Non-profit institutions and volunteering: Economic contribution

September 8, 20068 September 2006

Issue

Volunteers & donors / Nonprofit sector information

Article Link

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/051212/d051212b.htm

Full report: http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=13-015-XIE

Developed as part of the Voluntary Sector Initiative, Statistics Canada’s Satellite Account of Nonprofit Institutions and Volunteering provides information on the economic size and scope of the nonprofit sector.

In 2001, the nonprofit sector represented 6.8% of Canada’s gross domestic product. This is “larger than the mining, oil and gas extraction industry, and the entire retail trade industry”. The largest share of the nonprofit sector’s economic contribution comes from hospitals, universities and colleges, which combine for 64% of the sector’s economic contribution.

The broad culture and recreation sub-sector, including arts, culture, recreation and sports organizations, account for about 5.4% of the nonprofit sector’s economic activity by the measure used in this report, which differs substantially from the methodology used in other estimates of the culture sector’s economic impact.

The 273 million hours volunteered in arts, culture, recreation and sport organizations represents 139,000 full-time full-year job equivalents, or 56% of total work in arts, culture, recreation and sport organizations (much higher than the average of 20% for the overall non-profit sector). The replacement cost value of volunteer work in arts, culture, recreation and sport organizations is estimated at $3.6 billion.