Fewer Canadians are donating money to registered charities and they are giving smaller amounts, according to a study by The Fraser Institute, and independent think-tank. When Canadians make charitable donations they may declare them on their income tax filings and get a tax break. The Fraser used information from tax returns to chart giving habits.
In 2011 22.9 per cent of Canadian tax filers claimed a charitable donation. That number was down from 25.1 per cent in 2006. In 2011 they contributed an average 0.64 per cent of their combined income to registered charities, compared to 0.81 per cent in 2006. This amounts to $2.3 billion dollars less going to charities in 2011.
People in the western province of Manitoba were the most generous, donating 0.89 per cent of their combined income in 2011. Those in the province of Quebec were the least, giving 0.30 per cent, less than half the national average of 0.64 per cent.
No reasons were given for the declines.
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