Income of individuals

In 2003, the median total income of individuals in Canada edged down 0.6% to $23,600 in comparison with 2002. Median employment income fell 0.7% to $24,800.

The median is the point where one-half of incomes are higher and the other half are lower. Only people with employment income were included in the calculation of median employment income.

Taxfilers in the Northwest Territories still had the highest median employment income in the country in 2003 at $33,500, even though this was down 3.0% from 2002. Those living in the Yukon and in Ontario shared the second highest median employment income, at $27,400 each followed by those in Alberta with $26,400.

Among census metropolitan areas, taxfilers in Oshawa ($32,900) had the highest median employment income in 2003 followed by those in Ottawa–Gatineau ($32,500).

Median employment income fell in 21 of 27 census metropolitan areas in 2003, with the biggest declines in the three British Columbia urban centres: Victoria (-3.1%), Vancouver (-2.7%) and Abbotsford (-2.3%).

Employment income represented 75% of the total income, as in 2002. Employment income includes wages and salaries, commissions from employment, training allowances, tips and gratuities, and self-employment income. Total income includes income from employment, investment, government transfers, private pensions, registered retirement savings plans and other income.

Government transfers represented the second largest source of income after employment income, accounting for 12% of total income at the national level. The main components of transfers were Old Age Security and Canada/Quebec Pension Plan benefits.

The relative reliance of individuals on government transfers compared to employment income is referred to as the economic dependency ratio. It measures the amount of transfer payments received for every $100 of employment income.

At the national level, taxfilers received $15.97 in government transfers for every $100 of employment income in 2003, down from $16.09 in 2002 and far less than the peak of $26.92 in 1993.

Among the census metropolitan areas, taxfilers in Calgary relied least on transfer payments in 2003, receiving only $7.93 for every $100 in employment income. Those in Trois-Rivières received the most ($23.26).

Note: The data in this report are drawn from income tax returns filed in the spring of 2004. All income data for individuals are before the payment of tax and after the receipt of transfers. All figures for previous years have been adjusted for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

Available on CANSIM: tables 111-0004 to 111-0008 and 111-0026.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4105.

Data in the publications Neighbourhood Income and Demographics (13C0015, various prices), Labour Income Profiles (71C0018, various prices) and Economic Dependency Profiles (13C0017, various prices) are available for the following geographic levels: letter carrier routes, census tracts, urban forward sortation areas (the first three characters of the postal code), cities, towns, federal electoral districts, census agglomerations, census divisions, economic regions, census metropolitan areas, provinces, territories and Canada.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (1-866-652-8443; 613-951-9720; fax: 1-866-652-8444 or 613-951-4745; saadinfo@statcan.gc.ca), Small Area and Administrative Data Division.