Giving & Volunteering
Our research team tracks and analyzes the various ways Canadians engage with charities and nonprofit organizations.
This includes measuring the levels of charitable giving as well as how and why Canadians volunteer in their communities.
We do this in order to stimulate support and engagement in the nonprofit sector.
Key Findings from the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating
- Canadians donated nearly $10 billion in 2007. 84% of Canadians made a financial donation.
- Canadians made an average donation of $437 (increased 9% from $400 in 2004 to $437 in 2007).
- 21% of Canadians provide 82% of the value of all donations.
- Immigrants give larger annual donations on average.
- Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have the highest donor rates. It was lowest in Nunavut.
- Largest average donation size is in Alberta followed by the Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Manitoba.
- 46% of Canadians (or 12.5 million) volunteer their time to charitable and nonprofit organizations.
- 2.1 billion volunteer hours were given.
- 12% of Canadians account for 78% of all volunteer hours in 2007.
- 65% of teenagers volunteer, representing the highest level of involvement of any age group.
- The volunteer rate was highest in Saskatchewan followed by the Yukon, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Lowest was in Quebec.
- The largest average hours volunteered were in Nunavut, Nova Scotia, the Yukon, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. Fewest in Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.
Main Topics Covered by our Research
- Examples of great moments in Canadian philanthropy (pdf)
- Levels of giving, volunteering and participating
- Volunteers who serve on boards (pdf)
- Assessing the financial value of volunteering
- Those who volunteer the most hours (pdf)
- Business support for volunteering
- Summary of research on volunteers & volunteering
Did you know that there are 161,000 nonprofilts and charities in Canada?
Did you know that Canada’s nonprofit and voluntary sector is the 2nd largest in the world?
The sector represents $79.1 billion or 7.8% of the gross domestic product
The sector is larger than automotive and manufacturing. It generates $112 billion in revenues and employs 2 million people
Canadians donated $10 billion in 2007
Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have the highest donor rates.
Canadians volunteered 2.1 billion hours in 2007
Young Canadians aged 15 to 24 are more likely to volunteer than Canadians in any other age group
One percent of nonprofits command 60% of all revenues flowing to the sector
Canadians with the lowest household incomes give a greater percentage of their income than others
Saskatchewan has the highest volunteer rate in the country, followed by the Northwest Territories and the Yukon
Those exposed to giving and volunteering activities early in life are more likely to continue those behaviours as adults
Upcoming Events
The New CRA Fundraising Guidance - What Practitioners and Boards need to Know
February 14th, 2012
Be among the first to learn details of CRA's new Fundraising Guidance and the (more...)
Nouvelles lignes directrices de l'ARC sur les activités de financement - ce que les OSBL et les CA doivent savoir (en Anglais)
February 14th, 2012
Soyez parmi les premiers à connaître les détails sur les nouvelles lignes (more...)