Giving to charity has hit a 20-year low according to a new study
While several reports show how the pandemic has re-focused many Canadians towards using their money to help others, this appears to not have been the case in the year before COVID hit.
A 20-year low in donating to charity in Canada has been highlighted in a new study from the Fraser Institute which found that the total amount donated by Canadians during the 2019 tax year was just 0.53% of income - the second lowest amount since at least 2000.
There was one year, 2006, where generosity peaked at 0.72%, but it has declined ever since.
“The holiday season is a time to reflect on charitable giving, and the data shows Canadians are consistently less charitable every year, which means 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: The 2021 Generosity Index.
Charitable giving is also the domain of the minority of Canadians. Over the 20-year study period, the share of tax filers who donated to charity fell from around one quarter to less than one fifth.
Where are the most generous?
Breaking down the stats by province, Manitoba had the highest percentage of tax filers that donated to charity (21.9%) during the 2019 tax year and donated the highest percentage of its aggregate income to charity (0.74%).
However, Albertans gave the largest average amount to charity ($2,875).
Newfoundland & Labrador had the lowest share of charity donors (17.1%) while Quebec donated the lowest share of aggregate income (0.24%) and the lowest average amount ($834).
“This year, a smaller proportion of Canadians are donating to registered charities, and those who are donating are donating less,” said Fuss. “This decline in generosity in Canada undoubtedly limits the ability of Canadian charities to improve the quality of life in their communities and beyond."
