Toronto’s Heritage Charity Faces Funding Challenges Amid Equity Focus

Heritage Toronto, the city’s charity dedicated to preserving and promoting the region’s history, is grappling with declining public engagement despite a significant increase in government funding. Documents obtained by the Toronto Sun through a freedom-of-information request reveal that the organization has shifted its focus from in-person events, such as plaque unveilings, to digital outreach, yet this change has not yielded the desired results.

Emails indicate that Heritage Toronto’s spending related to “equity” initiatives exceeds $100,000 annually. In 2023, 40% of its tours and 47% of plaques highlighted “equity-deserving people and communities.” Despite this commitment, an end-of-year email for donations in 2024 only garnered 11 clicks, signaling a potential disconnect with the public.

The charity’s executive director, Allison Bain, declined to comment directly but allowed her communications manager, Lucy Di Pietro, to respond to inquiries. The 2025 operating budget raised concerns about low sponsorship revenues from corporations and local business improvement areas (BIAs), attributed to a “deferral of funds” as noted in Bain’s correspondence. She acknowledged that private donations have faced challenges in the current economic climate.

A review of Heritage Toronto’s funding from 2014 to 2024 shows a stark contrast between government support and other revenue streams. Government funding has surged from $312,000 in 2014 to $639,000 in 2024, while other forms of revenue remain relatively flat. Di Pietro defended the funding trends presented in internal documents, arguing that all areas of revenue have seen some growth. For instance, earned ticket revenue rose from $4,914 to $74,730, and donations from various foundations doubled from $57,529 to $113,946.

Despite such increases, the organization is budgeting for declines in private donations and corporate sponsorships in 2024. Di Pietro stated that this anticipated shortfall would be mitigated by a shift to a paid ticket model, which has already seen ticket sales increase by 50% this year.

Key to Heritage Toronto’s financial stability is its partnership with TD Bank, which sponsors the charity’s tours and its equity heritage initiative. While TD has provided five years of funding for this initiative, internal documents caution that the charity could face a significant reduction in TD funding by 2026. Despite these concerns, Di Pietro expressed optimism about continuing the collaboration.

Managing the charity’s finances has proven challenging. Bain noted in a June 2024 email that they were facing a $100,000 operational deficit tied to their equity work. This deficit is considerable for an organization with an overall budget slightly above $1 million. Bain emphasized the importance of leveraging resources effectively for sustainable equity projects.

The digital transition has posed difficulties for Heritage Toronto. Bain expressed concern in a November 2024 email that their online content had not resonated with audiences, exemplified by a video that only achieved 146 views. The struggle to attract new donors was underscored when Bain noted that the minimal engagement with the year-end donation call was “not good news.”

Despite these setbacks, the non-profit has attempted to broaden its appeal. Recently, they installed a plaque commemorating a raccoon, affectionately named Conrad, in July 2024. The initiative aims to engage the community in a light-hearted manner, contrasting with previous serious subjects such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Heritage Toronto’s approach to community engagement reflects a dual strategy of addressing equity while exploring new ways to connect with the public. With ongoing challenges in funding and public interest, the organization must navigate a complex landscape to fulfill its mission of preserving Toronto’s rich history.