As the end of the year draws closer, and Canadians reflect on 2013, we decided to look back on a year of charitable donations. We dug deep into our database to find which Canadian cities were the most generous in 2013, as well as some of the key giving trends.

Which events sparked the most giving from Canadians?

Canadians stepped up in times of crisis. We saw particularly large jumps in donations in response to the Alberta floods and Typhoon Haiyan. Ontario, per capita, gave the most to Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts, followed by the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Not surprisingly, Alberta per capita, gave the most in response to the Alberta flood.

We also saw a large lift in donations surrounding GivingTuesday. Canada’s inaugural GivingTuesday took place on December 3. More than 1,300 partners signed up, and online donations through CanadaHelps increased 169%.

What are the new giving trends in Canada?

More and more Canadians are taking advantage of donating securities – as this offers one of the most significant tax credits. Security donations increased by 31% year over year, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan showing the most dramatic year over year growth.

CanadaHelps charity gift cards make a perfect gift – and many Canadians agree! Albertans, Ontarians and BC’ers have embraced the gift of giving, sending an average of 50% more charity gift cards per capita than Canadians in other parts of the country.

Peer-to-peer fundraising using our Giving Pages was particularly popular with those in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. They have embraced fundraising pages, to increase their impact.

And now, for the question that most of you were likely waiting for…

Which Canadian cities and provinces were the most charitable?

Torontonians donated nearly $6.5 million through CanadaHelps, the most of any city. This was followed by Calgarians ($4.6 million), Edmontonians ($2.0 million) and Ottawans ($1.8 million). The largest average donations came from Calgary ($168), followed by Saskatoon, with Edmonton close behind. Victoria had the most donations per capita.

For more details on this year’s charitable giving, take a look at our infographic below.

*This data represents donations made through CanadaHelps.org between January 1 and November 29, 2013. Additional data was pulled specifically surrounding GivingTuesday – December 3, 2013.

Updated on October 31, 2024