Record high charitable giving in 2021 by the fewest donors ever

One in six Canadian tax filers claimed a charitable donation on their tax form in 2021, giving a record high $11.8 billion, thanks in part to a growing share of large donors.

Nevertheless, just under 5 million tax filers claimed a charitable donation in 2021, the 11th consecutive annual decline and 14.9% lower than the record high 5.8 million tax filers in 2005. The share of tax filers claiming charitable donations fell from 25.5% at the beginning of the millennium to 17.7% in 2021.

Today, of course, Canadians make many small donations that are not claimed on tax returns, such as text messages where no tax receipts are issued, or at checkout counters of retail stores. Canadians also contribute to crowdfunding platforms for individuals or organizations not linked to charities registered under the Income Tax Act.

These donations are impossible to track accurately over the course of a year.

Women more likely to give, men give more

As always, or at the very least since the beginning of the data series in 1997, women (52%) were slightly more likely than men (48%) to claim a charitable donation in 2021.

Men, however, gave more money, claiming $7.8 billion in charitable donations for a median of $400, that is, half of the men gave more than $400 and half gave less annually. Women claimed $4.3 billion in charitable donations for a median of $330.

Charitable giving increases with age, while youth are most likely to give time

Just over one-third (34%) of seniors claimed a charitable donation on their tax form in 2021, the highest rate among all groups. Almost two-thirds of Canadians in their working prime (25 to 64 years old) made a charitable donation in 2021, with the likelihood of donating increasing with age.

Perhaps not surprisingly given their recent entry into the workforce, those aged 24 and younger were least likely to claim a charitable donation, at 3%. While young Canadians were least likely to report charitable donations, they had the highest participation rate in volunteer activities.

Canada’s most charitable towns and cities

A few towns and cities across Canada stand out in terms of declared charitable giving.

Miramichi, New Brunswick, takes top spot in Atlantic Canada with a median donation of $700 in 2021, a full $180 more than runners-up Fredericton and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Gatineau, Quebec, once again led La Belle Province, with a median donation of $200. Montréal ranked third with a median donation of $180.

The Township of Centre Wellington, due west of Toronto, was the most charitable place in Ontario with a median donation of $520.

In Western Canada, Manitoba is home to the two most charitable cities by far among the provinces, with the median charitable donation in Steinbach ($2,270) being over six times higher than the national average ($360), while the median donation in Winkler ($1,820) was five times higher.

The median donations in these two Prairie towns pales compared with Whitehorse, Yukon, however, where residents claimed a median of $3,660 in charitable donations in 2021, ten times higher than the national average.

Among Canada’s largest cities of 1 million or more people, Calgary leads with a median donation of $900 in 2021, up by over one-fifth from a year earlier and $30 more than their neighbour to the north, Edmonton.