Tree Canada is a 2-star rated charity with an above average results reporting grade. Its overhead costs are within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending, and it has reserve funds to cover program costs for just under one year and three months.

Founded in 1992, Tree Canada plants and nurtures trees to improve lives and address climate change. The charity states that it is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments. Tree Canada runs two main programs: National Greening Program and Urban Programs. Charity Intelligence calculates Tree Canada spent $9.7m on its programs in its fiscal year ending March 2024 (F2024).

The National Greening Program received 67% of program spending in F2024. Tree Canada plants trees to restore forests and ecosystems. It also plants trees in new areas where forests have never grown. The charity planted 2,245,110 trees across 34 projects in F2024. Tree Canada reports its tree planting benefitted 55 communities in F2024.

Urban Programs received 33% of program spending in F2024. The Partners in Planting (PIP) subprogram coordinates tree planting events for businesses. Tree Canada reports that people planted 26,001 trees through PIP in F2024, benefiting 57 communities. Urban Partnership projects work with companies to plant trees in urban areas. Through Urban Partnerships, 12,633 trees were planted in F2024, benefiting 45 communities. Operation Releaf helps restore urban forests affected by natural disasters. Tree Canada planted 575 trees through Operation Releaf in F2024. Community Tree Grants provide up to $10k to groups who want to plant trees and shrubs. The charity reports it granted $508k in F2024 to 71 recipients, resulting in 13,040 trees being planted.

Tree Canada is not financially transparent. This means that its audited financial statements are not publicly available on its website.

Tree Canada’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, a best practice. Its expenses are clearly defined between program, administrative, and fundraising categories.

In F2024 Tree Canada received $10.5m in Canadian donations and $429k in international donations. It also received $3.2m in government funding. Government funding is 22% of total revenue.

Administrative costs are 7% of revenues (excluding investment income). Fundraising costs are 9% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 17%. For every dollar donated, 83 cents are available to go to the cause. This falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

In F2024 Tree Canada spent $9.7m on its programs, which is 68% of its revenue. In F2024 it had a surplus of $2.6m, which is 18% of its revenue.

Tree Canada has $12.0m in reserve funds (cash and investments). The reserves can cover 124%, or just under one year and three months of program costs.

This charity report is an update that has been sent for review to Tree Canada. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on August 12, 2025, by Grady Simpson.