9% | 95.0% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 8,530 | 7,301 | 5,732 |
| International donations | 679 | 635 | 1,171 |
| Government funding | 0 | 382 | 0 |
| Investment income | 56 | 262 | 307 |
| Other income | 88 | 242 | 112 |
| Total revenues | 9,352 | 8,821 | 7,323 |
| Program costs | 5,493 | 4,555 | 4,485 |
| Grants | 31 | 451 | 359 |
| Administrative costs | 1,068 | 1,128 | 1,093 |
| Fundraising costs | 1,590 | 1,514 | 1,484 |
| Other costs | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Total spending | 8,195 | 7,648 | 7,421 |
| Cash flow from operations | 1,157 | 1,173 | (99) |
| Capital spending | 79 | 18 | 158 |
| Funding reserves | 6,375 | 5,751 | 4,602 |
Note: Ecojustice’s F2020 audited financial statements include government funding in other revenue. Ci removed this amount from other revenue to report it separately. Ci reported international donations, program costs, grants to qualified donees, administrative costs, and fundraising costs from the charity’s T3010 filings, which reconciled with its financial statements. In F2019 and F2020, Ci excluded amortization from expenses, which was classified as other costs in the charity's T3010 filings. In the charity's F2021 T3010 filing, amortization was not classified as other costs. In F2021, Ci removed amortization from expenses on a pro-rata basis. In its F2020 financial statements, Ecojustice restated revenues and expenses for F2019, lowering each by ($467k). Since this restatement applied specifically to grants from foundations and program and travel expenses, Ci has adjusted both donations and program costs by this amount in F2019.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
9 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Ecojustice is committed to operating at the highest standard. Toward this, Ecojustice is certified to the Imagine Canada Standard demonstrating operational excellence and leadership. Additionally, Ecojustice is committed to achieving justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion across our organization and to ensuring our work is consistent with and where possible advances reconciliation.
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 604-685-5618