Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) supports children and youth through mentoring relationships delivered by local Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada.
In 2025, 31,329 children and youth participated in mentoring programs, supported by 17,871 volunteer mentors. Programs included community-based one-to-one mentoring, school or site-based mentoring, group programs and other forms of support.
But how large is Big Brothers Big Sisters' reach, and what does its own data say about the impact of mentoring?
CharityAxess reviewed the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada 2025 Annual Report to compile key statistics about the organization's reach, volunteers, mentoring outcomes, programs and finances.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada Statistics: Key Facts
According to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada's 2025 Annual Report:
How Many Children Does Big Brothers Big Sisters Serve?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada reported 31,329 children and youth served through mentoring programs in 2025.
The annual report also provides several years of national participation data:
Participation in 2025 was approximately 30.5% higher than in 2021, although it declined by about 5.9% from 2024's reported level. These percentage changes are CharityAxess calculations based on BBBSC's reported figures.
The longer-term figures show that the number of children and youth served has increased considerably from the levels reported earlier in the decade, while also demonstrating that participation can fluctuate from year to year.
How Many Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentors Are There in Canada?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada reported 17,871 volunteer mentors in 2025.
The number of mentors increased by approximately 12.7% between 2021 and 2025, although the 2025 total was slightly below the number reported in 2024.
BBBSC also identifies a shortage of mentors as one of the pressures facing the federation. Recruiting, screening, onboarding and training enough volunteers is important because the availability of mentors affects how quickly young people can be matched.
What Types of Big Brothers Big Sisters Programs Serve the Most Youth?
Group mentoring represented the largest reported program category in 2025.
The figures also show that Big Brothers Big Sisters programming extends beyond the traditional model of one adult "Big" being matched with one child or youth "Little." Group and school-based mentoring represent a substantial portion of the federation's work.
What Do Mentees Say About Their Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentors?
Some of the strongest impact statistics in the annual report come directly from participating mentees.
What Challenges Are Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentees Experiencing?
Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies use a Needs Registry to track adversity factors affecting the children and youth they serve.
BBBSC tracks 13 adversity factors, including circumstances such as bullying, social isolation, financial stress, household mental illness, parental separation or divorce, exposure to violence and substance abuse within the household.
The organization reports that many young people participating in its mentoring programs experience three or more adversities.
These figures provide important context for understanding the needs of some of the young people participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs.
How Many Youth Participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters Teen Mentoring?
Teen Mentoring is one of the programs delivered through the Big Brothers Big Sisters network.
In 2025, an initiative supported more than 400 Teen Mentoring matches across 25 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies.
These results provide another measure of the experiences reported by young people participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs.
How Many Youth Participate in BIG on STEM?
BIG on STEM connects young people with professionals working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The program demonstrates how Big Brothers Big Sisters has expanded mentoring into areas that combine supportive relationships with education and career exposure.
Does Big Brothers Big Sisters Serve Rural and Remote Communities?
Yes. Big Brothers Big Sisters programs are not limited to Canada's largest cities.
The organization's Strengthening Reach Project was also supporting 15 agencies with school-focused programming, with more than 150 mentees expected to participate during the school year.
This geographic reach is particularly important in understanding the national footprint of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the different communities served by local agencies.
How Much Revenue Does Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada Receive?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada reported approximately $7.05 million in revenue in 2025, compared with approximately $7.88 million in 2024.
Where Did Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada's Revenue Come From?
How Does BBBSC Categorize Its Use of Resources?
11% — Operations
4% — Fundraising
BBBSC categorizes 85% of its use of resources as funds in support of youth mentoring across Canada, with 11% attributed to operations and 4% to fundraising.
Is Big Brothers Big Sisters Effective?
For Canadians trying to understand the organization's reach and reported impact, the statistics provide a useful picture of who Big Brothers Big Sisters serves, how its mentoring network operates and what participating youth say about their relationships with mentors.
About This Data
CharityAxess compiled this statistics guide using the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada 2025 Annual Report.
Unless otherwise identified as a CharityAxess calculation, statistics in this article are figures reported by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. They have not been independently verified by CharityAxess.
To learn more about the organization beyond the statistics, explore the Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada FAQ for answers to common questions about mentoring, volunteering and how the organization works.
You can also find Big Brothers Big Sisters locations in Canada to see where local agencies operate, or visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada charity profile for an overview of the organization, its mission and programs.
Last reviewed: August 2026.
