The BMO Harris Private Banking Study

"People are very nervous about the economy - and we're being told that Canadians are in debt at higher levels than they've ever been.  So I was surprised and delighted to see that the (giving) figures have all gone up.  I put it down to the sense that people are trying to do what they can for people who are hurting."
Managing director of philanthropic services, BMO Harris Private Banking

This is a new, and welcome revelation.  One taken from a new report that draws its conclusions from an online survey that collected data by Pollara early this month.  The data are considered to be fairly accurate.  And that paints a very warm picture of how Canadians view their responsibilities to the society in which they live and to one another.

The causes that appear to elicit the most response from givers included health and medical (60%); anti-poverty (45%); animal welfare (30%); and education (19%).  These choices demonstrate that while we think of issues that will impact on us sooner or later and opt to support them, we also think of others and hope to be able to support their needs as well. 

And as a measure of a compassionate society that will do as well as any other parameter.

It used to be that the eastern provinces were traditionally more generous that the central Canadian provinces, and generally Quebec stood out as the province where citizens were least likely to give to any charitable enterprises.  The interpretation of which wasn't as simple as it seemed; one might venture to guess that those accustomed to receiving societal hand-outs would be unlikely to give themselves.

Quebec might fit that conventional picture, but certainly the Maritimes would not.  In any event, figures garnered from this poll indicated that Ontario led the country claiming the highest percentage of individuals who donated (85%) and the highest average annual amount given ($778).  The Prairie provinces followed close behind with 84% of individuals responding to charitable giving with their average donation totalling $751.

Somewhat surprisingly, religion seemed to get the short end of the stick this time around.  Traditionally, people who regularly attended houses of worship would commit themselves to a kind of tithing, or annual membership fees that might amount to a considerable amount of giving on an annual basis, all tax-deductible, expressing a commitment to the church, religious values and outreach.

But while in the past religious institutions represented the single most supported charitable enterprise with "the biggest portion of the pie", donation-wise, one can assume the lapse in their traditional position as highest funded through philanthropic giving reflects the indisputable fact that formal religious affiliation and church-attendance has fallen dramatically.

Not surprisingly, this data was released on November 15, a date set aside to mark National Philanthropy Day in Canada.  The report celebrated the fact that the average donation total across the board within the country has risen from $487 to its current $557 over the past twelve months.

Good on us.