The latest edition of the Canadian Consumer Tax Index, published by the Fraser Institute, reveals that Canadian families now spend more of their income on paying taxes than they do on basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing.
According to the report, the total tax bill for the average Canadian family has skyrocketed by 2,778% from 1961 to 2022, far exceeding the increase in expenditures on essential items during the same period.
Comparatively, during the same period, shelter costs have risen by 1,880%, food by 870%, and clothing by 654%.
In 2022, the average Canadian family earned an income of $106,430 and paid $48,199 in taxes, amounting to 45.3% of their income. 35.6% of their income was spent on necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing.
This is a significant shift from 1961, when 33.5% of a family’s income went to taxes, and 56.5% was allocated to basic needs.
“Taxes have grown much more rapidly than any other single expenditure for the average Canadian family,” said Jake Fuss, Director of Fiscal Studies at the Fraser Institute.
The increase is particularly evident when compared to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the average price of consumer goods and services. While the CPI increased by 863% from 1961 to 2022, the total tax bill rose significantly more.
According to the report, the tax burden has not only grown in absolute terms, but also as a proportion of family income. In 1961, the average family paid a total tax bill of $1,675 on an income of $5,000 (33.5%). By 2022, these figures had escalated to $48,199 in taxes on an income of $106,430 (45.3%).
