Assiniboine Park Conservancy is 2-star charity. It has a C+ results reporting grade. For every dollar donated to the charity, 94 cents go to the cause. The charity has $13.7m in reserve funds, which can cover 46% of annual program costs.

Founded in 2008, Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC) is responsible for the operation of Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park, Zoo, and The Leaf (greenhouse). APC also funds conservation and research projects that affect the local area. The charity has a 50-year lease on the 1,100-acre Park with the City of Winnipeg. The city owns the property and assets and gives an annual grant to the charity to support the Park’s maintenance.

Assiniboine Park Conservancy has posted its F2022 financial statements; however, its most recent annual report is from 2021. Information from 2021 was used for this profile update. As such, APC’s profile update does not refer to the same year as the financials. The charity has not provided a breakdown of its program spending.

Assiniboine Park: The Assiniboine Park has been established for over a century. The park contains attractions, such as the English Garden, The Pavilion, the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. Assiniboine Park hosts events throughout the year, including educational programs, outdoor entertainment at the Lyric Theatre, and public art galleries.

Assiniboine Park Zoo: The Assiniboine Park Zoo is home to more than 150 animal species across 80 acres. In F2021, APC built two new visitor viewing platforms for the bison habitat. Assiniboine partnered with United Way to distribute 5,800 community access zoo passes. APC staff distributed 2,000 passes to organizations that serve people who face financial barriers. In F2021, the zoo opened two new viewing platforms at the bison habitat. The zoo took in 22 new animals due to transfers in F2021 - three Bactrian camels, three Florida sandhill cranes, a panther chameleon, a snow leopard, six Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, a brush-tailed bettong, four superb starlings, two Reeves’s pheasants, and a red kangaroo.

The Leaf: Assiniboine Park Conservancy opened the Gardens at The Leaf in F2021. The Gardens at The Leaf span 30 acres and include six diverse gardens: Indigenous Peoples Garden, Kitchen Garden, Sensory Garden, Performance Garden, Seasonal Garden, and The Grove. The Leaf greenhouse was opened in 2022 and contains five different programs. The Tropical Biome, Mediterranean Biome, and Display House showcase unique horticulture. The Butterfly Garden hosts various species of butterflies. The Living Classroom is a place where groups participate in environmental and cultural programs year-round.

Conservation and Research: APC participates in four conservancy and research projects. In F2021, Assiniboine Park Conservancy attached a satellite tag to a wild harbour seal to better understand behaviours in the Churchill River area. Assiniboine received a grant in F2021 to help protect polar bear denning in Northern Manitoba. APC also ran a grassland butterfly conservation program, focused on breeding and releasing endangered butterflies. Finally, Assiniboine is researching how to track polar bears in a safe and sustainable way. As part of its sustainability sub-program Assiniboine Park Conservancy recycled over 30,000 disposable masks, collected over 1,000 lb of waste from the park, and recycled used holiday lights in F2021.

Assiniboine Park Conservancy had donations of $2.0m in F2022. Park revenues of $15.3m were 36%% of total revenues in F2022. APC also received $12.0m from the City of Winnipeg, representing 24% of total revenues.

Administrative costs are 6% of revenues. APC does not report fundraising costs in its audited financial statements. APC's 2022 CRA filing was not available at the time of this profile update, and previous years did not reconcile with the charity's audited financial statements, so Ci could not determine the charity's fundraising costs. As such, overhead costs are 6%. For every dollar donated, 94 cents go to the cause. This is inside of Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

APC has $13.7m in reserve funds. The charity’s reserve funds can cover 46%, or five and a half months of its annual program costs, indicating a need for funding.

Assiniboine Park Conservancy received $10.2m in deferred capital contributions in F2022. As the charity did not report the source of this contribution, it has been included in other income.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Assiniboine Park Conservancy for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on May 26, 2023 by Liam Chapleau.