Documenting Canada’s Wealth Gap
This report examines the details of Statistics Canada’s wealth survey and finds that wealth inequality trends have quietly gone unnoticed—and in fact, Canada’s wealth gap is bigger than its income gap. The report also provides an analysis of the 86 wealthiest Canadian residents, finding that they held the same amount of wealth in 2012 as the bottom 11.4 million Canadians combined. The paper concludes by examining a few options to help narrow Canada’s wealth gap, including reforms to capital gains tax and a higher inclusion rate/higher income taxes at the top of Canada’s income spectrum.
About the author
David joined the CCPA as its Senior Ottawa Economist in 2011, although he has been a long time contributor as a research associate. Since 2008, he has coordinated the Alternative Federal Budget, which takes a fresh look at the federal budget from a progressive perspective. David has also written on a variety of topics, from child care to income inequality to federal fiscal policy. He is a regular media commentator on national policy issues, often speaking to the CBC, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Canadian Press. David received his BA from the University of Windsor and his MA from the University of Guelph, both in Philosophy. Follow David on Bluesky at @davidmaccdn.bsky.social
