Social Development

Stats Can released the Income of Canadians report from the National Household Survey. The report indicates that 7 in 10 Canadians are on welfare, i.e., receiving some form of social assistance (reminds me of famous Ambramovitz article; Abramovitz, M. (2001). Everyone is still on welfare: The role of redistribution in social policy. Social Work, 46(4), 297–308.).

Focusing on the lower income Canadians, the report suggests:

The majority of income for people in the lowest two income deciles came from government transfers (55.1% in the second decile and 67.5% in the lowest decile). In contrast, government transfers represented 5.0% of total income in the ninth decile and 2.1% in the top decile.

Almost one-third of those in the second decile were aged 65 and over, so OAS/GIS (21.1%) and other government income (12.3%) were among the main sources of transfer income for this group. Government assistance to people in the bottom income decile came mainly from child benefits (17.3%) and other government income (35.0%).

And, I now see that Stats Can has a video with infographics on Income.

@ArmineYalnizyan posts a commentary in the Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/national-household-survey-provides-blurred-look-at-housing/article14271791/