Canadians were more generous in 2006, giving charitable donations tallying about $8.5 billion in 2006, Statistics Canada said Thursday.

"The amount of donations increased in all provinces and territories," the federal agency said. "The highest increases occurred in Alberta (+15.5 per cent), the Yukon (+15.2 per cent), and Newfoundland and Labrador (+13.9 per cent)".

2006 Median donations
Canada	$250
N.L.	$330
P.E.I.	$350
N.S.	$300
N.B.	$290
Que.	$130
Ont.	$310
Man.	$310
Sask.	$310
Alta.	$320
B.C.	$320
Yukon	$240
N.W.T	$220
Nunavut	$450

Statistics Canada noted that while donations increased 8.3 per cent over the amount given in 2005, the number of people making donations fell to 5.8 million — a drop of 1.4 per cent.

Manitoba and Ontario, which for the past 10 years have had the largest percentage of tax filers claiming donations, continued to lead the country in 2006. Twenty-eight per cent of tax filers in Manitoba declared a donation, compared to 27 per cent of Ontarians.

The largest median donations across the country were made in Nunavut at $450, which has led the provinces in territories in this segment since 2000.

"Donors in Prince Edward Island had the second highest median at $350, followed by donors in Newfoundland and Labrador with $330," the federal agency said in a release.

Broken down by city, donors in Abbotsford, B.C. made the largest median donation at $620. Torontonians ranked second at $360 and Vancouverites third at $340.