One Half (51%) of Canadians Aged 45+ Have Donated Less Money to Charity Because of Downturn

Toronto, ON - One half (51%) of Canadians aged 45 or older have donated less money to charity as a result of the economic downturn, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of BMO Financial Group. The survey of Canadians aged 45 and older who have assets of at least $50K and who have donated charity in the past 12 months assessed attitudes towards charitable giving and philanthropy.

While half (51%) have decreased the amount of money they donate since the economic recession began, most don't expect to continue to scale back. In fact, most intend to maintain (53%) or increase (29%) their charitable contributions over the next five years, while only 6% of those polled intend to decrease their contributions over the next five years. Among those who will increase their charitable giving, most (64%) say they'll continue to do so regardless of the economy, while 36% would only do so if the economy improves.

It appears that many are using charitable giving as a means to teach their children a lesson. Nearly nine in ten (86%) `agree' (33% strongly/53% somewhat) that `charitable giving can be a rewarding family activity', and a similar proportion (89%) `agrees' (37% strongly/52% that `charitable giving is a way of teaching children about family values'. However, only 15% of those with kids under the age of 21 say they actively involve children in these decisions.

Most (68%) donate in order to make a difference in a cause they believe in, and almost all (94%) believe it is important to give to charities that serve local causes. One in five (21%) plan to leave money to a charitable organization as part of their estate plan.

While most (86%) say they're `satisfied' with their current way of giving, 53% of those polled are only `somewhat' satisfied, while 12% are `not very satisfied', and 1% are `not at all satisfied'. However, one in three (34%) equate their lack of complete satisfaction with wanting to donate more. Interestingly, only 1% donate to charity as part of an overall plan involving a financial advisor.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between August 19 to 29, 2009, on behalf of BMO Financial Group. For this survey, a national sample of 551 adults (aged 45+ house assets are worth $50K+ and who have donated money to charity in the past 12 months) from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in this demographic in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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