Statistics Canada developed an experimental approach (first released in December 18, 2020) in order to provide more timely data on the income of Canadians.
Evidence suggests that COVID-19 related pandemic relief benefits mitigated the impact of declines in employment and earnings for many Canadian families. Results showed that, from February to June 2020, a drop in weekly family earnings (wages, salaries and self-employment income) was offset by government pandemic relief benefits. Median weekly family income, which includes earnings and income from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and selected government benefits, remained steady, while the low-weekly income rate fell from 23.3% in February 2020 to 14.6% in June 2020. Persons were determined to be in low-weekly income when their income was less than half of median provincial income, adjusted for family size (see Note to readers).
Results from tracking weekly family incomes over the pandemic, updated today, indicate that low-income rates remained below pre-pandemic levels through the first quarter of 2021. In March 2021, 17.2% of Canadians had low weekly income.