Back in August, Statistics Canada published new data for single and dual earner families across the country.
The new data was for 2020, and I thought I’d take a look at the data has changed over the years for the various provinces, particularly in Alberta.
In 2020, here is how many dual-earning families and single-earner families there were in each province. This includes those with and without any children.
| Dual | Single | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ON | 1,931,870 | 1,255,290 | 3,187,160 |
| QC | 1,180,100 | 1,255,290 | 2,435,390 |
| BC | 690,460 | 409,230 | 1,099,690 |
| AB | 607,480 | 366,560 | 974,040 |
| MB | 184,760 | 103,300 | 288,060 |
| SK | 158,410 | 91,520 | 249,930 |
| NS | 120,510 | 88,250 | 208,760 |
| NB | 104,270 | 68,900 | 173,170 |
| NL | 70,390 | 44,910 | 115,300 |
| PEI | 22,080 | 13,050 | 35,130 |
Alberta had the fourth highest number of both dual-income families and single-families. That isn’t that surprising, given that it has the fourth largest population of all the provinces.
A more useful metric to explore is the percentage of dual- and single-income families relative to the total number.
| Dual | Single | |
|---|---|---|
| MB | 64.14% | 35.86% |
| SK | 63.38% | 36.62% |
| PEI | 62.85% | 37.15% |
| BC | 62.79% | 37.21% |
| AB | 62.37% | 37.63% |
| NL | 61.05% | 38.95% |
| ON | 60.61% | 39.39% |
| NB | 60.21% | 39.79% |
| NS | 57.73% | 42.27% |
| QC | 48.46% | 51.54% |
Here we see that Alberta actually drops down to 5th place, surpassed by the other Prairies provinces, as well as Prince Edward Island and British Columbia.
Now, let’s compare dual-income families in 2019 and 2020.
| 2020 | 2019 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | 62.85% | 63.95% | -1.10 |
| AB | 62.37% | 63.45% | -1.08 |
| MB | 64.14% | 65.00% | -0.86 |
| ON | 60.61% | 61.27% | -0.65 |
| NL | 61.05% | 61.64% | -0.59 |
| QC | 48.46% | 48.99% | -0.53 |
| NB | 60.21% | 60.63% | -0.42 |
| SK | 63.38% | 63.70% | -0.32 |
| NS | 57.73% | 57.95% | -0.22 |
| BC | 62.79% | 62.12% | 0.67 |
Nearly all provinces saw the percentage of dual-income families drop from 2019. Only BC saw an increase in dual-income families. PEI saw the largest drop in dual-income families, followed closely by Alberta, both dropping around 1.1 percentage points, the only ones to see a drop by more than a full percentage point.
As well, in 2019, Alberta was in 4th place for the percentage of families with dual incomes, compared to the 5th place for 2020, as I pointed out earlier.
Now, let’s look at how things have changed over the last 10 years.
| 2010 | 2020 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SK | 66.73% | 63.38% | -3.35 |
| NB | 63.47% | 60.21% | -3.26 |
| NL | 63.75% | 61.05% | -2.70 |
| PEI | 65.22% | 62.85% | -2.37 |
| MB | 66.45% | 64.14% | -2.31 |
| AB | 64.67% | 62.37% | -2.31 |
| NS | 59.44% | 57.73% | -1.71 |
| QC | 49.47% | 48.46% | -1.01 |
| ON | 61.10% | 60.61% | -0.49 |
| BC | 61.29% | 62.79% | 1.50 |
Once again, BC was the only province that saw its number of dual-income families increase since 2010. Alberta was tied for 5th place for the largest drop in percentage of dual-income families, dropping more than 2 full percentage points.
Now, let’s look at the income for the various family groups in each province over the last 10 years. First, families with two parents and where the primary income earner is male.
| 2010 | 2020 | Change | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC | $27,660 | $42,260 | $14,600 | 52.78% |
| PEI | $21,750 | $27,480 | $5,730 | 26.34% |
| ON | $27,590 | $32,650 | $5,060 | 18.34% |
| MB | $31,230 | $36,330 | $5,100 | 16.33% |
| SK | $31,990 | $35,040 | $3,050 | 9.53% |
| AB | $52,460 | $54,090 | $1,630 | 3.11% |
| NB | $28,840 | $29,640 | $800 | 2.77% |
| NS | $31,020 | $31,470 | $450 | 1.45% |
| QC | $25,180 | $25,530 | $350 | 1.39% |
| NL | $31,170 | $28,220 | -$2,950 | -9.46% |
Despite Alberta reporting the highest income, it came in 6th place as far as increase in median pay for these families over the last 10 years. These families saw their annual income increase by roughly $163 a year, on average, or about $13.58 a month.
Here’s how single-income female earner families fared over the last 10 years in each province. Remember, these are income earners who live with their partners.
| 2010 | 2020 | Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC | $18,240 | $24,920 | $6,680 | 36.62% |
| NB | $18,610 | $23,690 | $5,080 | 27.30% |
| AB | $25,770 | $30,540 | $4,770 | 18.51% |
| NL | $12,560 | $16,900 | $4,340 | 34.55% |
| SK | $22,390 | $26,100 | $3,710 | 16.57% |
| NS | $19,990 | $23,650 | $3,660 | 18.31% |
| PEI | $18,900 | $22,070 | $3,170 | 16.77% |
| ON | $22,230 | $25,060 | $2,830 | 12.73% |
| MB | $22,520 | $24,920 | $2,400 | 10.66% |
| QC | $19,990 | $22,050 | $2,060 | 10.31% |
Again, Alberta was in first place in total compensation, but they were in third place as far as increase in income over this 10-year period. However, they had the fourth highest increase as a percentage of their 2010 income.
Even then, their 2020 income of $30,540 works out to about $14.68 an hour, for a 40-hour workweek. That’s less minimum wage. And Alberta was the highest province in 2020.
Canada as a whole does a pretty crappy job making sure women workers who are the sole breadwinner can bring home enough to support their families.
Next is lone-parent family incomes per province.
| 2010 | 2020 | Change | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $19,550 | $32,170 | $12,620 | 64.55% |
| QC | $29,840 | $40,620 | $10,780 | 36.13% |
| BC | $27,220 | $36,860 | $9,640 | 35.42% |
| NB | $21,170 | $30,320 | $9,150 | 43.22% |
| NL | $19,870 | $28,830 | $8,960 | 45.09% |
| SK | $26,810 | $34,450 | $7,640 | 28.50% |
| NS | $22,810 | $30,290 | $7,480 | 32.79% |
| ON | $30,990 | $37,600 | $6,610 | 21.33% |
| MB | $28,760 | $34,930 | $6,170 | 21.45% |
| AB | $33,330 | $38,930 | $5,600 | 16.80% |
Alberta wasn’t at the top of the list for income in this group. For lone-parent families, Alberta had the second highest income. However, these families saw the lowest increase in pay over the last decade, gaining only $2.69 an hour.
Surprisingly, look how Alberta performed between 2010 and 2020 for dual-income families.
| 2010 | 2020 | Change | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL | $71,570 | $95,660 | $24,090 | 33.66% |
| QC | $74,340 | $97,750 | $23,410 | 31.49% |
| BC | $78,850 | $101,550 | $22,700 | 28.79% |
| PEI | $66,250 | $86,490 | $20,240 | 30.55% |
| ON | $86,370 | $106,100 | $19,730 | 22.84% |
| NB | $71,100 | $90,570 | $19,470 | 27.38% |
| NS | $75,600 | $94,780 | $19,180 | 25.37% |
| SK | $83,540 | $101,150 | $17,610 | 21.08% |
| MB | $77,420 | $93,920 | $16,500 | 21.31% |
| AB | $97,340 | $110,460 | $13,120 | 13.48% |
While dual-income families in Alberta took home the most money in the country, the amount that increased over the last 10 years was the smallest increase among all the provinces. Their increase of $13,120 during that period works out to be about $6.31 for full-time pay. Remember though, that’s split between 2 people.
