L'Orchestre Symphonique De Quebec

401, Grande Allée Est
Québec, QC G1R 2J5
General Director: Astrid Chouinard
Board President: Jean-Yves Germain

Charitable Reg. #:11906 9532 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 1/5]

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements available only through official request for information from Charities Directorate.

C

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.

58%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 58 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About L'Orchestre Symphonique De Quebec:

Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec is a 1-star charity that is not financially transparent. It has a C Results Reporting grade, which is below average. For every dollar donated to the charity, 58 cents are available to go to the cause, which is outside Ci's reasonable range.

Founded in 1902, Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec (OSQ) is Canada’s oldest active symphony orchestra. OSQ’s mission is to perform and promote symphonic music. The orchestra has a traditional American French sound. The charity runs two main programs: Production and Education/Outreach. In 2022, Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec spent $5.8m on its programs. The charity does not publicly report a spending breakdown of its programs.

OSQ’s Production program involves the creation and performance of live concerts. In F2023, the charity performed 26 concerts during the regular season, of which 12 sold out. OSQ reports it sold over 36,500 tickets to 80,000 unique people in F2023. In F2023, OSQ appointed Clemens Schuldt as its new musical director. Maestro Schuldt, a German composer, is the 12th music director of the OSQ. His first concert, in January 2023, sold out. Highlights of the production year included a tribute to the late Bramwell Tovey, Patrick Watson’s three sold out performances, family concerts, and the addition of blockbuster Hollywood concerts.

OSQ’s Education and Outreach program runs workshops, events, newsletters, and small concerts. In F2023, the charity performed four master classes for the faculty of music of Laval University, Cegep Sainte-Foy, and Trois Rivieres University.  OSQ presented 20 “A musician in your school” workshops to ten schools. The charity also performed six symphony matinees at elementary schools. These reached 8,500 students and teachers from 75 schools across Quebec. OSQ states that 10,000 youth at pre-, primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools saw the orchestra as part of their school activities.

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Results and Impact

Charity Intelligence found Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec reported many stories but little data / few results on its work. This may  not be a complete representation of OSQ’s results and impact.

This charity is not yet rated on impact (n/r).

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Finances

Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec and its associated foundation are not financially transparent. The charity did not send its audited financial statements to Charity Intelligence upon request. Ci received the financial statements from the CRA. The most recent financial statements Ci received from the CRA are from F2022.

Ci consolidated the financial statements of the operating charity and the foundation for this financial review. Transactions between the two entities have been removed.

Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec received $1.2m in donations and special events revenue in F2022. The charity also received $4.4m in government funding, which is 61% of revenue. OSQ spent $5.8m on its programs, which is 84% of revenue (less donated goods). The charity recorded a deficit of $107k, which means it drew on its reserves to fund its operations.

Administrative costs are 11% of revenue (less investment income). Fundraising costs are 31% of donations. For every dollar donated to the charity, 58 cents are available to go to the cause, which is outside Ci’s reasonable range.

OSQ has $7.5m in reserve funds (cash and investments). The charity’s reserves can cover 130%, or one year and four months of its annual program costs.

Instead of the foundation granting directly to the charity, it grants to the Fondation Quebec Philanthrope, where the Quebec Symphony Orchestra Foundation is the sole beneficiary of the money. In F2022, the foundation sent $225k to the Fondation Quebec Philanthrope. This amount was removed from expenses.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Orchestre Symphonique de Québec for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on August 2, 2024 by Liam Chapleau.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending May
202220212020
Administrative costs as % of revenues 11.3%11.2%11.1%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 30.5%27.7%23.2%
Total overhead spending 41.8%38.9%34.3%
Program cost coverage (%) 129.7%159.5%127.9%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202220212020
Donations 902823932
Goods in kind 265403375
Government funding 4,3715,9024,432
Fees for service 1,3422541,740
Business activities (net) 0180
Special events 33214669
Investment income (50)694132
Other income 372218
Total revenues 7,1988,2637,697
Program costs 5,7965,0865,423
Donated goods exp 265403375
Administrative costs 818844840
Fundraising costs 376268232
Other costs 50929
Total spending 7,3066,6946,879
Cash flow from operations (107)1,569818
Capital spending 93411
Funding reserves 7,5188,1106,937

Note: CONSILDATION: Ci removed all transactions between the foundation, operating charity, and the Quebec Philanthrope Foundation. This affected revenue by ($725k) in F2022, ($760k) in F2021, and ($nil) in F2020. This affected expenses by ($950k) in F2022, ($960k) in F2021, and ($nil) in F2020. INVESTMENT FEES: Ci included investment fees within investment income, affecting revenue and expenses by ($70k) in F2022, ($61k) in F2021, and ($52k) in F2020. DEFERRED AND UNRECOGNIZED REVENUE: Ci accounted for deferred and unrecognized revenue within investment and government income, affecting revenue by ($1.3m) in F2022, ($678k) in F2021, and $547k in F2020.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 80

Avg. compensation: $52,211

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
1
$80k - $120k
6
$40k - $80k
3
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.osq.org
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 418 643-8486

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001