Toronto Wildlife Centre

About Toronto Wildlife Centre:

Founded in 1993, Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) helps sick, injured and orphaned wild animals in the Greater Toronto Area. Its mission is to build a healthy community for people and wildlife through education and advice on wildlife situations, and by providing medical care to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals with the ultimate goal of releasing healthy animals back into the wild. TWC states that it is the largest wildlife centre in Canada, and the only wildlife centre working in the GTA. The charity’s five core programs are Wildlife Rescue, Wildlife Rehabilitation, its Wildlife Hotline, its Wildlife Hospital, and Education & Outreach. Since opening in 1993, TWC reports admitting more than 90,000 animals representing over 270 species.

TWC’s Wildlife Rehabilitation program admits roughly 5,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals every year. TWC is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility. Rehabilitators give animals the shelter, food and care they need to get better. When the animals are ready for release, TWC makes sure each animal is acclimated to the wild once more. As of May 2017, TWC cares for 506 animals (54 species) – with 1,243 animals admitted between January and May, TWC released 737 animals.

TWC’s Wildlife Hotline helps wild animals that are trapped or hurt due to urban development and other human activities. It receives up to 30,000 calls per year. The charity’s Wildlife Rescue team of three staff are trained or certified in ice rescue, water rescue, slope evacuation and chemical immobilization. They handle wildlife situations that the public cannot. TWC states it is the only wildlife center in Ontario with a rescue program. The Wildlife Hospital, staffed with wildlife veterinarians, offers medical care to wild animals. Students and graduates looking for wildlife medicine experience can volunteer, intern or extern at the Hospital. Education & Outreach programming teaches the public about humane responses to wildlife situations through presentations, events, and online resources available on TWC’s website.

In F2015, Wildlife Rehabilitation costs accounted for 35% of program spending, Education & Outreach costs accounted for 12%, and Hospital costs and Rescue costs each made up 8%. General operations, facility and volunteer costs made up 17%, while new facility planning accounted for 20%. The charity did not disclose direct costs related to its Hotline.

Financial Review:

Toronto Wildlife Centre is a medium-sized charity with total donations and special events fundraising of $1.6m in F2015. Administrative costs are 3% of revenues and fundraising costs are 25% of donations and fundraising revenues. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.72 goes towards its programs, which falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. F2015 fundraising costs increased 173% from the year before, partly due to TWC’s New Centre capital campaign started during the year. The charity’s funding reserves of $249k can cover only 13% of annual program costs, indicating a funding need.

This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by Toronto Wildlife Centre. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 16, 2017 by Katie Khodawandi.