Formal volunteering by retired Canadians, 2023

Release date: April 24, 2026
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Infographic: Formal volunteering by retired Canadians, 2023
Description: Formal volunteering by retired Canadians, 2023

Volunteering is an important source of support for various organizations. It can be formal (on behalf of a charity or non-profit organization) or informal (helping people directly or improving the community). This infographic looks at formal volunteering among Canadians 55 years and over in 2023.

Canadians aged 55 and over were less likely than younger Canadians to volunteer for a charity or non-profit organization, but those who did gave more hours

Table 1
Table summary
The information is grouped by Age (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Age Volunteer rate Average annual hours
Under 55 years 34% 90
55 years and over 29% 155

Fully retiredNote 1 Canadians contributed the most volunteering hours

Table 2
Table summary
The information is grouped by Retirement status (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Retirement status Average annual hours
Fully retired 173
Semi-retired 163
Not retired 120

Semi-retired Canadians were most likely to volunteer for a charity or non-profit organization

Table 3
Table summary
The information is grouped by Retirement status (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Retirement status Volunteer rate
Fully retired 27%
Semi-retired 38%
Not retired 28%

Those who volunteered, especially fully retired Canadians, were more likely to report high life satisfactionNote 2

Table 4
Table summary
The information is grouped by Retirement status (appearing as row headers), High life satisfaction , calculated using Proportion who volunteered and Proportion who did not volunteer units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Retirement status High life satisfaction
Proportion who volunteered Proportion who did not volunteer
Fully retired 72% 57%
Semi-retired 66% 59%
Not retired 63% 53%

Reasons for volunteering

Table 5
Table summary
The information is grouped by Retirement status (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Retirement status To improve their well-being or health To network or meet people Because their friends volunteer
Fully retired 61% 50% 39%
Semi-retired 57% 51% 45%
Not retired 50% 40% 32%

Top barriers to volunteering

Table 6
Table summary
The information is grouped by Fully retired (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Fully retired Semi-retired Not retired
Health problems or physically unable to volunteer (50%) Did not have the time (62%) Did not have the time (74%)
Gave enough time (45%) Unable to make a long-term commitment (52%) Unable to make a long-term commitment (51%)
Unable to make a long-term commitment (43%) Gave enough time (42%) No one asked (41%)

Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on Giving, Volunteering, and Participating, 2023.

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Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2026

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

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