Fact Sheet

Edmonton Statistics

-There are 8,000 nonprofit organizations in the Edmonton and area region, and 4,000 nonprofit organizations in Edmonton alone.
Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations 2007
 
-About 46% of Edmontonians have volunteered in the past 12 months.
 
Top reasons why people volunteer:
- To be involved in the community: 36%
- Believed in the cause: 24%
- Personally affected by the cause: 19%
- Have friends or family who volunteer: 11%
- Enjoy helping: 10%
 
Where are people volunteering?:
- Religious: 28%
- Sports: 27%
- Social Services: 26%
- Health: 23%
- Cultural, arts or historical: 15%
- Schools: 11%
City of Edmonton, September 2007
 

Alberta Statistics
 
-There are 19,000 charities and nonprofit organizations which are supported by 2.5 million volunteers, equivalent to 449 million hours of time.
A Workforce Strategy for Alberta’s Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector. Government of Alberta. Department of Employment and Immigration 2007
 
-Nearly 58% of the nonprofit and charitable groups in Alberta are completely volunteer-run, having no paid staff.
Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, 2004
 
-In Alberta, 52% of people volunteer--higher than the national average of 48%.  
2007 Canada Survey of Giving,Volunteering and Participating
 
-The sector annually generates at least $9.65 billion of activity in Alberta’s economy.
Alberta Government 2007, based on Statistics Canada research 2003
 
 
Canada Statistics
 
-Canada's 12.5 million volunteers (48%) contributed 2.1 billion volunteer hours.
 
-The 25% of volunteers who contributed 78% of all volunteer hours and contribute more than 171 hours annually.
 
-20% of volunteers cited using the Internet in some way during their volunteer work while 8% said they used the Internet to seek out volunteer opportunities.
 
-58% of young Canadians aged 15 to 24 volunteer.
 
-93% of Canadians 15 years and older volunteer indicated the desire to make a contribution to the community is their reason for volunteering and to use skills and experience at 77%.
 
-48% of Albertans began volunteering because they were asked to.
 
2007 Canada Survey of Giving,Volunteering and Participating
 
-Canada’s core nonprofit sector accounted for an estimated 2.4% of the nation’s economic activity, as measured by gross domestic product. This is almost three times the contribution of the motor vehicle manufacturing industry, 50% more than the agricultural industry, and about the same as the accommodation and food service industry.
Statistics Canada 2007

 

Last updated: April 12, 2010