Eric Woodward Foundation Investigative Journalism Foundation Findings

The Investigative Journalism Foundation reported that Eric Woodward’s publicly promoted foundation did not match its original charitable presentation. Woodward had pledged to transfer about $55 million in real estate into a charitable structure, but the IJF found the properties remained tied to a for-profit company. The foundation was never registered as a charity, failed to prepare annual financial statements for years, reported only $8,117 in donations over five years, and showed troubling discrepancies in governance, event spending, and financial transparency.

The Eric Woodward Foundation was investigated by the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) in 2025. They made some distinct findings of note about the Foundation in the heart of Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada politics for several years now. Named after, and by, Eric Woodward.

Eric Woodward has been a real estate developer in Fort Langley for about two decades. He was born and raised in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. He entered into the internet industry young. He is an entrepreneur who built and sold several companies. In the midst of real estate development, he has been involved in plenty of social and political controversies in the village.

Later, in 2018, he was first elected to office as a councillor. He became mayor in 2022. The IJF found significant distinction between a central promise substance and reality. Woodward promised to transfer $55 million in real estate to a charitable structure. The profits were intended for local causes. The IJF found no transfer of property to the Eric Woodward Foundation. It remained a for-profit company.

The Foundation never registered as a charity. It was presented as a charitable vehicle, registered as a non-profit society, and the differences matter for legality and operations. The Foundation did not prepare annual financial statements for the first six years. Non-profits in the province of British Columbia are required by law to prepare financial statements and present them at each annual general meeting. The premise is compliance and transparency.

The Foundation failed to comply by the deadline with the registrar’s order to open the books. IJF requests and the registrar’s order went unanswered by the deadline. Actual recorded donations were $8,117 over a period of five years. The public image is a foundation tied to millions in real estate and previously announced charitable public commitments.

Between 2018 and 2021, public charitable commitments via public donation claims totalled almost $1.4 million. One recipient foundation said it had received between $500,000 and $999,999 from the Eric Woodward Foundation. Woodward later said the donations were made through the for-profit company rather than the Foundation.

Woodward claimed the Cranberry Festival and night markets did not run through the Foundation’s bank accounts. Particularly, this was transitioned away after becoming mayor. Released statements, however, reveal substantial event expenses and sales revenue and show more than $80,000 in event expenses in 2023.

Liabilities shown in the financial statements included up to $40,000 listed as “due to director.” Outside nonprofit lawyer, Martha Rans, described these aspects of the statements as unusual and needing an explanation. The IJF reported on grand announced intents with limited visible grantmaking and years of financial opacity.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is a blogger on Vocal with over 130 posts on the platform. He is the Founder and Publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978–1–0692343; 978–1–0673505) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369–6885). He writes for International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN, 0018–7399; Online: ISSN, 2163–3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), Humanist Perspectives (ISSN: 1719–6337), A Further Inquiry (SubStack), Vocal, Medium, The Good Men Project, The New Enlightenment Project, The Washington Outsider, rabble.ca, and other media. His bibliography index can be found via the Jacobsen Bank at In-Sight Publishing comprised of more than 10,000 articles, interviews, and republications, in more than 200 outlets. He has served in national and international leadership roles within humanist and media organizations, held several academic fellowships, and currently serves on several boards. He is a member in good standing in numerous media organizations, including the Canadian Association of Journalists, PEN Canada (CRA: 88916 2541 RR0001), Reporters Without Borders (SIREN: 343 684 221/SIRET: 343 684 221 00041/EIN: 20–0708028), and others.