Canadian donations bounce back after 2-year lull; age of givers still high

Donations to charities are bouncing back after two years of recession, but the weight of philanthropic giving still rests on the shoulders of older Canadians.

Statistics Canada data released Monday show that tax filers claimed donations of just under $8.3-billion in 2010, up 6.5 percent from 2009. At the same time, the number of donors increased 2.2 percent to just over 5.7 million Canadians, but the average age of donors remains 53 — a figure that has remained relatively the same for the past decade.