Statistics Canada has released further information on Canadian donors for 2011

Statistics Canada has recently released donor information for 2011.  Every year Stats Can puts out this information and people write about it.  Stats Can notes:  “Charitable donations reported by taxfilers increased 2.6% from 2010 to just under $8.5 billion in 2011. At the same time, the number of people reporting charitable donations on their 2011 income tax return decreased by 0.6% to 5.7 million.”  Looking at what tax filers claim as the basis for charitable donations is problematic on a number of levels and the “Note to Reader” is completely inadequate and getting worse.  You have about $300 million dollars per year are now claimed as part of abusive gifting tax schemes in which almost none goes to charity.  Furthermore,  Canadians often give to charity in circumstances in which receipts are not issued.  As well, not all Canadians who receive receipts use them on their tax filing.  Canadian charities in 2011 issued approximately $13 billion in receipts and only $8.5 billion were claimed on tax returns.