Canadians donated $8.19 billion to charities in 2008 — a 5.3 per cent drop from the previous year — as the recession led people to contribute a little less to good causes.

It was the lowest annual donation figure since 2005's $7.9 billion.

The news isn't all bad, however. Figures released by Statistics Canada on Monday show that the number of people whose tax returns reported charitable giving went up by 1.7 per cent in 2008 to almost 5.8 million.

Statistics Canada reported that 24 per cent of those who filed tax returns last year claimed charitable donations. That was the same percentage as in 2007.

Manitoba was the province with the highest rate of donors — 27 per cent. Ontario, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island each had a 26 per cent donor rate. Nunavut's was by far the lowest at 10 per cent.

The median donation — half of donors gave more and half less — was unchanged from 2007 at $250 nationally.

For the ninth year in a row, Nunavut had the highest median donation at $500. P.E.I. had the second-highest median at $370 and Alberta was third at $360. Quebec had the lowest median donation at $130.

Among urban areas, the highest median donation came from tax filers in Abbotsford-Mission, B.C. It's the sixth year in a row that this area led the country. Kelowna, B.C. came in second at $380 and Calgary's median donation of $360 was third.

The statistics do not take into account the millions of hours of volunteer work that Canadians give to charities.

Statistics Canada also pointed out that tax filers can combine their donations with those made by their spouses to maximize the tax break, so the actual number of people who gave to charity is higher than the number who claimed tax credits.