Low income

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This table presents selected demographic, cultural, labour force, educational and income characteristics focusing on immigration status and period of immigration.

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This table presents selected demographic, cultural, labour force, educational and income characteristics focusing on population groups.

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This table presents selected demographic, cultural, labour force, educational and income characteristics focusing on place of work

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Comparisons of low income between regions may have impacts on policy choices. However, it is often argued that rankings of distributions are not robust and that they are also quite sensitive to methods of defining low income. This paper avoids these problems by using a stochastic dominance approach to compare regional low income profiles in Canada without arbitrarily specifying a low-income line. This analysis is carried out for the 10 provinces using the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics for 2000. Robustness of the results is also verified with respect to different choices of spatial price deflators and equivalence scales. The extent to which the findings are sensitive to the choice of an absolute or a relative concept of low income is also examined. We show that, in most cases, dominance relations can be determined and regional low income can be ordered for a wide range of low-income lines. We also show that dominance results are robust to the choice of equivalence scales, while rank reversal occurs when alternative cost-of-living deflators are used. Switching from an absolute to a relative low-income concept only affects low-income rankings for Ontario, Quebec and the Prairie provinces, but not in the case of other provinces. Nevertheless, for all scales, we find that low income is greatest in British Columbia.

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The general view is that teenage childbearing will have long-term negative effects on the well-being of the mother-- she may have more difficulty completing high school, which means she may be less likely to pursue postsecondary education and acquire skills for better jobs. Since low-skilled jobs tend to pay less, teenage mothers would have a higher likelihood of living in low income. This study looks at women aged 30 to 39 to determine whether teenage childbearing is related to lower long-term socioeconomic characteristics, with the focus on educational attainment, labour force participation, and living in low income.

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There was almost no change in the proportion of children under age 18 living in a low-income family from 1989 to 2004, despite government interventions and a strong economy since the 1990/1992 recession. In addition, the disparity between well-off and low-income children increased, the economic situation of families of well-off children having improved. Family situation and parents, insufficient employment had the greatest influence on children's vulnerability to low income. It is a changing phenomenon, as few children remain in low income for several consecutive years.

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Low income cut-offs (LICOs) are income thresholds, determined by analysing family expenditure data, below which families will devote a larger share of income to the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family would. To reflect differences in the costs of necessities among different community and family sizes, LICOs are defined for five categories of community size and seven of family size.

Low income Measures (LIMs), on the other hand, are strictly relative measures of low income, set at 50% of adjusted median family income. These measures are categorized according to the number of adults and children present in families, reflecting the economies of scale inherent in family size and composition. This publication incorporates a detailed description of the methods used to arrive at both measurements. It also explains how base years are defined and how LICOs are updated using the Consumer Price Index.

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The objective of this paper is to document the characteristics of the rural and urban working poor specifically, those individuals living in a low-income economic family unit in 2003, who were not full-time students and who worked for pay for at least one hour in 2003. We then present some of the factors associated with their situation.

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This research examines the characteristics of non-elderly unattached Canadians who experience persistent low income and their transition patterns into and out of low income. It also examines the factors associated with increased risk of persistent low income.

The study found that unattached individuals aged 45 to 64, the activity limited, the not employed, visible minorities, and high school leavers all faced a higher rate of the most persistent low income (6 years out 6). Family formation reduced the incidence and persistence of low income.

Statistical analyses showed that among working-aged unattached individuals, those who faced the greatest risks of the most persistent low income included the unemployed and those who had reported limitations to work. Individuals also at great risk were those who had not completed high school, those who were aged 45 to 64, or those whose unattached status remained unchanged over the six-year study period.

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Low income cut-offs (LICOs) are income thresholds, determined by analysing family expenditure data, below which families will devote a larger share of income to the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family would. To reflect differences in the costs of necessities among different community and family sizes, LICOs are defined for five categories of community size and seven of family size.

Low income Measures (LIMs), on the other hand, are strictly relative measures of low income, set at 50% of adjusted median family income. These measures are categorized according to the number of adults and children present in families, reflecting the economies of scale inherent in family size and composition. This publication incorporates a detailed description of the methods used to arrive at both measurements. It also explains how base years are defined and how LICOs are updated using the Consumer Price Index.

Description: Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for the reference family by MBM region and base year. Total thresholds as well as thresholds for the food, clothing, transportation, shelter and other expenses components are presented, in current and constant dollars, annual.

Description: Individual poverty status using Northern Market Basket Measure (MBM-N) by family characteristics, age and gender for Canada, territories, census divisions and census subdivisions.

Description: Data on military service status by individual poverty status using the Market Basket Measure (MBM), individual low-income status, economic family characteristics of persons, highest certificate, diploma or degree, age and gender for the population aged 17 years and over in private households in Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts.

Description: Data on individual low-income and poverty status by occupation broad category (1-digit code) from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, industry sector (2-digit code) from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2017, and work activity during the reference year for the population aged 15 years and over in private households in Canada, provinces and territories, and census divisions.

Description: The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition.

The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

Description:

The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition. The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

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This table provides statistics on year-over-year low-income transitions, including low income entry and exit rates, low income resistance, and low income immobility rates among Canadian taxfilers. The low income measure (LIM) is used to identify low income taxfilers. The LIM threshold is calculated as half of the median of the adjusted family after-tax income of all taxfilers and their family members. This table uses two different types of LIM: the variable LIM is based on the median total income re-calculated year, while the fixed LIM is based on the median total income in 2002 adjusted yearly by the all-items Consumer Price Index.

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This table provides information on the number of years in low income over an eight-year period among Canadian taxfilers. The years in low-income may or may not be adjacent to each other. The low income measure (LIM) is used to identify low income taxfilers. The LIM threshold is calculated as half of the median of the adjusted family after-tax income of all taxfilers and their family members. This table uses two different types of LIM: the variable LIM is based on the median total income re-calculated each year, while the fixed LIM is based on the median total income in 2002 adjusted yearly by the all-items Consumer Price Index.

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This table contains statistics that describe the duration of low income spells experienced by Canadian taxfilers in an eight-year period. A low income spell refers to a period in which a person stays in low income. It can last one year or several years consecutively. The length of the spell is referred to as its duration and is measured in years. The low income measure (LIM) is used to identify low income taxfilers. The LIM threshold is calculated as half of the median of the adjusted family after-tax income of all taxfilers and their family members. This table uses two different types of LIM: the variable LIM is based on the median total income re-calculated each year, while the fixed LIM is based on the median total income in 2002 adjusted yearly by the all-items Consumer Price Index.

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Individuals; After-tax low income status of tax filers and dependants based on Census Family Low Income Measure (CFLIM-AT), by family type and family type composition (final T1 Family File; T1FF).

Description: Using data from the 2021 Census of Population, this infographic examines the prevalence of low income among persons in one-parent families with an immigrant parent. This infographic explores the prevalence of low income among persons in one-parent families according to the parent’s admission category and racialized group, as well as the presence of young children in the family.

Description: Using data from the 2021 Census of Population, this article examines the prevalence of low income among persons in one-parent families with an immigrant parent. This article explores the prevalence of low income according to characteristics of the parent (e.g., admission category, period of immigration) and their family and household (e.g., number of children, household type).

Description: This discussion paper begins by providing the reasons for why equivalization methods are used. Following this, the square root scale is described and the motivations for using the square root scale are discussed. Third, a series of new tests are conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the square root scale, and these results are discussed in some detail as they reveal many insights. The final section of the paper raises considerations for creating Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for different types of families, such as unattached individuals and those including seniors or persons with disabilities.

The paper also provides an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to share feedback and comments in measuring poverty by different family characteristics in Canada.

Description: This research paper examines shelter and transportation costs within census metropolitan areas (CMAs). The paper begins by describing a proposed methodology for delineating urban and suburban sub-regions within CMA Market Basket Measure (MBM) regions. It then presents new shelter and transportation costs based on the new delineations and assesses the extent to which differences in costs between urban and suburban sub-regions differ. The analysis concludes by examining how the new delineations would impact the estimation of poverty rates had they been implemented. This paper also provides an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to provide feedback and comments.

Description: This discussion paper describes considerations for applying the Market Basket Measure (MBM) methodology onto a purely administrative data source. The paper will begin by outlining a rationale for estimating MBM poverty statistics using administrative income data sources. It then explains a proposal for creating annual samples along with the caveats of creating these samples, followed by a brief analysis using the proposed samples. The paper concludes with potential future improvements to the samples and provides the opportunity for reader’s feedback.

Description: This paper provides provisional poverty rates for the 2022 and 2023 reference years using a previously published regression model. The model has been updated to use most recently available data from Distributed Household Economic Accounts (DHEA), the Canadian Income Survey (CIS) and Consumer Price Indexes (CPI).

Description: This discussion paper addresses options and considerations related to two Market Basket Measure (MBM) research agenda items: (1) Updating the other necessities basket component; and (2) the potential creation of a communication services component in the MBM methodology. It also provides an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to provide feedback and comments on the considerations presented in this paper.

Description: This study examines the relationship between income and food insecurity, looking at families most at risk, as well as the possible role of assets and debts in food insecurity.

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: This paper builds on an earlier paper, "Delineating remote regions for the Market Basket Measure", outlining an approach for delineating remote Market Basket Measure (MBM) regions by describing a potential methodology for creating remote-region MBM thresholds across Canada’s provinces. The paper then outlines the potential impacts these thresholds would have on provincial poverty estimates. It also provides an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to provide feedback and comments on the methodology.

Description: The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition.

The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

Description:

The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition. The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

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From September 2018 through April 2019, Statistics Canada conducted a broad consultation on the Market Basket Measure (MBM). This paper will describe the consultations that took place, give highlights of what Statistics Canada heard, and describe next steps.

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The User Guide for the Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) outlines uses for the index, as well as it provides a brief description of the methodology behind the development of the index. This User Guide also provides instructions on how to use the index, and lists considerations when using the CIMD data.

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This report summarizes the comments received in response to a discussion paper on low income cut-offs released in January 2000.

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This paper describes the issues around updating the low income cut-offs as well as Statistics Canada's findings and proposes a course of action.

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Recently there has been extensive and recurring media coverage of Statistics Canada's low income cut-offs and their relationship to the measurement of poverty. At the heart of the debate is the use of the low income cut-offs as poverty lines even though Statistics Canada has clearly stated, since their publication began over 25 years ago, that they are not. The high profile recently given this issue has presented Statistics Canada with a welcome opportunity to restate its position on these issues, views which seem to have become lost in the debate.

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This working presents the nature and uses of the geographic structure used by the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) and explains how statistics on low income are dependent on geographical concepts. It also describes the methodology for deriving geographic data for the Wave 1 (1993 reference year) SLID files, and improvements made for the Wave 2 (1994 reference year) release.

Description: The purpose of this survey was to provide data for estimating income distributions by size for individuals and families.

Description: This survey was conducted to provide data on cross-sectional income for the Canadian population and data on low income families in Canada.