The territories in the National Household Survey

September 11, 2013

Data released from Stats Canada from its 2011 National Household Survey show higher incomes, lower rates of home ownership than other Canadians.

Fewer residents in the three northern territories own their own homes. This is particularly true of Nunavut where less than one family in four owns a home, compared to 69% across Canada.

According to Statistics Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey, a voluntary sampling of the population that replaced the mandatory long-form census, the median income of Canadians working full-time, year-round was $47,868 in 2010. All three territories had median annual incomes above $60,000. Nunavut was first with $77,130, followed by the Northwest Territories at $73,667 and the Yukon at $60,124. The 2011 survey, based on data collected in 2010 by Statistics Canada, showed the biggest wage earners by province were in resource-heavy Alberta, where the median salary of full-time employees was $55,507.

Data from 2005 from Stats Can shows median Canadian household assets at $229K, with principal residences worth $180K. Liabilities totaled $44K to yield a median net worth of $148K.

Commentary

The Canadian north is a high housing cost locale. Although incomes are higher, the availability of affordable housing or building lots, is limited in many communities.

Sources

• a)http://business.financialpost.com/2013/09/11/canadians-are-making-a-lot-more-money-especially-in-the-north/?__lsa=4eb7-0ca2



• b)Household Survey see http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-014-x/2011002/c-g/c-g02-eng.cfm



• c)Household assets see http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil110-eng.htm