Statistics Canada says income gap hit record high in first quarter
CANADA, JUL 16 – The income gap between the top 40% and bottom 40% grew to 49 percentage points, driven by wage declines for lower-income households and investment gains for the wealthy.
- On July 16, 2025, Statistics Canada revealed that the disparity in income between the highest and lowest 40% of Canadian households expanded to an unprecedented level during the first three months of 2025.
- This increase followed a trend that has grown yearly since the COVID-19 pandemic began, driven by growing income and wealth disparities across the country.
- In the first quarter, the difference in disposable income share between the top 40% and bottom 40% of households grew to 49 percentage points.
- The top 20% saw a 7.7% rise in disposable income led by investment gains, while the bottom 20% experienced a 3.2% income growth and a 0.7% wage decline.
- These figures indicate widening economic inequality in Canada, potentially affecting social and economic policy decisions in coming years.
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Canada’s income gap reaches record high between rich and poor — Statistics Canada explains why
Statistics Canada reports Canada’s income gap hit a record high in Q1 2025. While the rich saw investment gains, the poorest experienced wage declines. Learn what’s fuelling this growing disparity.
Income Gap Reaches Record High in Canada: StatCan
Canada’s income gap reached a record high of 49 percentage points in the first quarter of 2025, as those with the highest incomes gained from investments, while those with the lowest incomes were affected by declining wages, according to Statistics Canada. The income gap has increased each year in Canada following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a July 16 Statistics Canada report indicates. In the first quarter of 2021, a gap of 43.8 percent…
The richest households have benefited from investments; the poorest households have seen their wages decline.


The wealth gap has never been greater between households with the highest income and those with the lowest income.
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