Statistics Canada has released new data on human resources in the nonprofit sector from 2010-2019. 

In 2019, nonprofit organizations—serving households, businesses and governments—employed 2.5 million people, representing 12.8% of all jobs in Canada. The employment share ranged between 12.4% and 12.8%, increasing during the 2010-to-2019 period.

While the economic and social landscape of Canada is very different at the time of this release than it was in 2019, these data provide a valuable baseline to better understand the potential impacts of COVID-19 in later reference years.

The Statistics Canada release covers detailed information around the following key takeaways:

  • Increasing share of nonprofit organization employees in Alberta and British Columbia
  • Two-thirds of nonprofit employees work in organizations serving governments
  • Women hold three-quarters of non-profit jobs as gender pay gap lessens
  • Rising Indigenous, immigrant and visible minority representation in nonprofits
  • Majority of nonprofit organization workers are college and university graduates
  • Higher percentage of workers aged 55 and older