Ecojustice

About Ecojustice:

After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in March 1989, Canadian lawyer Stewart Elgie worked with the American Sierra Club Legal Defence Fund (SCLDF) to hold Exxon and the US government responsible for the disaster. Inspired by the SCLDF model of using law to protect the environment, Elgie brought the model to Canada. In 1990, he founded the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, now named Ecojustice Society of Canada (Ecojustice).

Ecojustice operates in Vancouver as the only charity in Canada that addresses environmental issues solely in the courtroom. Among the charity’s staff are legal experts, who: speak out against corporate projects that threaten public health and the Canadian environment; support projects that protect wilderness and wildlife; and shed light on the negative effects industrial energy corporations have on the Canadian and global climate.

Ecojustice divides its activities into three major issue areas: climate change, healthy communities, and nature. Through its climate change cases, Ecojustice pushes for clean energy options and aims to eliminate fossil fuel usage. The charity currently has three climate change cases in progress, and a cumulative total of five climate change case wins. One major win in 2017 was stopping the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project. Healthy communities cases focus on protecting communities from toxic chemicals and pollution and holding polluters responsible for the damage they cause. The charity currently has nine health communities cases in progress, and a cumulative total of 14 healthy communities case wins. One major win in 2017 was in Harrietsfield, where the community’s drinking water was contaminated by an industrial site – the companies responsible for the mess must now fix it, and the provincial government promised to install water treatment systems in the homes of affected residents. Nature cases focus on protecting species and ecosystems under threat. The charity currently has seven nature cases in progress and reports a cumulative total of 26 nature case wins. One major win in 2017 was when Ecojustice’s activities led Shell Canada to remove expired gas and oil permits in Lancaster Sound (habitat to narwhals, beluga whales, seals, and walruses), and soon after led to the government announcing a five-year plan to develop new National Parks and Marine Conservation Areas in the region.

Financial Review:

Ecojustice is a big-cap charity with donations of $5.7m in F2016. Administrative costs are 15% of revenue and fundraising costs are 17% of donations. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.67 goes toward its programs, which falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. Funding reserves of just under $4.0m cover annual program costs for 1.2 years. 

Ecojustice reports using external fundraisers as part of its fundraising activities. In its most recent F2016 T3010 CRA filing, the charity reports external fundraising costs of $129k, with no funds reportedly raised on behalf of the charity.

This charity report is an update that is being reviewed by Ecojustice. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 8, 2017 by Katie Khodawandi.