Canadian personal income rises 1.9% in 2005

Median total income and median employment income in select cities

	Median total income			Median employment income
	$	% +/- 04-05		$	% +/- 04-05
Canada	25,400	1.9		26,300	1.3
Calgary	30,800	3.2		31,500	2.8
Edmonton	29,500	4.2		30,800	4
Halifax	27,500	2.3		27,600	1.2
Montréal	24,900	2.4		26,400	0.2
Ottawa– Gatineau	32,700	1.3		34,000	0.2
Québec	27,600	2.3		28,300	1.1
Regina	28,900	1.4		29,200	0.3
Saskatoon	26,600	3.3		26,400	3.4
Toronto	26,100	0.2		29,600	-0.1
Vancouver	24,000	1.7		26,700	1.3
Victoria	28,800	1		26,500	-0.2
Winnipeg	26,200	1		26,500	0.1

StatCan - The median total income of individuals amounted to $25,400 in 2005, up 1.9% from 2004 after adjusting for inflation. This is the largest annual increase in median total income of individuals since 2001. The median is the point where one half of incomes are higher and the other half are lower.

Among census metropolitan areas (CMA), the largest percentage increases in median total income were in Edmonton (+4.2%), followed by Saskatoon (+3.3%), Calgary (+3.2%) and Trois-Rivières (+3.0%).

The median employment income in Canada increased 1.3% to $26,300 in 2005. Only people with employment income were included in the calculation of median employment income.

The Northwest Territories continued to have the highest median employment income in the country at $37,500, up 3.7% from 2004. Yukon had the second highest median employment income at $30,000 (+3.8%), followed by Alberta at $29,500 (+5.0%).

Among CMAs, Ottawa–Gatineau had the highest median employment income at $34,000. Oshawa, which had been in the lead for the past two years, followed with a median of $33,900.

The highest percentage increase in the median employment income of individuals in 2005 was recorded in Edmonton, up 4.0% to $30,800. Greater Sudbury followed closely behind, its median employment income increasing 3.8% to $26,200.

Among census agglomerations, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in northern Alberta led with a median employment income of $48,900. The area includes Fort McMurray and the province's oil sands development. Yellowknife followed with a median employment income of $48,000.

Of the 113 census agglomeration areas, 106 posted an increase in median employment income over 2004. The largest percentage increase was in Labrador City (+11.9%). Others, such as Camrose (+9.9%), Red Deer and Dawson Creek (+9.4%) and Grande Prairie (+9.1%) once again showed strong percentage increases in median employment income in 2005.

Employment income represented 75% of the total income, as in previous years. Employment income includes wages and salaries, commissions from employment, training allowances, tips and gratuities as well as 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, accounting for 12% of total income at the national level. The main components of government transfers were Old Age Security and Canada/Quebec Pension Plan benefits, which together represented 59% of these transfers.

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, individuals received $15.54 in government transfers for every $100 of employment income in 2005, down from $15.68 in 2004.

Among CMAs, people in Calgary relied the least on transfer payments again in 2005, receiving only $6.76 for every $100 in employment income. Those in Trois-Rivières received the most ($24.62).

Note: Data in this report are drawn from income tax returns filed in the spring of 2006. 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. On May 29, 2007, Statistics Canada published a release on family income for 2005. Based on administrative data, primarily from personal income tax returns, this release is of particular value to users interested in detailed family income data for subprovincial geographic areas.

A CMA or a census agglomeration is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a large urban area (known as the urban core). The census population count of the urban core must have reached at least 10,000 to form a census agglomeration and at least 100,000 to form a CMA. To be included in the CMA or census agglomeration, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the central urban area, as measured by commuting flows derived from census place of work data.

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