Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation is a 1-star charity. It has a below average results reporting grade and its overhead costs are outside of Ci’s reasonable range. The charity has $34.0m in reserve funds, which can cover over three years of program costs, outside of Ci's reasonable range. The charity is not financially transparent.

Founded in 2001, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation fundraises from the hockey fans of the Edmonton Oilers NHL team. Its purpose is to make grants to other charities to build a strong and safe community and support hockey programs. In F2024, EOCF spent $9.4m on its programs and grants.

Grants represented 92% ($8.6m) of program costs in F2024. Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation grants to charities that align with its mission or support emergent needs in central and northern Alberta. Its biggest grant in F2024 was $1.1m to KidSport Canada. The KidSport program funded 4,776 kids to play hockey and provided 2,487 kids with hockey equipment from F2022 to F2024. The charity’s next five largest grants in F2024 were Food Banks Alberta ($885k), Make-A-Wish Canada ($756k), Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation ($743k), YMCA of Northern Alberta ($687k), and Ben Stelter Foundation ($520k)

Programs represented 8% ($789k) of program costs in F2024. Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation runs hockey-centred programs for children in Alberta. The ICE School (Incredibly Cool Education School) lets schools book the classroom in the Edmonton Oilers Arena for a week of hands-on learning. In F2024, 700 students from 24 classes participated in ICE School. The Seats for Kids program distributes unused game tickets to children in the Edmonton Area. In F2024, EOCF received and gave out $343k worth of seats. The Future Goals program is a partnership between the NHL and most hockey teams. This program is an online course for students in grades five to seven that connects STEM to hockey. Across all NHL teams, the program reached 132,182 students through 200,430 hours of learning.

Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation is not financially transparent. The charity did not provide its financial statements upon request. Ci received the financial statements from the CRA. The CRA has redacted all its statements since F2015.

Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation received $2.5m in donations and special events revenue in F2024. The charity also earned $20.1m in lottery revenue, net of expenses, which is 84% of revenue. Despite the record new highs in lottery revenues in F2024, EOCF’s grants to charities were $8.6m, a 35% decline from the $13.3m granted in F2023. EOCF spent $9.4m on its grants and its in-house charity work. This is 39% of its total revenues. EOCF recorded a surplus of $11.5m, which is 48% of revenue.

EOCF spent $1.3m on fundraising, which is 51% of donations, and $1.3m on administration, which is 5% of revenue (excluding investment income). Total overhead spending is 56%. For every dollar donated to EOCF, 44 cents are available to go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range, which is between 65 and 95 cents.

EOCF’s success and large surpluses increased its reserve funds to $34.0 million. Its reserves cover its 2024 grants and charity program spending 3.6 times, or could fund current work for more than three years. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range. One needs to also consider that included in EOCF’s reserve funds is a $19.1m account payable. The audited financial statements do not disclose details on this. Excluding this payable, EOCF's reserves could fund its programs for 1 year and 7 months at F2024 spending levels. 

EOCF has grant commitments of $3.4 million to be paid out over the next three years.

Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation 50/50 lottery and transactions with Associated Parties

EOCF’s largest source of revenue is from its 50/50 lottery. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation runs the largest 50/50 lottery of all North American professional sports teams. Edmonton’s record jackpot was $16.1 million.

The size of the Edmonton Oilers 50/50 lottery and its unique structure with associated parties deserves greater discussion. In F2024, 50/50 ticket sales were $102.4 million. The winner of the game day ticket gets half the prize money. In F2024, EOCF paid out $51.3 million to winners. 

EOCF’s lottery structure is unique. Less of 50/50 proceeds go to charity and community grants than in other lotteries. EOCF pays 28% of 50/50 ticket sales for “licensing and rights” to a private company called Win50 that is controlled by “the shareholder of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club”. In F2024, $28.3 million of 50/50 ticket sales was paid to this private company. In F2024, of the $102.4 million in 50/50 tickets sales, EOCF received 20% or $20.1 million.

These payment ratios have remained constant since F2022. From F2022 through F2024, EOCF's 50/50 ticket sales total $232.2m. $64.2m has been paid to Win50, the private company, and $45.5m went to EOCF to grant to local charities and hockey programs.

In F2023, EOCF signed another license agreement with an entity controlled by “the shareholder of the EOHC” called Ice District Fan Park. In F2023, EOCF paid $2.8m (and $0.3m in F2024) to renovate the Fan Park, a venue owned by Ice District Fan Park. To host events at the Fan Park, EOCF will pay fees. In F2024 EOCF paid $87k in license fees for six events at the Fan Park. This license agreement ends in 2027. EOCF will not have access to use the Fan Park unless the license agreement is renewed.

EOCF does not report paying any staff on its T3010 CRA filings. Instead it paid $1.2m in F2024 ($1.1m in F2023) to a company controlled by the shareholder of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club for administration and other contract services.

This charity report has been sent to Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation for review.

Updated on May 29, 2025 by Kate Bahen and Liam Chapleau.

Learn more:

FOOTNOTE Zac Delaney, Edmonton Oilers 50/50 jackpots top other raffles in pro sports, Edmonton Journal, April 28, 2025

Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation audited financial statements

Fiscal 2024 ending June