Breast Cancer Canada 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, 26 cents are available to go to the cause, which is outside Ci's reasonable range. Read Ci's report before donating.

Founded in 1991, Breast Cancer Canada (BCC), formerly Breast Cancer Society of Canada, fundraises and provides grants for breast cancer research in Canada. The charity also advocates for and raises awareness about breast cancer. BCC states that 13% of Canadian women will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. It also states that 28,000 Canadians are diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,500 people die of breast cancer annually. Charity Intelligence calculates the charity spent $3.7m on its programs in F2024.

News: December 2024 Toronto Star's investigation into Breast Cancer Canada's fundraising costs, external third-party fundraisers and discrepancies in regulatory filings.

Research represented 83% ($3.0m) of program costs in F2024. Breast Cancer Canada grants money to be used for breast cancer research. In F2024, its largest grants went to University Health Network ($1.0m), McPeak-Sirois Group ($1.0m), and London Health Sciences Foundation ($275k). BCC funds research in four key pillars: basic science, screening and detection, treatment, and patient reported outcomes. Breast Cancer Canada also funds two internal research projects: the PROgress Tracker Breast Cancer Registry and Progress CONNECT. The PROgress Tracker is a research study that collects data on breast cancer patients across the country. The study will collect patient data every four months for ten years. Progress CONNECT is an online tool that provides patients with information specific to their breast cancer type.

Advocacy represented 17% of program costs in F2024. In F2024, BCC conducted a survey of 1,506 Canadians (771 females, 735 males) to gather public perspectives on breast cancer issues. The survey revealed that 28% of patients under 55 had difficulty covering treatment costs, compared to 17% of those over 55; and that 28% of Canadians polled had gone for a screening mammogram, among other findings.

Breast Cancer Canada is not financially transparent. The charity did not provide Ci its statements upon request. Ci received the audited statements from the CRA.

BCC’s audited financial statements use activity-based costing, which is a best practice. In BCC's F2023 audited financial statements, fundraising costs of $13.9m in F2022 were renamed to education and awareness, thus Ci has classified the Education and awareness reported for F2023 and F2024 as Fundraising costs.

Breast Cancer Canada received $10.2m in donations and special events revenue in F2024. BCC spent $3.7m on its programs and grants, which is 34% of revenue, and recorded a deficit of $331k.

Breast Cancer Canada spent $6.5m on fundraising, which is 63% of donations and $2.8m more than it spent on its programs. BCC spent $1.1m on administration, which is 11% of revenue (excluding investment income). Total overhead spending is 74%. For every dollar donated to Breast Cancer Canada, 26 cents are available to go to the cause. This is well outside Ci’s reasonable range, which is between 65 and 95 cents.

Breast Cancer Canada has $4.9m in reserve funds (cash and investments), which can cover one year and three months of its annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Breast Cancer Canada has $4.4m in research commitments, $2.1m in F2025, $850k in F2026, $750k in F2027, and $750k thereafter. 

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

Updated on August 12, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.