Fraser Institute says Canadians less generous than Americans

An annual study by the Fraser Institute has again called into question how generous Canadians arecompared with Americans though some Canadians say they keep their generosity off the books.

The institute's 2015 generosity index, based on 2013 tax data, said tax claims provide the most reliable evidence of individual giving. Its informationshows Americans are more likely to give money to registered charitiesand more of it.

• Canadian generosity in decline, Fraser Institute says

The Fraser Institute has been tallying the index since at least 1999, always showing U.S. generosity outstripping Canadian.

The institute's results, released Thursday, contradict some of theinformation released by Statistics Canadain early 2015 in a survey on volunteering and charitable giving.

According to the Fraser Institute, in 2013, about 22 per cent of Canadians claimed donations to registered charities on their taxes, giving on average 0.5per cent of their income.

Charles Lammam, director of fiscal studies at the institute,compared that with U.S. tax filings.

"Americans are much more generous than Canadians," he said. "So much so that in some cases, they are 2times more generous when we look at the share of income being donated."

In the U.S., the average donor gives1.39 per cent of their income.When the Fraser Institute calculates the average donation, the amount works out tomore than $5,000, compared with $1,500 in Canada. The institute acknowledges that figure is inflated by wealthier donors.

"That difference translates into $13 billion more that Canadian private charities would have received had Canadians donated at the same rate of income as their American counterparts," Lammamsaid.

He also noted thatthere hadbeen a downward trend over the past decade.

"All provinces have seen a drop in both the share of tax filers donating to charity, as well as the share of income being donated," he said. "These trends are concerning, because it now raises new challenges for the private charities in Canada to secure the resources they need to provide the valuable services to the most vulnerable in our society."

Statistics Canada differs

Statistics Canada's survey said the proportion of Canadians who made a donation in 2013 was down from 2010, but the amount donated was up.

"Between 2010 and 2013, the total amount donated by Canadians to charitable or non-profit organizations increased by 14 per centto $12.8 billion," the Statistics Canada report said.

Meanwhile some individual Canadians say they don't keep tabs on what they give.

Victor Sawamade a donation to the Salvation Army kettle fund at a Regina mall. He said he doesn't always ask for a receipt.

"I mean, what the heck, it's Christmas," he said. "I'm not here for the tax receipt."

Sawasaidhis tax claims don't reveal hundred of dollars he gives to charities every year.

Maj. Kristiana MacKenzie of the Salvation Army believes Canadians are generous.

"Christmas time in particular, we have such a giving spirit that most people aren't thinking of that tax receipt," she said. "They just want to help."

The Fraser Institutestudy doesn't count increasingly popular crowdfunding campaigns such as GoFundMe.