The Toronto Public Library Foundation
Public foundation · Toronto, Ontario · BN 886554476RR0001 · Foundations · website
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($8,062,459) as filed with the CRA.
The Toronto Public Library Foundation is a public foundation based in Toronto, Ontario, classified by the CRA under foundations. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $11.9M in revenue and $8.1M in expenditures.
Its funding that year was roughly 38% from donations, 18% from other charities. In 2024, 67 other registered charities reported granting it a combined $2.7M.
Compared with 380 grantmaking charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 14% of peers. Its highest-paid position fell in the $300,000–349,999 range. The charity reported 21 permanent full-time positions.
As a grantmaker, it reported gifts to 1 qualified donee totalling $4.4M in 2024, the largest being $4.4M to Toronto Public Library Board. Revenue has grown substantially over its filings on record here, from $6M in 2020 to $11.9M in 2024. Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 17 names.
In its own words
The toronto public library foundation (tplf) raises funds that amplify and accelerate the exceptional work of toronto public library (tpl). Donations have a resounding impact on those who rely on tpl's programs services and community spaces for equitable access to information and opportunities particularly equity-deserving communities. Staff and volunteers also actively promote and advocate for the work of tpl demonstrating the importance of the library as a cornerstone of democracy civic life and intellectual freedom. Tplf works to advance tpl's mission to make us all more resilient mor…
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2020–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11.9M | $8.1M | $586K | $1.8M | $4.5M | $20M |
| 2023 | $10.1M | $7.4M | $562K | $1.5M | $4.3M | $16.1M |
| 2022 | $5.7M | $6.4M | $384K | $1.4M | $3.8M | $13.5M |
| 2021 | $7.6M | $5.8M | $10K | $1.1M | $3.7M | $14.2M |
| 2020 | $6M | $4.9M | $1,000 | $1.1M | $3M | $12.4M |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Granted $4.4M to 1 qualified donee:
Received $2.7M from 67 charities:
- The Blue Lupin Foundation$600K
- Friends of Toronto Public Library$199K
- The Azrieli Foundation$171K
- Moez & Marissa Kassam Foundation$170K
- The Bennett Family Foundation$160K
- RBC Foundation$100K
- The Maytree Foundation$100K
- The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation$100K
- Burgundy Legacy Foundation$91K
- The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation$70K
- Canadahelps Canadon$64K
- Canadahelps Canadon$64K
- Canadian Online Giving Foundation$63K
- The H & R Mida Charitable Foundation$60K
- The Haynes-Connell Foundation$50K
- Balsam Foundation$50K
- Rotary Club of Toronto Charitable Foundation$40K
- Aqueduct Foundation$33K
- Toronto Foundation$29K
- The Joan and Clifford Hatch Foundation$28K
- Raymond James Canada Foundation$27K
- Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation$26K
- The Dilawri Foundation$25K
- Holdbest Foundation$25K
- Dream Community Foundation$25K
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
What it pays
Its ten highest-paid positions, by band:
- $300,000–349,9991 position
- $200,000–249,9991 position
- $160,000–199,9992 positions
- $120,000–159,9991 position
- $80,000–119,9995 positions
- Permanent full-time positions21
- Total compensation, all staff$2.8M
Schedule 3 of its 2024 return. The CRA discloses bands, not names or exact salaries.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Alaina Aston (vice chair); Amar Bhalla (director); Vickery Bowles (director); Marueen Dodig (director); John Ewing (treasurer); Marlon Hylton (director); Moez Kassam (director); Claire Macnamara (director); Anne Maggisano (chair); Malik Martin (director); Florence Narine (director); Vikram Rattan (director); Adrian Rocca (director); Cathy Spoel (director); Carmen Steinberg (director); Bruno Vendittelli (director); Vanessa Yeung (director).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from The Toronto Public Library Foundation’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 886554476RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.