Two in Five Canadians Report Using Charitable or Non-Profit Services
Toronto, Canada, October 14, 2026 — Nearly two in five Canadians (39%) report that they or an immediate family member have accessed services or supports provided by a charity or non-profit in the past year, according to a recent Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of RBC. However, 40% were unaware that many publicly funded institutions, including hospitals, colleges and universities, are considered part of Canada's charitable and non-profit sector.
Use of Charitable and Non-Profit Services Varies in Frequency and Purpose
Healthcare is the most accessed type of support among respondents who use charitable and non-profit services (68%). Other areas of support include food (26%), education (15%), housing (12%), social programming (12%), employment (9%), professional or skill development (6%), cultural or recreational programming (6%), childcare (4%) and community integration programming (2%), while 9% report accessing another type of service.
Among those who report using charitable or non-profit services, most describe their engagement as occasional (79%), including 44% who say they use services sometimes and 35% who say they use them rarely. By comparison, about one in five (21%) report regular use, including 18% who say they use services often and 4% who say they always use them.
Charitable Service Use Highest Among Gen Z and Families With Children
Gen Z respondents report the highest level of use, with 44% indicating that they or an immediate family member have used charitable or non-profit services in the past year. Reported use is also higher among Millennials (42%) and Gen X (40%), compared with 33% among Boomers.
Nearly half of Canadians with children (49%) report using charitable or non-profit services in the past 12 months, compared with 36% of those without children, suggesting many families with children rely on the charitable service sector.
Different Generations, Different Needs: Support Priorities Shift Across Age Groups
The types of services used also differ across generations. Younger generations report higher usage of education and employment-related. Younger generations report higher usage of education and employment-related supports. Education-related supports are reported by Gen Z (26%), Millennials (14%) and Gen X (17%), compared with Boomers (7%), while employment-related supports are reported by Gen Z (23%), Millennials (7%) and Gen X (12%), compared with just 1% of Boomers. By contrast, Boomers report the highest usage of healthcare-related supports (80%).
About the Study
These are the findings of an Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of RBC that was fielded between May 27-29, 2026. A total of n=1001 Canadians aged 18 and older participated in the survey which was fielded via the Ipsos I-Say panel. The results are considered accurate to within ±3.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would be had all Canadians over 18 been polled.
For more information on this Factum, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Senior Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs
[email protected]
About Ipsos
Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).
ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com
About Ipsos
Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).
ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com
