Fraser Institute study finds the amount donated to charity is at a 20-year low
Canadians are way behind Americans in donating to charity according to a new report.
The Fraser Institute study found that 19.9% of tax-filing Canadians claimed charitable donations on their tax returns in 2017 (most recent year for which data is available) compared to 24.9% of Americans.
And the amount that is given also lags those south of the border. Canadians gave 0.54% of their income to charity in 2017 while Americans donated 1.52%.
The share of income Canadians donated was at its lowest since 2000 having peaked at 0.78% in 2006.
The average dollar amount claimed in Canada was $1,800 compared to $6,751 in the U.S. (in local currencies).
The most generous Canadians by this measure were Albertans who donated an average $2,703, followed by British Columbians ($2,570), and Manitobans ($2,109). Manitoba came top for the share of tax-filers who claimed charitable donations (23.4%) followed by PEI (21.3%) and Ontario (20.9).
The least generous were those in Quebec who donated an average $746, the only provincial average below $1000. By share of tax filers who claimed charitable donations, Nunavut came last at 7.2%.
“The holiday season is a time to reflect on giving, and with Canadians being less generous every year, charities face greater challenges to secure resources to help those in need,” said Jake Fuss, senior policy analyst with the Fraser Institute and co-author of Generosity in Canada and the United States: The 2019 Generosity Index.
The amount Canadians donate to charity has hit a 20-year low.https://t.co/Z7raBpr4cS #charity
— The Fraser Institute (@FraserInstitute) December 19, 2019
