GoFundMe Names Canada’s Top 20 Generous Cities and Towns for 2025

GoFundMe released the list of Canadian communities that contributed most actively to fundraisers on its platform in 2025, highlighting a broad pattern of civic support during a year marked by economic pressure and widespread need.

Credit: GoFundMe

More than 1.7 million people in Canada made donations, resulting in an average of four contributions every minute.

The ranking is based on the number of unique donors per capita. Victoria placed first for the third consecutive year, with roughly one in five residents giving to at least one campaign. North Vancouver and Vancouver followed, while St. John’s remained the highest-ranking community outside British Columbia. Several returning cities were joined by newcomers such as Oakville and Burlington, suggesting shifts in donor activity.

The top 20 list includes: Victoria; North Vancouver; Vancouver; St. John’s; New Westminster; Kamloops; Fredericton; Thunder Bay; Port Coquitlam; Kelowna; Peterborough; Nanaimo; Guelph; Moncton; Oakville; Milton; Calgary; Brampton; Burlington; and Barrie.

GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan said the data reflects communities responding to challenges with collective action, describing donations as expressions of people “answering the call.”

One of the year’s highlighted campaigns was led by Toronto advocate Ryan Donais, whose Tiny Tiny Homes project provides micro-shelters for people experiencing homelessness. Built with bicycle-towable frames and equipped with basic essentials, the units are designed as immediate, temporary housing. Donais, drawing on his own experience with homelessness, used GoFundMe to scale production after self-financing the first shelter. The initiative raised nearly $140,000 this year, enabling expanded construction.

GoFundMe also introduced new category leaders for 2025. Toronto raised the most funds nationally in Education, Medical and Emergencies, reflecting continued demand in these areas.