Founded in 1993, Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) provides medical treatment and rehabilitative care to sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals found by the public. TWC works across the Greater Toronto Area and is Canada’s largest wildlife centre in terms of patient admissions. Its mission is to promote the peaceful coexistence of people and wildlife. The charity’s overall goal is to rehabilitate and release healthy animals back into the wild.

Toronto Wildlife Centre runs four core programs: Wildlife Rehabilitation, Education and Outreach, Wildlife Hospital, and Wildlife Rescue.

Wildlife Rehabilitation represented 54% of program costs in F2020. During the year, TWC admitted 5,175 sick, injured, or orphaned animals from more than 170 species. Its rehabilitation programs help to nurse animals back to health and eventually release them back into the wild. Its patients in F2020 included more than 3,600 birds, 1,400 mammals, 38 reptiles, and 6 amphibians.

Education and Outreach projects were 20% of program costs. TWC provides online resources on keeping pets safe, helping baby birds, and responding to injured wild animals. It also hosts events and school presentations to teach students about animals. TWC’s Wildlife Hotline helps residents of the GTA quickly contact the charity to report animals in distress. Each year, TWC staff receive around 30,000 calls.

Wildlife Hospital funding made up 15% of program costs. TWC’s Wildlife Hospital treats injuries and performs lifesaving surgeries on wild animals. It has a team of wildlife veterinarians and volunteer specialists who work in the hospital. TWC also provides veterinary students with hospital placements and internships.

Wildlife Rescue was 11% of program costs. Through its Wildlife Rescue, TWC saves animals caught in dangerous situations. TWC has a team of three staff members certified in ice rescues, water rescues, oil spill responses, and other skills. In F2020, the charity rescued and admitted more than 60 coyotes for treatment.

Toronto Wildlife Centre received donations and special events revenue of $2.7m in F2020. It also received $324k in government funding (10% of revenues) and $249k in donated goods (8% of revenues), such as building materials, computer equipment, and medical supplies. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 18% of donations and special events revenue. This results in total overhead spending of 27%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 73 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

TWC has funding reserves of $1.6m. It can cover 74% or under nine months of annual program costs with its existing reserves.

Toronto Wildlife Centre is currently in a capital campaign to raise $12m for a new, 67-acre wildlife centre in Rouge National Urban Park. Construction began during F2019, and the charity does not report how much of its funding goal it has reached.

Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Toronto Wildlife Centre for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 8, 2021 by Eric Zhao.