Income inequality in Canada rising faster than in the US

September 14, 2011

According to a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada, the income gap in Canada has risen since the mid 1990’s, at a faster rate than in the United States. Using the Gini index, the report shows a “measure of inequality grew in Canada from 0.293 in the mid-1990s to 0.320 in the late 2000s. A Gini index under 3 is an indicator of low income inequality. Meanwhile, the US Gini index rose from 0.361 to 0.378 in the same period.”

In a news release, the Conference Board’s President and CEO Anne Golden said:

“Canada had the fourth largest increase in income inequality among its peers. Even though the U.S. currently has the largest rich-poor income gap among these countries, the gap in Canada has been rising at a faster rate.

“As we highlighted in our analysis of Canadian income inequality in July, high inequality both raises a moral question about fairness and can contribute to social tensions. In Canada, the gap between the rich and poor has widened over two decades, especially compared to our peer countries.” 

Read more in the Tyee.

Read Report Summary “How Canada Performs,” by the Conference Board of Canada