Newcomers to Canada and second-generation Canadians are highly motivated to support charitable causes, according to a new survey from Imagine Canada, Ethnicity Matters and a coalition of charities and nonprofits.

The 2020 study, titled the Multicultural and Newcomer Charitable Giving Study, is one of the first in Canada to explore the influence of ethnicity on supporting charities. The study’s conclusion: the communities surveyed – South Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Black (Afro-Caribbean/African), Arab and Iranian – share a strong willingness to embrace community service.

The study shows that newcomers to Canada and second-generation citizens are driven to give and volunteer out of a sense of duty to advance the well-being of their communities and Canadian society generally. Empathy for those in need is deeply rooted in strong family and religious values. 

Three quarters of those surveyed say giving is the right thing to do, while seven-in-ten believe it is very important to pass on these values by teaching their children about the importance of charitable giving.

The study also underscores the enormous potential for charities and nonprofits to engage multicultural Canadians in their respective causes that would include participation as donors. The survey found, for example, that six-in-ten donors (58 per cent) believe they can give more and only a third are happy with the amount they give.
 
Findings related to the willingness and ability to give, coupled with census data, indicate that the newcomer groups surveyed have the financial capacity to provide charities with nearly $1.7 billion in new funding annually.

Key Findings  

  • On average, newcomers and second-generation Canadians give $857 per year in donations
  • 82 per cent have either donated or volunteered in the past year (74 per cent have donated and 54 per cent have volunteered)  
  • 75 per cent support charities because “It’s the right thing to do”
  • 70 per cent believe it is very important for today’s parents to teach their children about charitable giving
  • 70 per cent believe even helping a little bit is always worthwhile
  • 59 per cent have a higher regard for businesses that donate to charitable causes compared to those who do not
  • 54 per cent would like to do more for charities by volunteering more of their time
  • 39 per cent would support more charities if they were asked more often  
  • 39 per cent would like to support more charities but do not know how  

The influence of COVID-19 on attitudes towards giving among these Canadians was partially measured by a follow-up survey of two of the groups – Chinese and South Asian – in the original study. This research found that 30 per cent of those surveyed intended to increase their donations in response to the pandemic.

The full study is available online at imaginecanada.ca.