Vancouver Opera Association
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✖
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.
63%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 63 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Vancouver Opera Association:
Vancouver Opera Association is a 1-star charity. It is not financially transparent. The charity has a C- Results Reporting grade, which is below average. Its overhead costs are outside Ci’s reasonable range. Its reserves can cover program costs for two years and nine months, which is within Ci’s reasonable range. Read Ci's report before you give.
Founded in 1958, Vancouver Opera Association (VOA) produces mainstage opera productions and runs community outreach and education programs. The charity spent $6.2m on its programs in the fiscal year ending in June (F2023).
VOA put on three mainstage productions in F2024: The Magic Flute, Don Pasquale, and Carmen.
The charity’s community outreach and education programs include Opera in the Park, VOICES Free Concert Series, Opera Experience, and Vancouver Opera in Schools. VOA hosts Opera in the Park once every year, where artists perform duets and arias for the upcoming season. There were around 10,000 people in attendance. VOICES Free Concert Series hosted 12 free events involving opera, dance, and theatre at the charity's rehearsal space and the Vancouver Public Library. Opera Experience lets high school students go backstage at a mainstage production. Vancouver Opera in Schools taught students across 70 schools in BC about environmental stewardship through Opera.
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Results and Impact
Ci did not find any quantified outcomes of VOA’s work. This may not completely reflect VOA’s results and impact.
Vancouver Opera Association is not yet rated on impact (n/r). This does not affect the star rating.
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Finances
Vancouver Opera Association is not financially transparent. Due to this, the most recent audited financial statements available at the time of this update were for F2023. VOA’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, which is a best practice. Ci consolidated VOA and Vancouver Opera Foundation’s financials.
The charity received $1.9m in donations in F2023, which is 26% of revenue. It received $560k in investment income, $1.7m in fees for service, and $2.5m in government funding.
VOA spent $6.2m on its programs in F2023, which is 87% of revenue. The charity ran a deficit of $482k, meaning it drew on its reserves to fund its programs. It spent $462k on fundraising, which is 25% of donations, and $837k on administration, which is 13% of revenue. For every dollar donated to the charity, 63 cents are available to go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range.
VOA has $17.1m in its reserves (cash and investments), which can cover program costs for two years and nine months. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.
The charity has committed $1.4m to pay certain performers in F2024.
Vancouver Opera Foundation gives money to VOA to fund its programs. The foundation granted $1.1m in F2023.
Updated on July 28, 2025 by Joshua Leduc. This update has been sent to the charity and changes may be forthcoming.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending June
|
2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 12.8% | 13.3% | 15.9% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 24.7% | 34.7% | 23.1% |
| Total overhead spending | 37.5% | 48.0% | 39.0% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 276.6% | 382.6% | 697.0% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 1,873 | 1,347 | 1,648 |
| Goods in kind | 141 | 24 | 145 |
| Government funding | 2,507 | 3,388 | 3,746 |
| Fees for service | 1,661 | 798 | 103 |
| Lotteries (net) | 290 | 231 | 342 |
| Investment income | 560 | (553) | 2,472 |
| Other income | 53 | 176 | (878) |
| Total revenues | 7,084 | 5,411 | 7,578 |
| Program costs | 6,170 | 4,442 | 2,679 |
| Grants | 9 | 6 | 44 |
| Administrative costs | 837 | 795 | 812 |
| Fundraising costs | 462 | 467 | 381 |
| Other costs | 89 | 8 | 3 |
| Total spending | 7,566 | 5,717 | 3,918 |
| Cash flow from operations | (482) | (306) | 3,660 |
| Capital spending | 441 | 878 | 19 |
| Funding reserves | 17,086 | 17,018 | 18,976 |
Note: 1. Ci adjusted for deferred revenue, which affected revenue by ($174k) in F2023, ($80k) in F2022, and ($980k) in F2021. 2. Ci adjusted for deferred capital contributions, which affected revenue by ($154k) in F2023, $131k in F2022, and $1.3m in F2021. 3. Ci took lottery revenue net of expenses, which affected revenue and expenses by ($414k) in F2023, ($373k) in F2022, and ($351k) in F2021. 4. Ci included contributions to the foundation’s endowment fund, which affected revenue by $nil in F2023, $157k in F2022, and $364k in F2021. 5. Ci adjusted for changes in pledges receivable, which affected revenue by $42k in F2023, ($18k) in F2022, and ($50k) in F2021. 6. Ci adjusted for changes in grants receivable, which affected revenue by $175k in F2023, $498k in F2022, and ($225k) in F2021. 7. Ci included investment income net of investment management fees, which affected revenue and expenses by $nil in F2023, ($77k) in F2022, and ($74k) in F2021. 8. Ci adjusted for deferred restricted investment income, which affected investment income by $nil in F2023, ($1.0m) in F2022, and $715k in F2021.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
2 |
$120k - $160k |
2 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
4 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2023
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 604-682-2871