The Canadian voluntary and nonprofit sector is made up of more than 180 000 organizations, 6.5 million volunteers and 1.3 million paid staff.

According to the 2004 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, millions of Canadian volunteers continue to play a vital role in their communities. One in four Canadians volunteer. Over one-third (34%) of all volunteer hours were contributed by the 5% of volunteers (who gave 596 hours or more of their time).

More young people volunteer to gain work-related skills. More seniors who travel or have multiple activities have less time available for volunteering. More new Canadians volunteer to develop work experience and to practice language skills. More persons with disabilities view volunteering as a meaningful way to participate in community life.

CANADIAN REGISTERED CHARITIES

There are about 78,000 charities registered with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. The list of Canadian registered charities includes the charity name, Business Number (BN)/ Registration number, mailing address, and designation type.

To get information about Canadian registered charities, you can:

Search the online list of registered charities.

Call the Charities Directorate toll free at 1-888-892-5667 (bilingual). For local calls in Ottawa call 1-613-954-0410 (English) or 1-613-954-6215 (bilingual).
Write to the Charities Directorate, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Ottawa ON K1A 0L5.

Uniterra Program
The Uniterra program provides numerous opportunities for Canadian citizens and landed immigrants to volunteer abroad in their field of experience. We work with local partners in 13 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Uniterra's objective is to support development initiatives that address world poverty. Volunteers share their experiences with their community, encourage international solidarity, and help shape policies towards meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals. With Uniterra, you can volunteer for a position of 1 month to two years, depending on the needs of local cooperation initiatives. Recruitment for positions is all-year round.  

Charity Village, Starting a Nonprofit or Charity
With almost 150,000 registered charities and nonprofits currently operating in Canada and more and more organizations are added to the mix, groups must become increasingly creative in the planning and carrying out of their mission. Keeping this in mind, there are several questions that should be considered before you begin the process of starting your own nonprofit organization or charity.

NonprofitsCan.ca
Canada's leading source of information on the nonprofit and voluntary sector. Created with the generous support of the Kahanoff Foundation's Nonprofit Sector Research Initiative, NonprofitsCan is managed by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.

Volunteer Canada
Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism and has provided leadership on issues and trends in the Canadian volunteer movement since 1977. Volunteer Canada actively engages in research, training and other national initiatives designed to increase community participation across the country.

VARIOUS CHARITIES:

Alzheimer Society Canada
Alzheimer Society is a not-for-profit Canadian health organization. The three levels of the Society -- national, provincial and local -- work together to form a nationwide network of services to help Canadians affected by Alzheimer Disease.

Amnesty International Canada
Stands in solidarity with - and helps protect - individuals and communities around the world whose human rights are under attack.

Breast Cancer Foundation
Established in 1986, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is the leading national volunteer-based organization in Canada dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer. CBCF works collaboratively to fund, support and advocate for: relevant and innovative research; meaningful education and awareness programs; early diagnosis and effective treatment; and a positive quality of life for those living with breast cancer.

Canada Helps
Support one of the 78,000 charities here!

Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.

Canadian Diabetes Association
The goal of the Canadian Diabetes Association's web site is to become THE online resource for people with, and affected by, diabetes and for healthcare professionals treating those affected by the disease.

Canadian Hearing Society
Provides services that enhance the independence of deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people, and that encourage prevention of hearing loss.

Canadian Women's Health Network
Sharing information, resources and strategies, and building links to improve women's health.

Candlelighters Canada
Childhood Cancer foundation.

Children's Wish Foundation
Children's Wish Foundation

Council of Canadians
Canada's pre-eminent citizens' watchdog organization, comprised of over 100,000 members and more than 70 Chapters across the country. Strictly non-partisan, the Council lobbies Members of Parliament, conducts research, and runs national campaigns aimed at putting some of the country's most important issues into the spotlight.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is an independent, charitable, faith-based housing program dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing by building homes in partnership with families in need. We build simple, decent, and affordable houses and provide interest-free mortgages to families who would otherwise not be able to purchase their own home.

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
We strive to be your most reliable source of heart disease and stroke information. We are also the largest non-commercial source of funds for heart disease and stroke research in the country.

Lake of Shining Waters IODE, Charlottetown
The mission of IODE is to help improve the quality of life for children, youth and those in need through educational, social service and citizenship programs.

Junior League of Calgary
The Junior League of Calgary is an organization committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

MannaRelief
MannaRelief Hope program is available to children in North America who are critically ill or medically fragile. Local Champions volunteer by linking children to the program and providing ongoing support and information. Local fundraising events go directly to the children and they also help build awareness. This program of micro nutrition is based on solid science and is doing an excellent job of helping each child's body build stronger immune systems which helps improve quality of life.

M.A.D.D.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Organ Donation in Canada
Donating your organs can quite literally save a life.

Our Sisters' Place
Community-based support network for women, with a focus on mood disorders associated with hormonal changes throughout the lifespan.

Progeria Project Foundation
An unique non-profit society established to help children worldwide who are living with Progeria. Progeria is a terminal, rapid aging condition.Assistance is provided for their basic personal needs that are sometimes left unmet due to the rareness of the condition. The incidence of Progeria is one in eight million. The Progeria Project was founded by a mother whose child suffers from Progeria.

Prostate Cancer Foundation
Raising funds for research into the prevention, treatment and cure of prostate cancer by engaging Canadians through awareness, education, and advocacy.

Save the Children Canada
Save the Children Canada is the leading child-rights organization, working for over 80 years to improve the quality of children’s lives through the realization of their rights.

The Canadian Book of Charities