The Evolution of Wealth Inequality in Canada, 1984-1999 - ARCHIVED
Articles and reports: 11F0019M2002187
Using data from the Assets and Debts Survey of 1984 and the Survey of Financial Security of 1999, we document the evolution of wealth inequality in Canada between 1984 and 1999. Our main findings are as follows: 1) wealth inequality has increased between 1984 and 1999, 2) the growth in wealth inequality has been associated with substantial declines in real average and median wealth for young couples with children and recent immigrants, 3) real median wealth and real average wealth rose much more among family units whose major income recipient is a university graduate than among other family units, 4) real median and average wealth fell among family units whose major income recipient is aged 25-34 and increased among those whose major income recipient is aged 55 and over, 5) the aging of the Canadian population over the 1984-1999 period has tended to reduce wealth inequality, 6) diverging changes in permanent income do not explain a substantial portion of the growing gap between low-wealth and high-wealth family units. Factors that may have contributed to rising wealth inequality - which cannot be quantified with existing data sets - include differences in the growth of inheritances, inter vivos transfers, rates of return on savings and number of years worked full-time. In particular, rates of return on savings may have increased more for wealthy family units than for their poorer counterparts as a result of the booming stock market during the 1990s.
Main Product: Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series
Format | Release date | More information |
---|---|---|
February 22, 2002 |
Related information
Related products
Analysis
- Articles and reports: Changes in the Diversification of Canadian Manufacturing Firms and Plants (1973-1997): A Move to Specialization
- Articles and reports: Do Neighbourhoods Influence Long-term Labour Market Success? A Comparison of Adults Who Grew up in Different Public Housing Projects
- Articles and reports: Do the Falling Earnings of Immigrants Apply to Self-employed Immigrants?
- Articles and reports: Does Parent or Child Know Best? an Assessment of Parent/Child Agreement in the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
- Articles and reports: Early Labour Market Outcomes of Recent Canadian University Graduates by Discipline: A Longitudinal, Cross-cohort Analysis
- Articles and reports: Effects of Selection Criteria and Economic Opportunities on the Characteristics of Immigrants
- Articles and reports: Enhancing Food Safety and Productivity: Technology Use in the Canadian Food Processing Industry
- Articles and reports: Financing Innovation in New Small Firms: New Evidence from Canada
- Articles and reports: Management Experience and Diversity in an Aging Organization: A Microsimulation Analysis
- Articles and reports: Setting up Shop: Self-employment Amongst Canadian College and University Graduates
- Articles and reports: The Evolution of Job Stability in Canada: Trends and Comparisons to U.S. Results
- Articles and reports: The Importance of Entry to Canadian Manufacturing with an Appendix on Measurement Issues
- Articles and reports: Too Far to Go on? Distance to School and University Participation
- Articles and reports: Wage Progression of Less Skilled Workers in Canada: Evidence from the SLID (1993-1998)
- Articles and reports: Winners and Losers in the Labour Market of the 1990s
- Articles and reports: Wives, Mothers and Wages: Does Timing Matter?
Subjects and keywords
Subjects
Keywords
- Date modified: