Data released by Statistics Canada shows Canadians volunteered less between 2018 to 2023. Contributing factors include inflation, increased demand for services, labour shortages, and the pandemic. From 2018 to 2023, women, younger people, and those with higher levels of education were most likely to volunteer, though, there was a decline within these demographics. .The group with the smallest decline of formal volunteering — volunteer activities for charitable or non-profit organizations — was those with an education level below high school, with a 29% decrease in 2023.For those with a high school diploma, formal volunteering declined 18%, and for those with a university degree, it fell by 20% in 2023. Among age groups, the most significant drop in formal volunteering was among those between 25 to 34, with a drop of 24%. .The drop in formal volunteering was also highest among women, falling by 20%.The sector with the largest decline in volunteers was hospitals, with a 47% decrease. Sports and recreation saw a 34% decrease, education and research dropped by 30%, and religious organizations declined by 23%. Despite the increase in Canada's population between 2018 to 2023, the amount of donors to charitable and non-profit organizations fell. .Canadians aged 15 and older making donations decreased from 68% in 2018 to 54% in 2023. StatsCan points out that this coincides with the rising cost of living. The total amount of donations remained relatively consistent — $13.4 billion in 2023 compared to $14 billion in 2018..However, the amounts donated by top donors contributed a significant portion of the total value of donations. In 2023, top donors contributed $9.5 billion to charities and non-profits, accounting for 71% of the total value of financial donations.
