Volunteering and charitable giving in Canada, 2018 to 2023

Released: 2025-06-23

Volunteering and charitable giving reflect community support for different causes and play an essential role in providing aid for these initiatives. For this sector, the last few years have been characterized by unprecedented challenges. Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased demand for services, have contributed to pressures on the sector, as have inflation and labour shortages.

The Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating includes indicators that measure participation in volunteer activities and the experiences of volunteers and donors. From 2004 to 2013, volunteering and charitable donations were relatively stable, with a slight decrease in participation, a nearly constant increase in the total amounts donated and relative stability in the hours of volunteer work. The 2023 survey data, released today, show how these indicators changed over this recent, tumultuous period from 2018 to 2023. In particular, this period was marked by a significant decline in volunteering and in the number of donors.

The overall volunteer rate and the number of hours dedicated to volunteering decreased from 2018 to 2023

The overall volunteer rate—which includes formal and informal volunteering—decreased by 8% in 2023 compared to 2018. Close to three in four people (73%) volunteered in 2023, compared with just under four in five people (79%) in 2018. Meanwhile, the total number of hours of formal and informal volunteering by Canadians fell from 5.0 billion hours in 2018 to 4.1 billion hours in 2023, a drop of 18%. On average, people who volunteered dedicated 173 hours to volunteering in 2023, or 33 fewer hours than in 2018.

Although the proportions of men and women who volunteered were similar in 2023, the average annual number of hours of volunteering by women (-21%) decreased significantly from 2018, while the decline among men was not significant.

As in 2018, top volunteers—the 10% of volunteers who volunteered the most hours—accounted for more than half (61%) of the volunteer hours in 2023. This was partly due to the fact that in 2023, as in 2018, top volunteers were more likely than other volunteers to do both formal and informal volunteering activities.

Despite the decrease in the total number of volunteer hours in 2023, the time dedicated by top volunteers to volunteering did not fall sharply. The decline in the total number of hours was mainly due to the decrease observed among other volunteers.

Women, young adults aged 25 to 34, and people with an education level below high school diploma had the largest declines in the rate of formal volunteering

Formal volunteering—the participation of Canadians in volunteer activities for charitable or non-profit organizations—showed a decline in 2023. Among people aged 15 and older, there were close to 11 million volunteers, for a formal volunteering rate of 32%. This compares with a rate of 41% in 2018. Additionally, volunteers dedicated approximately 1.2 billion hours to formal volunteering activities in 2023, down 28% from 2018.

From 2018 to 2023, the profile of volunteers did not change. Women, younger people, and those with a higher level of education remained more likely to volunteer than other groups. However, the challenges of recent years (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic; high inflation) revealed disparities between the different demographic groups in terms of the resulting impacts, with some groups being affected more than others, whether in the labour market or within the household.

In effect, from 2018 to 2023, the average annual number of hours dedicated by women to formal volunteering dropped sharply (-20%). There was also a significant decrease in the volunteer rate (-24%) and number of volunteer hours (-42%) of individuals aged 25 to 34. These were the biggest declines among all age groups.

Individuals with an education level below high school diploma (-29%) saw the largest decline in the rate of formal volunteering in 2023. The average number of formal volunteer hours also fell sharply among volunteers with a university degree (-20%) and those with a high school diploma (-18%).

Volunteers spent fewer hours working in the hospital sector in 2023

Certain charitable or non-profit organizations benefitted more than others did from the work of volunteers in 2023. Social service organizations, religious organizations, as well as sports and recreation associations continued to make up more than half of the formal volunteering hours done by volunteers (Chart 1). Moreover, compared with 2018, the total number of volunteer hours decreased significantly in sectors related to hospitals (-47%), sports and recreation associations (-34%), education and research (-30%), and religious organizations (-23%).

Chart 1 
Total number of formal volunteering hours, by type of organization, 2018 and 2023

The decline in the rate of informal volunteering is due to fewer volunteers involved in improving the community

Aside from formal volunteering, Canadians also dedicate their time to improving their community through activities such as maintaining a public space. As well, they provide direct help to friends, family members or neighbours. Compared with previous years, fewer Canadians engaged in informal volunteering activities in 2023. This resulted in a decline in the rate of informal volunteering from 74% in 2018 to 66% in 2023. This decrease was due mainly to a decline in the number of volunteers who participated in improving the community (-19%). Compared with 2018, this number fell more sharply than the number of volunteers who helped others directly (-3%).

In total, nearly 3 billion hours were dedicated to informal volunteering in 2023, down 13% from 2018. This decline was mainly attributable to the decrease in the number of hours that women (-20%) dedicated to informal volunteering.

In 2023, the total number of volunteer hours spent helping others directly, regardless of the type of activity, did not decrease significantly from 2018. However, the number of hours dedicated to improving the community did (-34%). The decrease was especially pronounced for the following activities: actively participating in public meetings where there was a discussion of community affairs (-40%) and coordinating a group or event (-34%) (Chart 2).

Chart 2 
Total number of hours of informal volunteering to improve the community, by type of volunteer activity, 2018 and 2023

From 2018 to 2023, the total amount of donations remained virtually unchanged, while the number of donors fell

In addition to participating in formal and informal volunteer activities, Canadians contribute to their communities by giving money to charitable or non-profit organizations. Despite a sizable increase in the Canadian population from 2018 to 2023, the total number of donors did not follow this trend. In 2023, there were relatively fewer donors than in 2018. The proportion of Canadians aged 15 and older who made a donation decreased from 68% in 2018 to 54% in 2023. This decline coincided with the rise in the cost of living in recent years, which may have had an impact on donations and fundraising activities.

Although the number of donors decreased from 2018 to 2023, the total value of donations made to charities or non-profit organizations in 2023 ($13.4 billion) was roughly the same as in 2018 ($14.0 billion in 2023 dollars).

In 2023, religious organizations received less in donations than in 2018, in contrast to social service organizations

In 2023, as has been the case previously, the three main beneficiaries of donations were religious organizations ($4.9 billion), health organizations ($1.8 billion), and social service organizations ($1.7 billion) (Chart 3). These three types of organizations received 63% of the total value of donations made in 2023.

For almost all types of organizations, the total value of donations made in 2023 did not vary significantly from 2018. However, the total value of donations made to religious organizations fell 22%, or $1.4 billion, compared with 2018 (Chart 3). The decline in donations to these organizations from 2018 to 2023 coincided with an overall decrease in participation in religious activities during the same period, with 37% of Canadians participating in religious activities in 2023 compared with 45% in 2018. As in 2018, most of the donations made to religious organizations in 2023 (96%) were made by people who participated in religious activities.

In contrast, in 2023, social service organizations received 20% more in donations than in 2018. This is the only type of organization to show a significant increase in the value of donations received.

Chart 3 
Total value of donations to charitable or non-profit organizations, by type of organization, 2018 and 2023

From 2018 to 2023, donation amounts made by top donors remained unchanged, contrary to those made by other donors

Although all donations are important, the amounts donated by top donors represented an especially high proportion of the total value of donations. In 2023, top donors contributed $9.5 billion to charities or non-profit organizations, representing 71% of the total value of financial donations. Even though there were fewer top donors in 2023 than in 2018, the total value of their donations did not decrease significantly. However, a decrease in donations from other donors was observed.

In 2023, men were slightly more likely than women to be top donors compared to 2018, while the value of their average annual donations was similar. The propensity to be a top donor remained higher among older people, those with a university degree, and those who participated in religious activities at least once a week in the 12 months preceding the survey.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).