In recent years, unprecedented challenges have contributed to pressures on Canada’s volunteer and charitable giving sector. Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased demand for services, inflation, and labour shortages have all had an effect.
Data from the 2023 Statistics Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (SVGP) show how indicators that measure participation in volunteer activities and the experiences of volunteers and donors changed over the tumultuous 2018 to 2023 period. The overall volunteer rate and the number of hours dedicated to volunteering decreased; and there was a significant decline in the number of donors. SVGP data was collected September 15, 2023 to March 30, 2024.
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 between 2018 and 2023. Despite the decline in the overall rate of formal volunteering, women, younger people, and those with a higher level of education remained more likely to volunteer than other groups. Those who volunteered, especially fully retired Canadians, were more likely to report high life satisfaction.
Published By: Statistics Canada.
Publication Date: June, 2025
Click here to access Volunteering and Charitable Giving in Canada, 2018 to 2023
Click here to access Formal Volunteering by Retired Canadians, 2023 (Published April 24, 2026)
