The Financial Health of Canadian Genealogical Societies

Each year organisations federally registered as charities in Canada for tax purposes are required to file T3010 returns with the Canada Revenue Agency. Part of the return, including financial information, is available on the Revenue Canada website.

Each year I summarise those returns. Here they are for the 2012 year of operation with a comparison to 2011 in parenthesis. These are taken mainly from Schedule 6 but in some cases where that is not available from Section D. Go to http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/lstngs/menu-eng.html and search for "genealogical" or "family history" to see the complete returns.

Summary
More societies ran a deficit in 2012 than the previous year. AGS and OGS had substantial surpluses of revenue over expenditures.
The Quebec Family History Society had the highest annual membership fee ($65), the Genealogical Society of Nova Scotia the lowest ($30).

The Alberta Genealogical Society 
Total assets of $540,282 ($536,466), and liabilities of $170,921 ($200,592). The total revenue was $239,942 ($254,380) of which the major component was revenue received from the provincial government of $132,612 ($140,322). Expenditures totalled $206,455 ($218,231), the total expenditure on management and administration being $116,928 ($124,320). The membership fee remains at $50.

British Columbia Genealogical Society
The society finds itself in a reasonably balanced financial situation. Total assets were $200,748 ($203,016) and liabilities $6,939 ($10,085). Total revenue was $25,596 ($24,783). Expenditures totalled $26,422 ($22,502). The individual annual membership fee remains unchanged at $45.00,

British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa 
No report is filed as of 28 August 2012. The membership fee remains at $40.

Manitoba Genealogical Society
Total assets of $34,386 ($50,743) and liabilities of $ 11,583 ($22,458). Total revenue was $49,448 ($43,966). Expenditures totalled $59,162 ($58,222) of which management and administration accounted for  $6,255 ($4,442). The annual membership fee remains unchanged at $40.

New Brunswick Genealogical Society
2012 return not posted as of 28 August 2013. The annual membership fee remains at $35.

Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2012, GANS had total assets of $299,013 ($303,274) and no reported liabilities as in the previous year. Total revenue was $27,317 ($32,549). Total expenditures were $ 31,578 ($30,717). The Association's annual membership fee remains at $30.00.

Ontario Genealogical Society
Total assets of $ 2,422,659 ($ 2,324,973) of which $ 1,683,357 ($1,480,530) was held as cash bank accounts and short-term investments. Liabilities totalled $248,103 ($246,412). Total revenue was $757,938 ($ 621,393) including   $289,240 ($297,991) from memberships. Expenditures totalled $548,437 ($617,151) of which $141,664 ($136,994) was spent on management and administration. The annual membership fee of $60 membership will increase by by 2% in 2014 and in 2015 plus any fee for branch membership, typically $15.

Québec Family History Society
Total assets of $68,127 ($ 65,742) of which $ 60,304 ($49,056) was held as cash bank accounts and short-term investments. Liabilities totalled $12,655 ($7,899). Total revenue was $46,507 ($60,623) the largest component of which, $ 32,649 ($34,440) was for memberships. Expenditures totalled $48,878 ($47,420) including $24,815 ($28,886) for occupancy costs. There continue to be no costs for management and administration. The annual fee continues at $65.

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society
Total assets of $111,629 ($46,921). Liabilities totalled $119,484 ($ 65,054). Total revenue of $255,601 ($261,767) included $152,955 ($146,050) from provincial government sources. Expenditures of $255,408 ($262,316) included $176,707 ($170,572) for management and administration. A regular family membership was $40.00, $50.00 with access to Society databases online, unchanged from the previous year..

Victoria Genealogical Society
No financial statement was available. Individual annual membership remained $50.