Canadians made $8.6 billion worth of charitable donations in 2007, an increase of 1.4 per cent over the previous year, according to Statistics Canada figures released Tuesday.

2007 charitable donations (Statistics Canada)
Donors Median ($)

Tax filers claiming donations (%)
Canada 5,698,880 250 24
N.L. 82,740 340 21
P.E.I. 26,660 360 26
N.S. 157,420 310 23
N.B. 124,840 300 22
Que. 1,282,210 130 22
Ont. 2,291,180 310 26
Man. 229,180 330 27
Sask. 183,870 320 26
Alta. 601,460 350 24
B.C. 708,490 340 23
Yukon 4,680 250 21
N.W.T. 4,530 250 17
Nunavut 1,610 470 10

The federal agency noted the number of donors decreased 0.9 per cent to 5.7 million during the same time period. The median donation in 2007 held constant.

"Among donors in 2007, the median donation was $250, meaning that half of the donors gave more than $250 and half less," Statistics Canada said in a release.

"This was unchanged from 2006, unlike in prior years when the median donation had consistently increased."

Manitobans led the country with 27 per cent of its tax filers claiming a donation. Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan followed, with 26 per cent of residents making donations.

While Nunavut recorded the lowest proportion of filers claiming a donation, it also had the highest median donation among the provinces and territories, at $470.

This marks the eighth straight year Nunavut recorded the highest median donation, according to Statistics Canada. Prince Edward followed with $360 ahead of Alberta at $350.