Soaring stock markets and real estate prices created more millionaires in Canada last year, according to an annual study.

There are now approximately 320,000 high net-worth individuals in Canada — that’s people who have at least $1 million in financial assets, excluding their principal residence, the World Wealth Report said.

That’s about 1 per cent of Canada’s population of 35 million. Their collective wealth is estimated at $979 billion.

The number of Canadian millionaires rose by 7.2 per cent last year, helping North America retain its title as the wealthiest region in the world, according to the report, released by Capgemini and the Royal Bank of Canada.

That’s on top of a 6.5 per cent increase in their ranks in 2012.

“Equity markets performed quite well in 2013 and real estate performed extremely well,” said David Agnew, chief executive officer of RBC Wealth Management Canada. “As a result, the high net worth population increased.”

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The number of North America’s rich climbed 16 per cent to 4.3 million people in 2013. This group held $14.9 trillion of investable assets, the report said.

The wealth of the world’s millionaires rose 14 per cent to a record $52.6 trillion last year, as improving economies and equity markets added 1.76 million people to the global wealthy, according to the report.

Since 2008, high-net worth individuals have boosted their wealth by 61 per cent, or $20 trillion (U.S.).

Their wealth is forecast to rise to $64.3 trillion by 2016, led by growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Around the world, there are about 128,000 ultra high-net worth individuals — those with more than $30 million (U.S.) in investable assets — and they hold just over one-third of global high-net-worth wealth, the report said.

On the other end of the spectrum, 12.4 million people fall into the so-called “millionaire next door” category. This segment of the rich, who have between $1 million and $5 million in investable assets, holds 43 per cent of global wealth.

The U.S. has the highest high-net-worth population, followed by Japan, according to the report. Germany, China and the United Kingdom round out the top five.

The 2014 World Wealth Report surveyed more than 4,500 high net worth individuals across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa in January and February 2014.

The survey asked wealthy respondents for their thoughts on giving time, money, expertise, or a combination of all three, to “generate a positive social impact.”

Eight-eight per cent of Canadians described social impact as important, compared with 92 per cent globally.

Ninety per cent of high net worth individuals in India and China went a step farther, calling social impact critical or extremely important. That sentiment was shared by 43.8 per cent of Canada’s wealthy.

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The top three social causes for Canada’s wealthy are health, the welfare of children, and education.

Their top three ways of giving back are through volunteering, giving to charity on an ongoing basis, and making investment choices with a clearly defined positive social impact.

Capgemini is a global consulting, technology, and outsourcing firm.