Although Canadians stepped up their charitable contributions in 2015, the total number of donors dipped, according to new data from Statistics Canada (StatsCan).
Drawing on tax-filing data, StatsCan reports that the total value of charitable donations in 2015 rose by 3.8% year-over-year to $9.1 billion. Yet, the number of donors declined slightly, by 0.9%, to just less than 5.5 million; and the proportion of taxpayers claiming charitable donations also declined to 21% from 21.4% in 2014.
StatsCan reports that the number of donors fell in every province and territory except for British Columbia and Manitoba, where the number increased slightly.
On a national basis, the median donation was $300 in 2015, StatsCan notes. Donors in Nunavut gave the most, with a median donation of $570, followed by Alberta at $450, and B.C. at $430. The lowest median donation amount was in Quebec, where the average donation was just $130.
The data include contributions to charities that generated official tax receipts and were claimed on tax returns.
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