October 2021

604 -170 Laurier Ave. West
Ottawa, Ontario
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CENTRE FOR
THE STUDY OF
LIVING
STANDARDS

North Versus South: Income
Disparities in New Brunswick,
2000-2019
Nettie Bonsall
CSLS Research Report 2021-07
October 20, 2021

Report produced in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at
the University of New Brunswick

1North Versus South: Income Disparities in New
Brunswick, 2000-2019
Table of Contents
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................4
List of Charts.............................................................................................................................4
List of Maps ...............................................................................................................................6
List of Appendix Tables ............................................................................................................6
List of Appendix Charts............................................................................................................6
Abstract .....................................................................................................................................8
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................9Introduction............................................................................................................................. 19
I. Average Income of Census Family Units, 2008-2019.......................................................... 28
A. Average Employment Income of Census Family Units ..................................................... 28i.

Average Employment Insurance Benefits, Census Family Units ................................ 36
a. Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits ................. 36
b. Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units ............. 40

C. Average Total Income of Census Family Units ................................................................. 44
E. Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units .......................................................... 55
II. Median Income of Census Families and Census Family Units, 2000-2019 ...................... 59
A.

Median Employment Income of Census Families, 2008-2019 ........................................ 60

B.

Median Government Transfers to Census Families, 2008-2019 ...................................... 63
i. Median Employment Insurance Benefits, Census Families ............................................. 67
a. Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits ........................ 67
b. Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families ..................... 70

C.

Median Total Income of Census Family Units, 2000-2019 ............................................. 74

D.

Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units, 2000-2019 ..................................... 79

III. Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units Compared to Average
After-Tax Income of Census Family Units, 2008-2019 .......................................................... 84
IV. Low-Income Measures, 2000-2019 ................................................................................... 88A.

Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure (CLIM-AT), 2000-2019 ..................... 88

B.

Market Basket Measure, 2015........................................................................................ 90

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 922

Research Addenda .................................................................................................................. 94
References................................................................................................................................ 95
Appendix I: Median Income of Persons Not in Census Families, 2008-2019 ........................ 96
A. Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families ...................................... 96
B. Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families .................................... 99
i. Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census
Families........................................................................................................................... 102
a. Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance
Benefits ....................................................................................................................... 102
b. Median Employment Insurance Benefits .................................................................. 105
Appendix II: Real GDP Per Capita at Basic Prices, Moncton and Saint John CMAs,
2001-2017 ............................................................................................................................... 110
Appendix III: Top Income Earners in the Saint John CMA, 1982-2018 ............................ 113
I.

Shares of Income of Top Income Earners ................................................................ 113

II.

High-Income Thresholds ....................................................................................... 114

3

List of Tables
Table 1: Population of CMAs and CAs Compared to the Total Population of New Brunswick,2019 .......................................................................................................................................... 21
Table 2: Population of CMAs and CAs Compared to the Population of Cities, New Brunswick,2019 .......................................................................................................................................... 21
Table 3: Population of the Three Largest CMAs, CAs or Towns by Province, Canada, 2019 ..... 23
Table 4: Data Availability ......................................................................................................... 25
Table 5: Number of Persons and Families by Census Family Type and by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2000 and 2019 ........................................................................................................ 26

List of Charts
Chart 1: Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 ........................................................................................................ 30
Chart 2: Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 .............................................................................................................. 31
Chart 3: Growth in the Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .................................................. 32
Chart 4: Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 ........................................................................................................ 34
Chart 5: Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 .............................................................................................................. 35
Chart 6: Growth in the Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .................................................. 36
Chart 7: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 2008 and2019 (Per cent) .......................................................................................................................... 38
Chart 8: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 2008-2019(Per cent) .................................................................................................................................. 39
Chart 9: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment
Insurance Benefits, 2008-2019 .................................................................................................. 40
Chart 10: Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 .................................................................................. 42
Chart 11: Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ........................................................................................ 43
Chart 12: Growth in the Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family
Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) ............ 44
Chart 13: Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2008 and 2019........................................................................................................................... 46

4

Chart 14: Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2008-2019 ................................................................................................................................. 47
Chart 15: Growth in the Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .......................................................... 48
Chart 16: Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent) ..................... 49
Chart 17: Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent) ........................... 50
Chart 18: Percentage Point Change in the Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 20082019 .......................................................................................................................................... 51
Chart 19: Average Income Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 ........................................................................................................ 52
Chart 20: Average Incomes Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 .............................................................................................................. 53
Chart 21: Growth in the Average Income Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .................................................. 55
Chart 22: Average After-Tax Income of census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2008 and 2019........................................................................................................................... 57
Chart 23: Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2008-2019 ................................................................................................................................. 58
Chart 24: Growth in the Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .................................................. 59
Chart 25: Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2008 and 2019........................................................................................................................... 61
Chart 26: Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2008-2019 ................................................................................................................................. 62
Chart 27: Growth in the Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .......................................................... 63
Chart 28: Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2008 and 2019........................................................................................................................... 64
Chart 29: Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2008-2019 ................................................................................................................................. 65
Chart 30: Growth in Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .......................................................... 66
Chart 31: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent) ................................................................................ 68
Chart 32: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent) ...................................................................................... 69
Chart 33: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Census Families Receiving Employment
Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ............................................ 70

5

Chart 34: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019......................................................................................... 72
Chart 35: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ............................................................................................... 73
Chart 36: Growth in Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families by
CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)........................... 74
Chart 37: Median Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2000
and 2019 ................................................................................................................................... 75
Chart 38: Median Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2000-2019 ................................................................................................................................. 76

List of Maps
Map 1: Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations in New Brunswick ................. 20

List of Appendix Tables
Table A1: Growth in Real GDP, Population and Real GDP Per Capita, New Brunswick
and the Moncton and Saint John CMAs, 2001-2017 (Compound annual growth rates) ............ 111

List of Appendix Charts
Chart A1: Growth in the Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families by
CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)........................... 97
Chart A2: Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars) ........................................................................................ 98
Chart A3: Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ...................................................................................................... 98
Chart A4: Growth in Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates) .................................. 100
Chart A5: Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars) ...................................................................................... 101
Chart A6: Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 .................................................................................................... 101
Chart A7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving
Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ..................... 103
Chart A8: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (Per cent) ................................................................. 104
6

Chart A9: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent) ........................................................ 105
Chart A10: Growth in Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in
Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)............................................................................................................................................... 106
Chart A11: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census
Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars) ............................................ 108
Chart A12: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census
Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 ......................................................... 109
Chart A13: Real GDP Per Capita Growth, New Brunswick and the Moncton and Saint John
CMAs, 2001-2008 and 2008-2017 (Compound annual growth rates)....................................... 111
Chart A14: Real GDP Per Capita at Basic Prices, New Brunswick and the Moncton and SaintJohn CMAs, 2001-2017 (Chained 2012 dollars) ...................................................................... 112
Chart A15: Share of Total After-Tax Income of the Top 1, 5 and 10 Per Cent of Tax Filers in theSaint John CMA and in New Brunswick, 1982-2018 (with capital gains) ................................ 114
Chart A16: High-Income Group Thresholds in the Saint John CMA and in New Brunswick,
After-Tax Income Including Capital Gains, 1982-2018 ........................................................... 115

7

North Versus South: Income Disparities in New
Brunswick, 2000-2019
Abstract
This report provides a detailed analysis of income trends and levels in New Brunswick by
the province’s three census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and four census agglomerations (CAs)compared to trends and levels in areas outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019. The
three CMAs are in the southern half of New Brunswick, while the four CAs are in the northernhalf of the province. The average total and after-tax incomes of census family units are analyzed
between 2008 and 2019, while the median total and after-tax incomes of census family units are
examined between 2000 and 2019 (the respective longest periods over which the income
measures were available for all CMAs and CAs). These income measures reveal significant
income disparities between the northern CAs and the southern CMAs. According to all income
measures discussed in the report, the Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John CMAs had
considerably higher average and median incomes than did the CAs and the areas outside the
CMAs and CAs. However, taxes helped lessen these sub-provincial income disparities.
Moreover, the gaps between income levels in the three CMAs and in the province as a wholenarrowed slightly over the measurement periods. In particular, areas outside the CMAs and CAs
outperformed the CMAs and CAs in terms of average and median total and after-tax income
growth between 2008 and 2019.

8

North Versus South: Income Disparities in New
Brunswick, 2000-2019
Executive Summary
The objective of this report is to provide a detailed analysis of income trends and levels in
New Brunswick by census metropolitan area (CMA) and census agglomeration (CA) compared
to trends in areas outside the CMAs and CAs using available data. To this end, the reportexamines the growth rates and levels of average and median total and after-tax income andreviews low-income measures. Average income was available for all CMAs and CAs from 2008
to 2019. Median employment income and median government transfers were also available for
all CMAs and CAs from 2008 to 2019, while median total and after-tax incomes were available
for all CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019. All data were converted by the CSLS fromcurrent dollars to 2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index.
The report first examines the growth rates and levels of average employment income,average government transfers, average total income, the tax rate and average after-tax income
between 2008 and 2019. Next, the report reviews trends and levels for median employment
income, median government transfers and median employment insurance benefits from 2008 to2019 and median total and after-tax income from 2000 to 2019. The report then compares
average and median after-tax income between 2008 and 2019 before reviewing the Census
Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure between 2000 and 2019.

Average Income, 2008-2019
Average Employment Income
Employment income is the primary component of total income. Between 2008 and 2019,the average employment incomes of census family units were considerably higher in the three
CMAs (all of which are located in the southern half of New Brunswick) than in the four CAs(located in the northern half of the province) and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. In
particular:•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Saint John CMA had the highest average real census
family unit employment income for most of the 2008-2019 period. The average
employment income of census family units in the Saint John CMA fell from $75,039(116.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $74,773 (113.6 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

•

On the other hand, the Campbellton CA had the lowest average census family unit
employment income of all the CMAs and CAs between 2008 and 2019. The average
employment income of census family units in the Campbellton CA fell from $56,498(87.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $56,230 (85.5 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

•On average, the average employment income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs was 12.0 per cent lower than the provincial level. The average
9employment income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose from
$56,079 (86.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $58,541 (89.0 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.
•

Between 2008 and 2019, the average employment income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.15 per cent. Census family units in the
Miramichi CA and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs outpaced the provincial rate,
while the real average employment income of census family units fell in the CMAs and in
the other CAs (despite increases in nominal average employment incomes). At 0.67 percent per year, the Bathurst CA saw the largest decline in the average employment incomeof census family units from 2008 to 2019.

Average Government Transfers
Consistent with the fact that census family units in the CAs and in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs had lower average employment incomes than did census family units in the
CMAs between 2008 and 2019, the average government transfers to census family units in the
CMAs were considerably lower than the average government transfers to census family units in
the rest of the province over the 2008-2019 period. That said, the gaps between the average
government transfers to census family units in the CMAs and the provincial average narrowed
over the period, consistent with the narrowing of the gaps between the average employment
incomes of census family units in the CMAs and the provincial average. Key findings about the
average government transfers to census family units include:•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the average government transfers to census family units were
lowest in the Fredericton CMA over the entire 2008-2019 period. The average
government transfers to census family units in the Fredericton CMA rose from $10,467(81.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $12,544 (83.8 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

•

Of all the CAs, census family units in the Edmundston CA received the lowest average
government transfers throughout the 2008-2019 period. On average, the average
government transfers to census family units in the Edmundston CA represented 99.5 percent of the provincial average between 2008 and 2019.

•

The average government transfers to census family units in the Miramichi, Campbellton
and Bathurst CAs were fairly similar throughout the 2008-2019 period. On average, theaverage government transfers received by census family units in the Miramichi andCampbellton CAs represented 110.3 per cent of the provincial average, while the average
government transfers received by census family units in the Bathurst CA represented
110.6 per cent of the provincial average.

•

During the entire 2008-2019 period, the average government transfers to census family
units in areas outside the CMAs and CA exceeded the average government transfers tocensus family units in any of the CMAs or CAs. The average government transfers tocensus family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs increased from $14,552 (113.2
per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $16,912 (113.0 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019.

•

Between 2008 and 2019, the average government transfers to census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 1.40 per cent. Of all the CMAs and CAs,
10

census family units in the Saint John CMA saw the strongest growth in their average
government transfers, at 1.77 per cent per year. On the other hand, census family units in
the Campbellton CA saw the weakest growth in their average government transfers, at
1.38 per cent per year. Meanwhile, in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, the average
government transfers to census family units grew by 1.38 per cent per year.
•

Consistent with trends and levels observed for the average total government transfers tocensus family units, census family units in the CMAs received significantly lower
average employment insurance benefits than did census family units in the CAs and in
non-urban areas between 2008 and 2019. On average, of all the CMAs and CAs, theaverage employment insurance benefits received by census family units were lowest in
the Moncton CMA between 2008 and 2019. The average employment insurance benefits
received by census family units in the Moncton CMA rose from $7,295 (73.4 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to $7,886 (76.7 per cent of the provincial average) in
2019. On the other hand, from 2009 to 2019, of all the CMAs and CAs, census family
units in the Miramichi CA received the lowest average employment insurance benefits.
The average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in the
Miramichi CA rose from $10,459 (105.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to$10,550 (102.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

•

Furthermore, the shares of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits
in the CMAs were considerably lower than the shares in the CAs and in non-urban areas.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, the share was lowest in the Fredericton CMA. The share ofcensus family units receiving employment insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA
rose from 14.8 per cent in (58.8 per cent of the provincial average) 2008 to 14.9 per cent(63.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. On the other hand, the share of census
family units receiving employment insurance benefits was highest in the Miramichi CA
during the entire 2008-2019 period. The share of census family units receiving
employment insurance benefits in the Miramichi CA fell from 30.7 per cent (122.1 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 28.2 per cent (119.7 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. The share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits
in non-urban areas fell from 34.2 per cent (136.1 per cent of the provincial average) in2008 to 31.8 per cent (135.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Average Total Income
Total income includes not only employment income but also investment income,government transfers and private retirement income. While the average total incomes of census
family units in the three CMAs were significantly higher than the average total incomes ofcensus family units in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, the gaps narrowed
somewhat over the period. Key findings about the average total income of census family units
include:•Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest average total census
family unit income throughout the 2008-2019 period. The average total income of census
family units in the Fredericton CMA rose from $78,279 (115.1 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $81,103 (112.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

•

Of all the CAs, census family units in the Campbellton CA had the lowest average total
income over the 2008-2019 period. The average total income of census family units in the11Campbellton CA rose from $57,204 (84.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to$60,639 (again 84.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
•

The average total income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rosefrom $60,558 (89.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $66,235 (91.9 per centof the provincial average) in 2019.

•

Between 2008 and 2019, the real average total income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.53 per cent. Of all the CMAs and CAs,
the Edmundston CA had the strongest average total census family unit income growth, at
0.58 per cent per year. On the other hand, the average total income of census family units
in the Bathurst CA fell by 0.17 per cent per year. Census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs outperformed the CMAs and CAs, with average total income growth of
0.82 per cent per year.

Tax Rate and Average Income Tax
Over the entire 2008-2019 period, tax rates were higher in the CMAs than in the CAs.
Tax rates also declined everywhere in the province. Key findings related to tax rates include:•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Saint John CMA had the highest tax rate for most of the
2008-2019 period. In the Saint John CMA, the tax rate fell from 17.8 per cent (112.2 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 17.1 per cent (111.5 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019.

•

Of the CAs, the Bathurst CA had the highest tax rate over the entire 2008-2019 period.
The tax rate in the Bathurst CA fell from 16.3 per cent (102.8 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to 14.6 per cent (95.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

•

The tax rate in areas outside the CMAs and CAs fell from 13.9 per cent (88.2 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to 13.8 per cent 89.7 per cent of the provincial average) in
2019.

•

At 1.7 percentage points (10.2 per cent), the Bathurst CA saw both the largest relative
and the largest absolute decline in its tax rate of all the CMAs and CAs between 2008 and2019. In areas outside the CMAs and CAs, the tax rate fell by 0.16 percentage points (1.2
per cent), a smaller absolute decrease and a smaller relative decrease than those seen in
any of the CMAs or CAs.

The average income taxes paid by census family units in the CMAs were considerably
higher than those paid by census family units in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
throughout the 2008-2019 period. In particular:•

On average, of all the CMAs and CAs, the average income taxes paid by census family
units were highest in the Fredericton CMA. In the Fredericton CMA, the average income
taxes paid by census family units fell from $13,588 (126.3 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $13,420 (121.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

•

On the other hand, of all the CMAs and CAs, the average income taxes paid by census
family units were lowest in the Campbellton CA. The average income taxes paid by12census family units in the Campbellton CA rose from $7,867 (73.2 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $8,030 (72.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
•

The average incomes taxes paid by census family units in non-urban areas rose from
$8,444 (78.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $9,053 (82.1 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

•

From 2008 to 2019, the average income taxes paid by census family units in New
Brunswick increased at a compound annual rate of 0.23 per cent. In non-urban areas, theaverage income taxes paid by census family units rose by 0.64 per cent per year. Among
the CMAs and CAs, growth in the average income taxes paid by census family units
ranged from an increase of 0.19 per cent per year (in the Campbellton CA) to a decreaseof 1.16 per cent per year (in the Bathurst CA).

Average After-Tax Income
While the average after-tax incomes of census family units in the three CMAs weresignificantly higher than the averages in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, taxes
lessened the sub-provincial income disparities reflected in the average total incomes of census
family units. Key findings about the average after-tax income of census family units include:•

The average after-tax income of census family units in New Brunswick advanced at acompound annual rate of 0.59 per cent between 2008 and 2019. The Edmundston CA had
the strongest growth (0.68 per cent per year) and the Bathurst CA the weakest (0.01 percent per year). Areas outside the CMAs and CAs outperformed the CMAs and CAs, withaverage after-tax census family unit income growth of 0.85 per cent per year.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the average after-tax income of census family units washighest in the Fredericton CMA between 2008 and 2019. The average after-tax income ofcensus family units in the Fredericton CMA rose from $64,691 (113.0 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $67,683 (110.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

•

Census family units in the Campbellton CA had the lowest average after-tax income of
all the CMAs and CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period. Moreover, the Campbellton CA
was the only CMA or CA in which the average after-tax income of census family units
was lower than that of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
throughout the entire 2008-2019 period. The average after-tax income of census family
units in the Campbellton CA rose from $49,337 (86.2 per cent of the provincial average)
in 2008 to $52,610 (again 86.2 per cent of the provincial average).

•

The average after-tax income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAsrose from $52,114 (91.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $57,182 (93.6 percent of the provincial average) in 2019.

Median Income, 2000-2019
Median Employment Income, 2008-2019
Median employment income was available for census families and for persons not in
census families (but not for the aggregate of the two types of units). For census families, median13employment income was much higher in the three CMAs than in the CAs and in areas outside
the CMAs and CAs from 2008 to 2019. In particular:•

For census families, of all the CMAs and CAs, the median employment income washighest in the Fredericton CMA throughout the 2008-2019 period. Despite an increase ofabout 20 per cent in the nominal median employment income of census families, the real
median employment income of census families in the Fredericton CMA fell from $76,723(121.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $76,640 (117.5 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019.

•

Of all the CAs, the Campbellton CA had the lowest median employment income for mostof the 2008-2019 period. The median employment income of census families in the
Campbellton CA rose from $52,642 (83.6 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to$54,240 (83.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

The median employment income of census families was on average 14.0 per cent lower
in areas outside the CMAs and CAs than in the province as a whole between 2008 and2019. That said, the median employment income of census families in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs rose from $53,485 (84.9 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to$56,760 (87.1 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

Median Government Transfers, 2008-2019
Consistent with the fact that the levels of median employment incomes of census families
in the CMAs were considerably higher than the medians in the CAs and in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs, the median government transfers to census families in the CMAs weresignificantly lower than the median government transfers to census families in the CAs and inareas outside the CMAs and CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period. Key findings about mediangovernment transfers between 2008 and 2019 include:•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, census families in the Fredericton CMA received the lowest
median government transfers between 2008 and 2019. Median government transfers tocensus families in Fredericton rose from $7,549 (66.1 per cent of the provincial median)in 2008 to $11,100 (72.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

On the other hand, of all the CMAs and CAs, median government transfers to census
families were highest in the Campbellton CA. The median government transfers to census
families in the Campbellton CA rose from $14,449 in 2008 (126.6 per cent of theprovincial median) to $18,520 (120.5 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

Median government transfers to census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rosefrom $14,112 (123.6 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $18,420 (119.8 percent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

Consistent with trends and levels observed for median total government transfers, census
families in the CMAs received lower median employment insurance benefits than did
census families in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. In particular, themedian employment insurance benefits received by census families in the Fredericton
CMA rose from $5,767 (68.6 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $6,570 (76.3
per cent of the provincial median) in 2019. On the other hand, of all the CMAs and CAs,
on average, census families in the Miramichi CA received the greatest median14employment insurance benefits. The median employment insurance benefits received bycensus families in the Miramichi CA fell from $9,404 (111.9 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $9,300 (108.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. The
median employment insurance benefits received by census families in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs rose from $10,186 (121.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to$10,510 (122.1 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
•

Moreover, the shares of census families receiving employment insurance benefits weremuch higher in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs than in the three CMAs.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, the share of census families receiving employment insurance
benefits was lowest in the Fredericton CMA. The share of census families receiving
employment insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA rose from 18.7 per cent (59.7 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 18.9 per cent (64.0 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. On the other hand, on average, of all the CMAs and CAs, the share ofcensus families receiving employment insurance benefits was highest in the Miramichi
CA. The share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in the
Miramichi CA fell from 38.5 per cent (122.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008
to 35.0 per cent (119.9 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. The share of census
families receiving employment insurance benefits in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
fell from 41.6 per cent (132.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 38.8 per cent(131.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

Median Total Income, 2000-2019
Similar to trends observed in the median employment incomes of census families from2008 to 2019, the median total incomes of census family units in the three CMAs weresignificantly higher than the provincial average, while the median total incomes of census family
units in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs were lower than the provincial median
between 2000 and 2019. Key findings about median total income include:•

Median total income growth in New Brunswick dropped from 1.59 per cent per year
between 2000 and 2008 to 0.40 per cent per year from 2008 to 2019. This fall-off ingrowth between the 2000-2008 and the 2008-2019 periods was observed in all the CMAs
and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest median total income
throughout the 2000-2019 period. The median total income in the Fredericton CMA rosefrom $54,291 (119.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $62,900 (116.7 percent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Campbellton CA had the lowest median total income overthe entire period, rising from $38,196 (84.0 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to$44,110 (81.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•

The median total income of areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose from $41,836 (92.0
per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $50,320 (93.4 per cent of the provincial
median) in 2019.

15

Median After-Tax Income, 2000-2019
The examination of the median after-tax income of census family units reveals trends
similar to those observed in median total income. However, taxes reduced the sub-provincial
income disparities shown by the gap between the median total incomes in the CMAs and those in
the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. Key findings about the median after-tax
income of census family units include:•As was the case for median total income growth, median after-tax income growth was
lower between 2008 and 2019 than it was between 2000 and 2008 for all CMAs and CAs
and in areas outside CMAs and CAs. Median after-tax income growth in New Brunswick
fell from 1.74 per cent per year between 2000 and 2008 to 0.46 per cent per year from2008 to 2019.

•As was the case for median total income, the Fredericton CMA had the highest medianafter-tax census family unit income of all the CMAs and CAs over the 2000-2019 period.
The median after-tax income of census family units in Fredericton rose from $46,422(115.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $55,550 (114.2 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019.

•

As well as having the lowest median total income of all the CMAs and CAs, theCampbellton CA also had the lowest median after-tax income from 2000 to 2019. The
median after-tax income in the Campbellton CA rose from $34,784 (86.3 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2000 to $41,050 (84.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

•As was the case with median total income, the median after-tax income of areas outside
the CMAs and CAs was lower than the provincial median throughout the 2000-2019
period. The median after-tax income in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose from 93.7
per cent of the provincial median in 2000 to 94.7 per cent of the provincial median in
2019.

Comparing Average and Median After-Tax Income, 2008-2019
Comparing the average and median after-tax incomes of census family units sheds lighton the degree of income inequality. Between 2008 and 2019, the median after-tax income ofcensus family units fell as a proportion of the average after-tax income of census family units inareas outside the CMAs and CAs and in all CMAs and CAs in New Brunswick except for theMiramichi CA. This suggests that over the 2008-2019 period, income inequality increased
everywhere in New Brunswick except for in the Miramichi CA. Key trends in the comparison of
the median and average after-tax incomes of census family units include:•

As a result of the fact that average after-tax income growth outpaced median after-tax
income growth, the median after-tax income of census family units in New Brunswick
fell from 80.9 per cent of the average after-tax income of census family units in 2008 to
79.7 per cent in 2019.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the percentage gap between the median and average after-tax
incomes of census family units was smallest in the Fredericton CMA throughout the
2008-2019 period, suggesting that the Fredericton CMA had the lowest after-tax income16inequality of all the CMAs and CAs over the period. The median after-tax income ofcensus family units in the Fredericton CMA fell from 82.9 per cent of the average aftertax income in 2008 to 82.1 per cent in 2019.
•

On the other hand, on average, the gap between the median and average after-tax incomesof census family units was largest in the Campbellton CA, suggesting that the
Campbellton CA had the greatest income inequality of all the CMAs and CAs between
2008 and 2019. The median after-tax income of census family units in the Campbellton
CA fell from 78.5 per cent of the average after-tax income in 2008 to 78.0 per cent in
2019.

•

Meanwhile, throughout the entire 2008-2019 period, the gap between the median andaverage after-tax incomes of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs was
smaller than the provincial average, suggesting that there was less income inequality in
non-urban areas than in the CMAs and CAs. The median after-tax income of census
family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs fell from 82.5 per cent of the averageafter-tax income in 2008 to 80.6 per cent in 2019.

Low-Income Measures, 2000-2019
The Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure (CLIM-AT) is a relative measure of
low income measured on an individual basis. According to the CLIM-AT, an individual has low
income if their adjusted after-tax income is less than 50 per cent of the national median adjusted
after-tax income. Examining trends in the Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure(CLIM-AT) between 2000 and 2019 sheds light on relative low income in New Brunswick andreveals lessening sub-provincial disparities consistent with the lessening sub-provincial income
disparities shown by the trends in median and average income. In particular:•

The CLIM-AT declined in all CMAs and CAs except for the Moncton CMA and in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs over the 2000-2019 period.

•

The Campbellton CA had the highest CLIM-AT rate throughout the 2000-2019 period
and the Moncton CMA the lowest from 2000 to 2018 (but the Fredericton CMA had thelowest CLIM-AT rate in 2019).

•

Consistent with the reductions of the gaps between median and average incomes in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs and those at the provincial level, the CLIM-AT rate in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs fell from 107.4 per cent of the provincial average in 2000 to
105.7 per cent of the provincial average in 2019.

•

In 2015, the Campbellton CA had the highest Market Basket Measure poverty rate (19.4
per cent), and the Moncton CMA had the lowest (12.3 per cent).

17

Key Takeaways
This report highlights many important facts about the levels and the growth rates ofincome in New Brunswick over the past two decades. In particular:•

According to all income measures discussed in the report, the Fredericton, Moncton andSaint John CMAs had considerably higher average and median incomes than did the CAs
and the areas outside the CMAs and CAs. However, taxes helped lessen these subprovincial income disparities. Moreover, the gaps between income levels in the three
CMAs and in the province as a whole narrowed slightly over the measurement periods.

•

The average and median government transfers to census family units in the CAs and inareas outside the CMAs and CAs were considerably higher than the average and mediangovernment transfers to census family units in the CMAs. As well, the tax rates werehigher in the CMAs than they were in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs.
Both of these findings are consistent with the fact that the average and median
employment incomes were lower in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
than in the CMAs.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, census family units in the Fredericton CMA had the highest
average total and after-tax incomes between 2008 and 2019 and the highest median total
and after-tax incomes from 2000 to 2019.

•

On the other hand, of all the CMAs and CAs, the Campbellton CA had the lowest
average total and after-tax incomes between 2008 and 2019 and the lowest median total
and after-tax incomes from 2000 to 2019.

•

Areas outside the CMAs and CAs outperformed the CMAs and CAs in terms of averageand median total and after-tax income growth between 2008 and 2019. Consequently, thegap between income in areas outside the CMAs and CAs and the provincial averagenarrowed over the 2008-2019 period.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Bathurst CA had the weakest performance in terms of
average and median income growth between 2008 and 2019.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the percentage gap between the median and average after-tax
incomes of census family units was smallest in the Fredericton CMA over the entire the
2008-2019 period, suggesting that the Fredericton CMA had the least after-tax income
inequality of all the CMAs and CAs between 2008 and 2019. On the other hand, on
average, the gap between the median and average after-tax incomes of census family
units was largest in the Campbellton CA, suggesting that the Campbellton CA had thegreatest income inequality of all the CMAs and CAs over the 2008-2019 period.

18

North Versus South: Income Disparities in New
Brunswick, 2000-2019
Introduction1
This report aims to provide a detailed analysis of the levels and the growth rates ofincome in New Brunswick by census metropolitan area (CMA) and census agglomeration (CA)compared to trends in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. 234 Income is of course a key
determinant of living standards. To properly compare living standards by CMA and CA,
however, one would also need to know the cost of living in each area. Unfortunately, Statistics
Canada does not produce data on the cost of living by CMA and CA. This is a major limitationof the report.
Section I of the report outlines trends in the average employment income, the average
total income and the average after-tax income of census family units from 2008 to 2019. Section
II of the report focuses on median income. Median employment income, median governmenttransfers and median employment insurance benefits are analyzed between 2008 and 2019 for
census families. Next, section II examines the median total and after-tax incomes of census
family units over the 2000-2019 period.
Section III of the report compares the median and average after-tax incomes of census
family units between 2008 and 2019 to gain insight into income inequality. Finally, section IV of
the report briefly looks at trends in the Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure between
2000 and 2019 and provides the Market Basket Measure poverty rate by CMA and CA in 2015.
Geographic Context
New Brunswick has three CMAs and four CAs.5 The CMAs are located in the south ofthe province, while the four CAs and located in the north (Map 1). The three CMAs are
1

This report was written by Nettie Bonsall under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Sharpe. The database for the reportis posted with the report at [link to be inserted once created].
2
For an analysis of income developments at the provincial level in New Brunswick, see Nettie Bonsall’s 2021 report(for the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research)“Richer and Fairer: New Brunswick Income Trends, 1976-2019” at [link to be inserted once created].
3
For an analysis of demographic developments by CMA and CA over the first two decades of the 21st century, seepart three of Nettie Bonsall’s 2021 report (for the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in collaboration with the
Atlantic Institute for Policy Research) “Turning the Tide: Demographic Developments in New Brunswick, 19512020” at [link to be inserted once created]. The income disparities between southern and northern New Brunswick
revealed in this report are consistent with the stronger population growth and slower population aging in the south ofthe province compared to the north of the province discussed in the demographics report.
4
All growth rates mentioned in the report are expressed in real terms, unless otherwise specified.
5
According to Statistics Canada, “A census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA) is formed by
one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total
population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more must live in the core…A CA must have a core population ofat least 10,000…To be included in the CMA or CA, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of
integration with the core, as measured by commuting flows…” (2016 Census Dictionary).

19

Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton. The four CAs are Bathurst, Miramichi, Edmundston andCampbellton. The Campbellton CA is located partly in New Brunswick and partly in Quebec.
This report always refers to the part of the Campbellton CA located in New Brunswick.
Map 1: Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations in New Brunswick

Source: Statistics Canada, GeoSearch. Note: Labels were added to the Statistics Canada map.

In 2019, New Brunswick had a population of 776,868. Altogether, the CMAs and CAs
had a population of 493,198, close to two-thirds (63.5 per cent) of the province’s total
population. The Moncton CMA had a population of 155,870, 20.1 per cent of the total
population of New Brunswick. The Saint John CMA accounted for 16.9 per cent of the
population of New Brunswick, with a population of 131,050. The Fredericton CMA had apopulation of 109,753, 14.1 per cent of the province’s population. In total, the CAs made up 12.4
per cent of New Brunswick’s population. The populations of the CAs ranged from 31,682 (4.120per cent of the provincial population) in the Bathurst CA to 13,013 (1.7 per cent of the provincial
population) in the Campbellton CA.
Table 1: Population of CMAs and CAs Compared to the Total Population of New
Brunswick, 2019

Moncton (CMA)
Saint John (CMA)
Fredericton (CMA)
Total, CMAs
Bathurst (CA)Miramichi (CA)
Edmundston (CA)Campbellton (CA)Total, CAs
Total, CMA-CA
Total, Non CMA-CA
New Brunswick
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0135-01

Population
155,870
131,050
109,753
396,673
31,682
27,93523,89513,01396,525493,198
283,670
776,868

Share of Provincial Total
20.1
16.9
14.1
51.1
4.1
3.6
3.1
1.7
12.4
63.5
36.5
100.0

Of the 493,198 persons living in a CMA or a CA in 2019, 53.9 per cent (265,878
persons) lived in the city (Table 2). For example, of the Moncton CMA’s total population of
155,870, 50.0 per cent (77,924 people) lived in the city of Moncton. The rest live in theneighbouring city of Dieppe, the town of Riverview, and suburbs in Albert and Westmorland
counties. Among all the CMAs and CAs in New Brunswick, the share of the population living in
the population centre ranged from 38.2 per cent (in the Bathurst CA) to 70.5 per cent (in the
Edmundston CA).
Table 2: Population of CMAs and CAs Compared to the Population of Cities, New
Brunswick, 2019
Share Living in the
CMA/CA
City
City
Moncton155,870
77,92450.0Saint John
131,050
70,904
54.1
Fredericton
109,753
63,44557.8
Bathurst
31,682
12,11338.2
Miramichi
27,935
17,767
63.6
Edmundston
23,895
16,852
70.5
Campbellton
13,013
6,873
52.8
Total
493,198
265,878
53.9
Source: Statistics Canada. Population of CMAs and CAs: Table 17-10-0135-01; Population of cities:
Table 17-10-0142-01

21

To provide context for the income analysis, it is also important to note New Brunswick’s
unique urban structure. New Brunswick is the only province in which the three largest cities are
relatively equal in terms of population size. In 2019, the Moncton CMA accounted for 20.1 percent of New Brunswick’s total population, the Saint John CMA for 16.9 per cent, and theFredericton CMA for 14.1 per cent. Hence, in 2019, there was a gap of only 6.0 percentage
points between the shares of New Brunswick’s population accounted for by Moncton andFredericton. In the other provinces, the gap between the largest and the third largest cities bypopulation ranged from 57.1 percentage points (in Manitoba) to 24.2 percentage points (inSaskatchewan). This unique feature has both advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage isthat New Brunswick has three small airports rather than one large airport, for example.

22

Table 3: Population of the Three Largest CMAs, CAs or Towns by Province, Canada, 2019

Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's (CMA)
Corner Brook (CA)Grand Falls-Windsor (CA)Population
523,476
213,204
32,037
14,283

Share
100.0
40.7
6.1
2.7

New Brunswick
Moncton (CMA)
Saint John (CMA)
Fredericton (CMA)

Population
776,868
155,870
131,050
109,753

Share
100.0
20.1
16.9
14.1

Manitoba
Winnipeg (CMA)
Winkler (CA)Population
1,369,540
844,165
33,523

Share
100.0
61.6
2.4

Saskatchewan
Saskatoon (CMA)
Regina (CMA)

Brandon (CA)62,452

4.6

Prince Albert (CA)Population
5,090,955
2,706,793
403,455
218,454

Share
100.0
53.2
7.9
4.3

British Columbia
Vancouver (CMA)
Victoria (CMA)
Kelowna (CMA)

Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown (CA)Summerside (CA)Montague (Town)

Population
157,262
79,092
17,831
2,003

Share
100.0
50.3
11.3
1.3

QuebecMontréal (CMA)
Québec (CMA)
Ottawa (CMA)

Population
8,501,703
4,333,041
825,150
345,778

Share
100.0
51.0
9.7
4.1

Population
1,172,302
330,429
260,865
46,382

Share
100.0
28.2
22.3
4.0

Nova Scotia
Halifax (CMA)
Cape Breton (CA)Truro (CA)Population
969,747
439,529
101,01446,859

Share
100.0
45.3
10.4
4.8

Ontario
Toronto (CMA)
Ottawa (CMA)
Hamilton (CMA)

Population
14,544,718
6,462,770
1,092,305
795,176

Share
100.0
44.4
7.5
5.5

AlbertaCalgary (CMA)
Edmonton (CMA)
Lethbridge (CMA)

Population
4,361,694
1,514,029
1,442,805
126,917

Share
100.0
34.7
33.1
2.9

Source: Statistics Canada. Population of provinces: Table 17-10-0005-01; Population of CMAs and CAs: Table 17-10-0135-01; Population of Montague:
Table 17-10-0142-01

23

24

Data Sources and Availability
This report is based almost exclusively on data from Statistics Canada’s Annual Income Estimatesfor Census Families and Individuals, or the T1 Family File. The only exception is that the Market Basket
Measure (discussed in section IV) was obtained from census data. The T1 Family File is a very reliable
source as the sample is nearly a census; in 2019, the T1 Family File identified 95.7 per cent of Statistics
Canada’s official population estimates (Statistics Canada). The T1 Family File is the combination of theindividual T1 file, the T4 tax file and a file related to Federal Child Benefits.
Nominal data from tables from the T1 Family File were converted by the CSLS to 2019 constantdollars using the Consumer Price Index. Data for the Saint John CMA were deflated using the Saint John
CMA’s Consumer Price Index, while data for the other CMAs and the CAs and areas outside the CMAs
and CAs in New Brunswick were deflated using the provincial Consumer Price Index (because Statistics
Canada does not produce consumer prices indices for the other CMAs and CAs or for areas outside the
CMAs and CAs).
Unfortunately, there was some inconsistency in terms of data availability. Table 4 summarizes data
availability at the time of writing this report.6
Table 4: Data Availability
Average, census family
units (2008-2019)
Employment
IncomeGovernment
Transfers
Total Income
After-Tax
IncomeYesMedian, census families
and persons not in census
families (2008-2019)
Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes
Yes

Median, census family
units (2000-2019)

Yes
Yes

Census Family Types
This report looks at income measures for census families, persons not in census families, and theaggregate of the two: all census family units. The term “census family” includes couples (married orcommon-law) living in the same dwelling with or without children and single parents living with one ormore children. Children are defined as “tax filers or imputed persons in couple and lone-parent families.
Tax filing children do not live with their spouse, have no children of their own and live with their parent orparents” (Centre for Income and Socioeconomic Well-being Statistics).7 Hence, grandparents living with
their grandchildren are not classified as a census family. However, adult children living with their parent orparents are classified as a census family (as long as the children do not live with their spouse and do nothave any children).
Note that the definition of census families is a narrower definition than that of economic families,
which are defined as a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to eachother by blood, marriage, common-law, adoption or a foster relation. For example, co-resident siblings areclassified as an economic family but not as a census family.

6
7

The CSLS may be able to obtain average income before 2008.
An imputed persons is a person who is not a tax filer but who is reported or otherwise identified by a tax filer.

25

In 2000, persons in census families made up 84.9 per cent of the total population of New
Brunswick (Table 5). Among the CMAs and CAs, the share of persons in census families in the total
population ranged from 82.3 per cent (in the Campbellton CA) to 85.3 per cent (in the Bathurst CA).
Persons not in census families made up 85.9 per cent of the population in areas outside CMAs and CAs. In
2019, the share of census families in the total population of New Brunswick was 80.9 per cent, down 4.0
percentage points from 2000.
The share of census families in the total population declined in all CMAs and CAs and in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019. In 2019, among the CMAs and CAs, the share of
persons in census families in the total population ranged from 76.1 per cent (in the Campbellton CA) to82.1 per cent (in the Fredericton CMA). With the exception that the share of census families in the total
population of the Miramichi CA was slightly larger than the share of census families in the total populationof the Moncton CMA, census families made up smaller shares of the total populations of the CAs than of
the CMAs. This may be explained by the fact that seniors make up a larger share of the population in the
CAs than in the CMAs, and older people are more likely to be single (and hence not in a census family). 8
In 2000, the average census family size in New Brunswick was 2.89 persons (Table 3). Among the
CMAs and CAs, the average census family size ranged from 2.81 persons (in the Campbellton and
Edmundston CAs) to 2.92 persons (in the Saint John CMA). In areas outside the CMAs and CAs in 2019,the average census family size was 2.91 persons. The average census family size decreased in all CMAs
and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019. In 2019, the average census
family size in New Brunswick was 2.72 persons, down 0.17 points from 2000. Among the CMAs andCAs, the average census family size ranged from 2.58 persons (in the Bathurst CA) to 2.81 persons (in theFredericton CMA). In areas outside the CMAs and CAs in 2019, the average census family size was 2.67
persons, down 0.24 points from 2000.
Table 5: Number of Persons and Families by Census Family Type and by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2000 and 2019
Panel A: 2000

All Family Units

Moncton (CMA)
Saint John (CMA)
Fredericton (CMA)
Total, CMAs
Bathurst (CA)Miramichi (CA)Campbellton (CA)
Edmundston (CA)

Numberof
Families
53,58055,20035,890144,670
11,040NA
6,210
10,600

Numberof
Persons
117,090
123,91080,460321,460
24,560NA
13,23022,570

Persons Not
in Census
Families

All Census Families
Numberof
Families
34,33035,77023,54093,640
7,430
NA
3,870
6,620

Numberof
Persons
97,840104,480
68,100270,420
20,950NA
10,89018,590Share of
Total
Population
83.6
84.3
84.6
84.1
85.3
NA
82.3
82.4

Average
Family
Size
2.85
2.92
2.89
2.89
2.82
NA
2.81
2.81

Number of
Persons
19,25019,43012,35051,030
3,620
NA
2,340
3,980

8

See section II of part three of Turning the Tide: Demographic Developments in New Brunswick, 1951-2019 for a discussion of
the age structure of New Brunswick’s CMAs and CAs.

26

Total, CAs
Total, CMA-CA
Non CMA-CA
New Brunswick

27,850172,520
156,210
328,730

60,350381,810
357,950
739,760

17,920111,560
105,620
217,180

50,420320,840
307,360
628,200

83.5
84.0
85.9
84.9

2.81
2.88
2.91
2.89

9,930
60,96050,590111,550

Panel B: 2019

All Family Units

Moncton (CMA)
Saint John (CMA)
Fredericton (CMA)
Total, CMAs
Bathurst (CA)Miramichi (CA)Campbellton (CA)
Edmundston (CA)Total, CAs
Total, CMA-CA
Non CMA-CA
New Brunswick

Numberof
Families
72,44060,49047,940180,870
15,82013,4707,250
12,30048,840229,710
139,210
368,930

Numberof
Persons
149,130
126,610
101,670
377,41030,85027,35013,58023,39095,170472,580
282,820755,390

Persons Not
in Census
Families

All Census Families
Numberof
Families
43,56037,05029,750110,360
9,490
8,230
4,010
6,870
28,600138,960
85,980224,930

Numberof
Persons
120,250
103,160
83,480306,890
24,52022,11010,34017,95074,920381,810229,580
611,390

Share of
Total
Population
80.6
81.5
82.1
81.3
79.5
80.8
76.1
76.7
78.7
80.8
81.2
80.9

Average
Family
Size
2.76
2.78
2.81
2.78
2.58
2.69
2.58
2.61
2.62
2.75
2.67
2.72

Number of
Persons
28,88023,45018,19070,520
6,330
5,240
3,240
5,440
20,25090,77053,230144,000

27

I. Average Income of Census Family Units, 2008-2019
This section examines the average employment, total and after-tax incomes of census
family units as well as the average government transfers received by census family units, the tax
rate and the average income taxes paid by census family units between 2008 and 2019 (thelongest time period over which data were available for all the CMAs and CAs in New
Brunswick).
A. Average Employment Income of Census Family Units
Employment income is the primary component of total income. In 2019, employment
income made up 65.6 per cent of the total income of all census family units in New Brunswick(Database Table 2). By CMA and CA, the share of employment income in total income ranged
from 69.9 per cent in the Moncton CMA to 58.3 per cent in the Campbellton CA. Statistics
Canada defines employment income as the sum of “wages and salaries, commissions from
employment, training allowances, tips and gratuities and net self-employment income (business,
professional, commission, farming and fishing income)” (Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-001401). This section examines the average employment income of census family units between 2008
and 2019. The CSLS obtained nominal averages by dividing the aggregate employment incomeof census family units by the number of census family units. Both statistics were obtained from
Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0014-01. The CSLS then converted the nominal averages to2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index.
The average employment incomes of census family units in the three CMAs wereconsiderably higher than the average employment incomes of census family units in the CAs andin non-urban areas throughout the 2008-2019 period (Chart 2 and Database Table 2). Of all the
CMAs and CAs, the Saint John CMA had the highest average census family unit employment
income for most of the 2008-2019 period (except in 2013, when the average employment incomeof census family units in the Fredericton CMA exceeded that in the Saint John CMA by 0.73 percent). This may reflect Saint John’s industrial base, with well-paying jobs in oil refineries and in
pulp and paper mills. The average employment income of census family units in the Saint John
CMA exceeded the provincial level by 14.8 per cent on average. In 2019 constant dollars, theaverage employment income of census family units in the Saint John CMA fell from $75,039(116.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $74,773 (113.6 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. Hence, the gap between the average employment income of census family
units in the Saint John CMA and the provincial level narrowed by 2.4 percentage points over the
2008-2019 period.
As was the case in the Saint John CMA, the gaps between the average employment
incomes of census family units in the Fredericton and Moncton CMAs and the provincial
average narrowed over between 2008 and 2019 (by 2.3 percentage points and 2.2 percentage
points, respectively). Census family units in the Fredericton CMA saw their average employment
income fall from $73,644 (113.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $73,357 (111.5
per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Meanwhile, the average employment income of28

census family units in the Moncton CMA fell from $69,149 (106.9 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $68,871 (104.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
In the Bathurst CA, the average employment income of census family units slightly
exceeded the provincial level from 2008 to 2012 before falling below the provincial level for the
rest of the period. The other CAs had lower average census family unit employment incomesthan did the province as a whole during the entire 2008-2019 period. The gap was greatest
between the provincial average and the Campbellton CA, where the average employment incomeof census family units was 12.2 per cent below the provincial level on average. The average
employment income of census family units in the Campbellton CA fell from $56,498 (87.3 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $56,230 (85.5 per cent of the provincial average) in
2019.
The Bathurst and Edmundston CAs also saw their average census family employment
incomes fall as proportions of the provincial level, by 9.0 percentage points and 1.6 percentage
points, respectively. On the other hand, the average employment income of census family units
in the Miramichi CA rose from 93.2 per cent of the provincial level in 2008 to 97.1 per cent of
the provincial level in 2019.
On average, the average employment income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs was 12.0 per cent lower than the provincial level. The average employment
income of census family units in non-urban areas was lower than the averages in the three CMAs
and than the averages in all the CAs except the Campbellton CA throughout the entire 20082019 period. From 2008 to 2013, the average employment income of census family units in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs was lower than the average in the Campbellton CA, but from 2014 to
2019, the average employment income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs andCAs exceeded the average in the Campbellton CA. The average employment income of census
family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose from $56,079 (86.7 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $58,541 (89.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Hence,
the gap between the average employment income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs and the provincial average narrowed by 2.3 percentage points between 2008 and
2019.

29

Chart 1: Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Average Employment Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
80,0002019 Dollars

70,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

Panel B: Average Employment Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and2019 (Per cent)120

Per Cent

100

116.0 113.6 113.8 111.5

106.9 104.7
93.2

97.1

103.2

94.2

95.4

93.8

86.7

89.0

87.3

85.5

80
60
40
20
0

2008

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0014-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

30

Chart 2: Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average Employment Income (2019 constant dollars)
80,0002019 Constant Dollars

75,00070,00065,00060,00055,00050,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Average Employment Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average (Per
cent)
120
115

Per Cent

110
105
100

95
90
85
80
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0014-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2008 and 2019, the real average employment income of census family units in
New Brunswick rose at a weak compound annual rate of 0.15 per cent (Chart 3). The Miramichi
31

CA was the only CA to outpace the provincial rate, with average employment income growth of
0.52 per cent per year. Census family units in non-urban areas also outperformed the provincial
average, posting average employment income growth of 0.39 per cent per year. On the other
hand, despite increases in nominal average employment income, the real average employment
income of census family units in the other CAs and in the CMAs fell over the 2008-2019 period.
The Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton CMAs and the Edmundston and Campbellton CAs all
had only slight declines in the average employment income of census family units, ranging from0.01 per cent per year in Edmundston to 0.04 per cent per year in Fredericton, Moncton andCampbellton. The average employment income of census family units in the Bathurst CA
decreased at a much faster pace, by 0.67 per cent per year. Consequently, of all the CMAs andCAs, the Bathurst CA had the largest relative change in its average employment income.
Chart 3: Growth in the Average Employment Income of Census Family Units by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
0.6

0.52
0.39

0.4

Per Cent

0.2

0.15

0.0
-0.01

-0.2

-0.03

-0.04

-0.04

-0.04

-0.4
-0.6
-0.8

-0.67

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0014-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

B. Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units
Government transfers include “Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, Goods and Services
Tax Credit (GST) and Harmonized Tax Credit (HST), Federal Child Benefits, Old Age Security(OAS) and Net Federal Supplements, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Quebec Pension Plan
(QPP) benefits, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Social Assistance Benefits, Provincial
Refundable Tax Credits and Family Benefits, and other government transfers” (Statistics
Canada, Table 11-10-0014-01). The CSLS obtained nominal averages by dividing the aggregate
government transfers received by census family units by the number of census family units
receiving government transfers. Hence, average government transfers exclude zero values. Boththe aggregates transfer amounts and the number of census family units were obtained from
Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0014-01. The CSLS then converted the nominal averages to2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index. This section examines the levels andgrowth rates of the average government transfers to census family units from 2008 to 2019.
32

Between 2008 and 2019, the average government transfers to census family units in the
CMAs were considerably lower than those to census family units in the CAs and in areas outside
the CMAs and CAs (Chart 5). This is consistent with the fact that census family units in the
CMAs had higher average employment incomes than did census family units in the CAs and inareas outside the CMAs and CAs. That said, the gaps between the average government transfersto census family units in the CMAs and the provincial average narrowed over the period,
consistent with the narrowing of the gaps between the average employment incomes of census
family units in the CMAs and the provincial average.
Throughout the entire 2008-2019 period, of all the CMAs and CAs, the average
government transfers to census family units were lowest in the Fredericton CMA (Chart 5). The
average government transfers to census family units in the Fredericton CMA rose from $10,467(81.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $12,544 (83.8 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. In the Moncton CMA, the average government transfers to census family unitsrose from $10,814 (84.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $12,797 (85.5 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2019. Meanwhile, the average government transfers to census family
units in the Saint John CMA increased from $11,340 (88.2 per cent of the provincial average) in2008 to $13,747 (91.9 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Of all the CAs, census family units in the Edmundston CA received the lowest average
government transfers throughout the 2008-2019 period. The average government transfers tocensus family units in the Edmundston CA were very similar to the provincial average during the
2008-2019 period. On average, the average government transfers to census family units in the
Edmundston CA represented 99.5 per cent of the provincial average between 2008 and 2019.
The average government transfers to census family units in the other three CAs were fairly
similar throughout the 2008-2019 period. On average, the average government transfers received
by census family units in the Miramichi and Campbellton CAs represented 110.3 per cent of theprovincial average, while the average government transfers received by census family units in
the Bathurst CA represented 110.6 per cent of the provincial average. The average governmenttransfers to census family units in the Bathurst CA rose from $13,983 (108.8 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $16,518 (110.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Throughout the entire 2008-2019 period, the average government transfers to census
family units in non-urban areas exceeded the average government transfers to census family
units in any of the CMAs or CAs. The average government transfers to census family units inareas outside the CMAs and CAs increased from $14,552 (113.2 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $16,912 (113.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Hence, relative tothe provincial average, the average government transfers to census family units in areas outside
the CMAs and CAs were virtually unchanged between 2008 and 2019.

33

Chart 4: Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Average Government Transfers, 2019 (2019 dollars)
18,00016,0002019 Dollars

14,00012,00010,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0

New Brunswick

Panel B: Average Government Transfers as a Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008
and 2019120

113.2 113.0 110.9 110.8
108.8 110.4 109.5 109.8
98.9

100

99.3
88.2

91.9
84.1

85.5

81.4

83.8

80
60
40
20
0
Non CMA-CA Campbellton

Bathurst

Miramichi
2008

Edmundston

Saint John

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal average transfers: Table 11-10-001401; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

34

Chart 5: Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average Government Transfers (2019 constant dollars)
17,0002019 Constant Dollars

16,00015,00014,00013,00012,00011,00010,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Average Government Transfers as a Proportion of the Provincial Average
120
115
110

Per Cent

105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal average transfers: Table 11-10-001401; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

35

Between 2008 and 2019, the average government transfers to census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 1.40 per cent (Chart 6). Of all the CMAs and CAs,
census family units in the Saint John CMA saw the strongest growth in their average governmenttransfers, at 1.77 per cent per year. The Fredericton and Moncton CMAs followed with growth inaverage government transfers of 1.66 per cent per year and 1.54 per cent per year, respectively.
Of all the CAs, census family units in the Bathurst CA saw the strongest growth in their average
government transfers, at 1.53 per cent per year. The average government transfers to census
family units in the Edmundston, Miramichi and Campbellton CAs grew at compound annual
rates of 1.44 per cent, 1.41 per cent and 1.38 per cent, respectively, nearly identical to theprovincial rate. Meanwhile, growth in the average government transfers to census family units in
non-urban areas was slightly below the provincial rate, at 1.38 per cent per year.
Chart 6: Growth in the Average Government Transfers to Census Family Units by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
2.0
1.8
1.6

1.77

1.66
1.54

1.53

1.44

1.41

1.40

Per Cent

1.4

1.38

1.38

1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal average transfers: Table 11-10-001401; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

i.

Average Employment Insurance Benefits, Census Family Units

This section looks at trends in the percent of census family units receiving employment
insurance benefits and the average value of those benefits between 2008 and 2019. Employment
insurance benefits include all types of employment insurance benefits, “including regularbenefits for unemployment, fishing, job creation, maternity, parental/adoption, retirement, net
self-employment, sickness, training and work sharing” (Centre for Income and Socioeconomic
Well-being Statistics). The share of persons receiving employment insurance benefits and theamounts of those benefits provide insight into labour market conditions.
a. Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
The share of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits in New
Brunswick fell from 25.1 per cent in 2008 to 23.6 per cent in 2019 (Chart 8). Throughout the36

2008-2019 period, the shares of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits in
the CMAs were significantly lower than the share of census family units receiving employment
insurance benefits in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. That said, the gaps
between the shares in the CMAs and the provincial share narrowed over the period. The share
was lowest in the Fredericton CMA. The share of census family units receiving employment
insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA rose from 14.8 per cent in (58.8 per cent of theprovincial average) 2008 to 14.9 per cent (63.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. The
shares of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits in the Saint John andMoncton CMAs represented on average 71.2 per cent and 71.5 per cent of the provincial
average, respectively.
Of all the CAs, the share of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits
was lowest in the Edmundston CA in every year of the 2008-2019 period except 2009 (when theshare in Edmundston exceeded that in Campbellton by 0.1 percentage point). The share of census
family units receiving employment insurance benefits in the Edmundston CA fell from 26.5 percent (105.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 23.5 per cent (99.6 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.On the other hand, of all the CAs, the share of census family units
receiving employment insurance benefits was highest in the Miramichi CA throughout the 20082019 period. The share of census family units receiving employment insurance benefits in the
Miramichi CA fell from 30.7 per cent (122.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 28.2
per cent (119.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
During the entire 2008-2019 period, the share of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits in non-urban areas was higher than the share in any of the CMAs or CAs. The
share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in non-urban areas fell from34.2 per cent (136.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 31.8 per cent (135.1 per centof the provincial average) in 2019. Hence, the gap between the share of census family units
receiving employment insurance benefits in non-urban areas and the provincial averagenarrowed by 1.0 percentage point between 2008 and 2019.

37

Chart 7: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 2008
and 2019 (Per cent)Panel A: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 2019
35.0

31.8

28.2

30.0

27.9

26.2

23.5

Per Cent

25.0

23.6
17.5

20.0

16.7

15.0

14.9

10.0
5.0

0.0

New Brunswick

Panel B: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits as a
Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and 2019
140

136.1 135.1
122.1 119.7

120

118.2
107.8

112.1 111.0

105.5

Per Cent

100
80

99.6

65.7

74.1

67.7 70.9

60

58.8

63.1

40
20
0
Non CMACA

Miramichi Campbellton

Bathurst
2008

Edmundston Saint John

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

38

Chart 8: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 20082019 (Per cent)Panel A: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 20082019
35

Per Cent

30
25
20
15
10
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Share of Census Family Units Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits as a
Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008-2019
130
120

Per Cent

110
100
90
80
70
60
50
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

In New Brunswick, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits
fell by 1.6 percentage points (6.3 per cent) between 2008 and 2019 (Chart 9). Of all the CMAs
and CAs, the Saint John CMA saw both the largest relative and the largest absolute increase in39the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits, at 1.0 percentage point(5.8 per cent). The Campbellton CA followed with an increase of 0.8 percentage point (2.8 percent) in share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits. In the Fredericton
CMA, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits edged up by 0.1
percentage point (0.6 per cent). The share of census families receiving employment insurance
benefits declined in the Moncton CMA and in the other CAs. The Edmundston CA saw both thelargest relative and the largest absolute decrease in the share of census families receiving
employment insurance benefits, at 3.1 percentage points (11.5 per cent). Meanwhile, in nonurban areas, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits fell by 2.4
percentage points (6.9 per cent).
Chart 9: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Census Family Units Receiving
Employment Insurance Benefits, 2008-2019
1.5
1.0

Percentage Points

0.5

1.0

0.8
0.1

0.0
-0.5
-1.0

-0.3

-1.5
-2.0
-2.5

-1.6
-2.0

-3.0

-2.4

-2.5

-3.5

-3.1

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

b. Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units
The average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in New
Brunswick rose from $9,937 in 2008 to $10,277 in 2019 (Panel A of Chart 11). Consistent withthe levels observed for the average total government transfers to census family units between
2008 and 2019, the average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in
the CMAs were considerably lower than those received by census family units in the CAs and inareas outside the CMAs and CAs, with the exception that the average employment insurance
benefits received by census family units in the Edmundston CA were lower than those received
by census family units in the Saint John CMA from 2015 to 2019 and lower than those received
by census family units in the Moncton and Fredericton CMAs in 2017 and 2018.
On average, of all the CMAs and CAs, average employment insurance benefits received
by census family units were lowest in the Moncton and Fredericton CMAs between 2008 and2019. The average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in theMoncton and Fredericton CMAs represented on average 76.6 per cent and 76.8 per cent of the40

provincial average, respectively (Panel B of Chart 11). The average employment insurance
benefits received by census family units in the Moncton CMA rose from $7,295 (73.4 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to $7,886 (76.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
On the other hand, from 2009 to 2019, of all the CMAs and CAs, census family units in
the Miramichi CA received the lowest average employment insurance benefits. (In 2008, theaverage employment insurance benefits received by census family units in the Campbellton CA
were slightly higher than those received by census family units in the Miramichi CA.) The
average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in the Miramichi CA
rose from $10,459 (105.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $10,550 (102.7 per centof the provincial average) in 2019.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, census family units in the Saint John CMA saw the greatest
absolute increase in average employment insurance benefits relative to the provincial average;
the average employment insurance benefits received by census family units in the Saint John
CMA rose 10.3 per centage points as a proportion of the provincial average, from 71.1 per centin 2008 to 81.4 per cent in 2019. Census family units in the Moncton and Fredericton CMAs saw
their average employment insurance benefits rise 3.3 points and 2.6 points as proportions of theprovincial average, respectively. Meanwhile, with an increase of 0.9 percentage points, theBathurst CA was the only CA in which the average employment insurance benefits received bycensus family units rose as a proportion of the provincial average between 2008 and 2019. In theother CAs, the decline in the average employment insurance benefits as a proportion of theprovincial average ranged from 2.6 points (in the Miramichi CA) to 8.8 points (in the
Campbellton CA).
Throughout the entire 2008-2019 period, the average employment insurance benefits
received by census family units in non-urban areas were greater than those received by census
family units in any of the CMAs or CAs. This is consistent with the fact that the average total
government transfers to census family units in non-urban areas exceeded those received bycensus family units in any of the CMAs or CAs between 2008 and 2019. The average
employment insurance benefits received by census family units in non-urban areas rose from
$11,456 (115.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $11,952 (116.3 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019. Hence, the gap between the average government transfers received
by census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs and the provincial average narrowed by
1.0 percentage point over the 2008-2019 period.

41

Chart 10: Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units by
CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Average Employment Insurance Benefits, 2019 (2019 dollars)
12,0002019 Dollars

10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0

New Brunswick

Panel B: Average Employment Insurance Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial
Average, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent)120

115.3 116.3
105.3 102.7 106.6

100

97.8

95.6

96.5
81.4

Per Cent

80

71.1

87.5
79.0

73.4

76.7

72.9

75.5

60
40
20
0
Non CMACA

Miramichi

Campbellton

Bathurst
2008

Saint John

Edmundston

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

42

Chart 11: Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Family Units by
CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average Employment Insurance Benefits (2019 constant dollars)
13,0002019 Constant Dollars

12,00011,00010,000
9,000
8,000

7,000
6,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Average Employment Insurance Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial
Average (Per cent)
120

110

Per Cent

100

90

80

70

60
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

43

Between 2008 and 2019, the average employment insurance benefits received by census
family units in New Brunswick rose by 0.31 per cent per year (Chart 12). The CMAs all
outpaced this rate. The Saint John CMA posting particularly strong growth in the average
employment insurance benefits received by census family units, at 1.55 per cent per year. The
Bathurst CA was the only CA to outperform the provincial average, with growth in average
employment insurance benefits of 0.39 per cent per year. The average employment insurance
benefits received by census family units in the Miramichi CA rose at a weak compound annual
rate of 0.08 per cent, while census family units in the Campbellton and Edmundston CAs fell by
0.48 per cent per year and 0.62 per cent per year, respectively (despite increases in the nominal
average employment insurance benefits). Meanwhile, the average employment insurance
benefits received by census family units in non-urban areas rose at a compound annual rate of
0.39 per cent, 0.08 points above the provincial average.
Chart 12: Growth in the Average Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census
Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth
rates)
2.0
1.55
1.5

Per Cent

1.0
0.5

0.71

0.62
0.39

0.39

0.31
0.08

0.0
-0.5

-0.48

-0.62

-1.0

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

C. Average Total Income of Census Family Units
Total income is income from all sources before taxes. The CSLS divided aggregate
nominal total income (including negative incomes) from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-005101 by the total number of census family units (including census family units with zero or
negative income) from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0017-01. The CSLS then converted thenominal averages to 2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index.
Consistent with trends in the average employment income of census family units, theaverage total incomes of census family units in the CMAs were significantly higher than the44

averages in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period(Chart 14). Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest average total census
family unit income throughout the 2008-2019 period, exceeding the provincial level by anaverage of 13.9 per cent (Chart 6). That said, the gap between the average total income of census
family units in the Fredericton CMA and the provincial level narrowed by 2.6 percentage points
over the period. In 2019 constant dollars, the average total income of census family units in theFredericton CMA rose from $78,279 (115.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to$81,103 (112.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
As was the case in the Fredericton CMA, the gaps between the average total incomes ofcensus family units in the Saint John and Moncton CMAs and the provincial level narrowed overthe period (by 2.2 percentage points and 2.4 percentage points, respectively). The average total
income of census family units in the Saint John CMA rose from $76,432 (112.4 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $79,442 (110.2 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Meanwhile, the average total income of census family units in the Moncton CMA rose from$72,420 (106.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $75,047 (104.1 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.
On the other hand, with the exception that the average total income of census family units
in the Miramichi CA was 2.8 per cent higher than the provincial average in 2008, census family
units in the four CAs had lower average total incomes than the provincial level throughout the
2008-2019 period. As was the case for average employment income, the greatest average total
income gap was between the Campbellton CA and the province. On average, the average total
income of census family units in the Campbellton CA was 15.3 per cent lower than theprovincial level. The average total income of census family units in the Campbellton CA rosefrom $57,204 (84.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $60,639 (again 84.1 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2019.
The Edmundston CA was the only CA in which the average total income gap between the
CA and the province narrowed even slightly between 2008 and 2019. The average total incomeof census family units in the Edmundston CA rose from 91.0 per cent of the provincial level in2008 to 91.5 per cent of the provincial level in 2019. In contrast, the gaps between the average
incomes of census family units in the Bathurst and Miramichi CAs and the province widened by
7.4 points and 5.4 points, respectively.
Over the 2008-2019 period, the average total income of census family units in non-urban
areas was 9.6 per cent lower than the provincial level on average. The average total income ofcensus family units in non-urban areas rose from $60,558 (89.1 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $66,235 (91.9 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Hence, the gap
between the average total income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs andthe provincial average narrowed by 2.8 points from 2008 to 2019.

45

Chart 13: Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Average Total Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
90,00080,0002019 Dollars

70,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

Panel B: Average Total Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and 2019
(Per cent)120

115.1 112.5 112.4

110.2

106.5 104.1

100

102.8

97.3

99.5

92.1

89.1

91.9

91.0

91.5

84.1

84.1

Per Cent

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton

Saint John

MonctonMiramichi
2008

Bathurst

Non CMA- Edmundston Campbellton
CA

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

46

Chart 14: Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average Total Income (2019 constant dollars)

2019 Constant Dollars

85,00080,00075,00070,00065,00060,00055,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Average Total Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average (Per cent)120
115

Per Cent

110
105
100

95
90
85
80
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Over the 2008-2019 period, the real average total income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.53 per cent (0.38 points above average total
income growth) (Chart 15). The Edmundston CA was the only CA to outpace this rate, withaverage total census family unit income growth of 0.58 per cent per year. The average total
income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose at a compound annual
rate of 0.82 per cent, 0.29 points above the provincial rate.
47

The average total income of census family units in the Campbellton CA matched theprovincial rate. Growth of the average total incomes of census family units in the Saint John,
Moncton and Fredericton CMAs lagged the provincial rate, with the Saint John CMA posting
average total income growth of 0.35 per cent per year and the Moncton and Fredericton CMAs
posting average total income growth of 0.32 per cent per year. The average total income growthof census family units in the Miramichi CA was much weaker, at 0.04 per cent per year.
Meanwhile, the average total income of census family units in the Bathurst CA fell by 0.17 percent per year.
Chart 15: Growth in the Average Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
1.0

0.82

0.8
0.58

Per Cent

0.6

0.53

0.53

0.35

0.4
0.2

0.32

0.32
0.04

0.0
-0.2

-0.17

-0.4

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

D. Taxes
This section examines the tax rate and the average income taxes paid by census family
units.
i.

Tax Rate

The CSLS calculated the tax rate by dividing income taxes paid by total income. Bothstatistics were obtained from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0051-01. Throughout the 20082019 period, the tax rates in the CMAs were higher than those in the CAs (Chart 17). Of all the
CMAs and CAs, the Saint John CMA had the highest tax rate for most of the 2008-2019 period.
In the Saint John CMA, the tax rate fell from 17.8 per cent (112.2 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to 17.1 per cent (111.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. The tax ratein the Fredericton CMA fell from 17.4 per cent (109.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008
to 16.6 per cent (108.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Of the three CMAs, Moncton
had the lowest tax rate over the period, falling from 16.7 per cent (105.9 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to 16.3 per cent (106.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.

48

Of all the CAs, the Bathurst CA had the highest tax rate over the entire 2008-2019 period
and the Campbellton CA the lowest. The tax rate in the Bathurst CA fell from 16.3 per cent(102.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 14.6 per cent (95.0 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. In the Campbellton CA, the tax rate fell from 13.8 per cent (86.9 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to 13.3 per cent (86.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
The Campbellton CA was the only CMA or CA in which the tax rate was lower than that in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs throughout the entire 2008-2019 period.
On average, the tax rate in non-urban areas was 10.6 per cent lower than the provincial
average over the 2008-2019 period. The tax rate in non-urban areas fell from 13.9 per cent (88.2
per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 13.8 per cent 89.7 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. Hence, the tax rate in non-urban areas rose 1.5 percentage points as aproportion of the provincial average between 2008 and 2019.
Chart 16: Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent)

Per Cent

Panel A: Tax Rate, 2019
17.1

18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

16.6

16.3

14.6

14.3

13.8

13.8

13.3

15.4

New Brunswick

Panel B: Tax Rate as a Proportion of the Provincial Rate, 2008 and 2019120112.2 111.5 109.7 108.3

105.9 106.0 102.8

Per Cent

100

95.0

97.1

93.0

92.8

90.0

88.2

89.7

86.9

86.4

80
60
40
20
0
Saint John

Fredericton

MonctonBathurst
2008

Miramichi

Edmundston

Non CMACA

Campbellton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0051-01

49

Chart 17: Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent)Panel A: Tax Rate
18
17

Per Cent

16
15
14
13
12
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Tax Rate as a Proportion of the Provincial Rate
120
115

Per Cent

110
105
100

95
90
85
80
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Moncton (CMA)

Saint John (CMA)

Fredericton (CMA)

Bathurst (CA)Miramichi (CA)Campbellton (CA), New Brunswick Part

2018

Edmundston (CA)

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0051-01
The tax rate declined in all CMAs and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
between 2008 and 2019. At the provincial level, the tax rate fell 0.5 percentage point (2.9 percent) over the 2008-2019 period (Chart 18). In the Bathurst CA, the tax rate fell by 1.7 points
50

2019

(10.2 per cent), both the largest absolute and the largest relative decrease in the tax rate of all the
CMAs and CAs. On the other hand, the Moncton CMA and the Campbellton CA had thesmallest absolute declines in their tax rates, at 0.5 percentage points. The Moncton CMA also
saw the smallest relative decrease in its tax rate, at 2.8 per cent. In areas outside the CMAs andCAs, the tax rate fell by 0.16 percentage points (1.2 per cent), a smaller absolute decrease and asmaller relative decrease than those seen in any of the CMAs or CAs.
Chart 18: Percentage Point Change in the Tax Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2008-2019
0.0

Percentage Points

-0.2
-0.4
-0.6

-0.2
-0.5

-0.5

-0.5
-0.6

-0.8

-0.7
-0.8

-1.0
-1.2

-1.1

-1.4
-1.6
-1.7

-1.8

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0051-01
ii.

Average Income Tax

The CSLS calculated the nominal average income taxes paid by census family units bydividing the aggregate income taxes paid from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0051-01 by the
number of census family units from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0017-01. The CSLS thenconverted these nominal average to 2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price index.
The average income taxes paid by census family units in New Brunswick rose from
$10,755 in 2008 to $11,026 in 2019. Consistent with the fact that the tax rates in the CMAs werehigher than those in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, the average income taxes
paid by census family units in the CMAs were considerably higher than those paid by census
family units in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs throughout the 2008-2019
period (Chart 20). On average, the average income taxes paid by census family units in theFredericton and Saint John CMAs represented 124.7 per cent and 123.3 per cent of the provincial
average, respectively, between 2008 and 2019. The average income taxes paid by census family
units in the Moncton CMA were lower, representing 112.4 per cent of the provincial level on
average over the 2008-2019 period. In the Fredericton CMA, the average income taxes paid bycensus family units fell from $13,588 (126.3 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to$13,420 (121.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
51

On average, the average income taxes paid by census family units in the CAs werehighest in the Bathurst CA and lowest in the Campbellton CA between 2008 and 2019. The
average income taxes paid by census family units in the Bathurst CA fell from $11,005 (102.3
per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $9,676 (87.8 per cent of the provincial average) in
2019. On the other hand, the average income taxes paid by census family units in the
Campbellton CA rose from $7,867 (73.2 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $8,030(72.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Meanwhile, in non-urban areas, the average income taxes paid by census family units
were on average 19.2 per cent lower than the provincial level between 2008 and 2019. The
average incomes taxes paid by census family units in non-urban areas rose from $8,444 (78.5 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $9,053 (82.1 per cent of the provincial average) in
2019. Hence, the gap between the average income taxes paid by census family units in non-urban
areas and the provincial average narrowed by 3.6 points over the 2008-2019 period.
Chart 19: Average Income Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 20192019 Constant Dollars

Panel A: Average Income Tax, 2019 (2019 dollars)
80,00070,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick52Panel B: Average Income Tax as a Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and 2019
(Per cent)140

126.2 123.4 126.3 121.7

120

112.8 110.8

Per Cent

100

99.8

102.3
90.0

87.8

80

78.5

82.1

84.4

82.0

73.2

72.8

60
40
20
0
Saint John

Fredericton

MonctonMiramichi
2008

Bathurst

Non CMACA

Edmundston Campbellton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart 20: Average Incomes Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average Income Tax (2019 constant dollars)
15,0002019 Constant Dollars

14,00013,00012,00011,00010,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

53

Panel B: Average Income Tax as a Proportion of the Provincial Average (Per cent)140
130

Per Cent

120
110
100
90
80
70
60
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2008 and 2019, the average income taxes paid by census family units in New
Brunswick increased at a compound annual rate of 0.23 per cent (Chart 21). This growth waslargely due to 0.64 per cent per year growth in the average income taxes paid by census family
units in non-urban areas. Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Campbellton CA saw the strongest
average income tax growth, at 0.19 per cent per year. The Moncton and Saint John CMAs saw
weak growth rates of 0.06 per cent per year and 0.03 per cent per year, respectively. Meanwhile,
the average incomes taxes paid by census family units in the Fredericton CMA and in the otherCAs declined over the period (despite increases in nominal average income taxes paid). The
decline in average income taxes paid ranged from 0.03 per cent per year in the Edmundston CA
to 1.16 per cent per year in the Bathurst CA.

54

Per Cent

Chart 21: Growth in the Average Income Taxes Paid by Census Family Units by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1.0
-1.2
-1.4

0.64
0.23

0.19

0.06

0.03
-0.03

-0.11

-0.72

-1.16

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Aggregate income taxes paid: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

E. Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units
After-tax income is considered to be a more accurate indicator of living standards than
total income because after-tax income reflects purchasing power. The CSLS divided aggregate
nominal after-tax income (including negative incomes) from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-100051-01 by the total number of census family units (including census family units with zero or
negative income) from Statistics Canada’s Table 11-10-0017-01. The CSLS then converted thenominal averages to 2019 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index.
As was the case for average total income, the average after-tax incomes of census family
units in the three CMAs were considerably higher than the average after-tax incomes of census
family units in the fours CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs (Chart 23). However,taxes lessened these sub-provincial income disparities.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, the average after-tax income of census family units washighest in the Fredericton CMA between 2008 and 2019. The average after-tax income of census
family units in the Fredericton CMA was 12.0 per cent higher than the provincial level on
average (compared to 13.9 per cent higher for average total income). Census family units in theFredericton CMA saw their average after-tax income rise from $64,691 (113.0 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $67,683 (110.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Hence,
the gap between the average after-tax income of census family units in the Fredericton CMA andthe provincial level fell by 2.2 points from 2008 to 2019.
Similarly, the gaps between the average after-tax incomes of census family units in theSaint John and Moncton CMAs and the provincial level narrowed by 2.0 points and 2.4 points,
respectively, between 2008 and 2019. The average after-tax income of census family units in the55

Saint John CMA rose from $62,862 (109.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $65,832(107.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Meanwhile, the average after-tax income ofcensus family units in the Moncton CMA rose from $60,290 (105.3 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $62,835 (102.9 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
As was the case for average total income, of all the CMAs and CAs, the average after-tax
income of census family units was lowest in the Campbellton CA throughout the 2008-2019
period. The Campbellton CA was also the only CMA or CA in which the average after-tax
income of census family units was lower than that of census family units in areas outside of
CMAs and CAs throughout the entire 2008-2019 period. The average after-tax income of census
family units in the Campbellton CA rose from $49,337 (86.2 per cent of the provincial average)
in 2008 to $52,610 (again 86.2 per cent of the provincial average). On average, the average aftertax income of census family units in the Campbellton CA was 13.3 per cent lower than theprovincial level (compared to 15.3 per cent lower than the provincial level for average total
income).
As observed for average total income, the Edmundston CA was the only CA in which theaverage after-tax income of census family units rose as a proportion of the provincial averageover the 2008-2019 period. The average after-tax income of census family units in the
Edmundston CA rose from $52,794 (92.2 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $56,883(93.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. On the other hand, the average after-tax
incomes of census family units in the Bathurst and Miramichi CAs fell 6.1 points and 4.6 points
as proportions of the provincial average, respectively.
The average after-tax income of census family units in non-urban areas was 7.9 per centlower than the provincial level on average (compared to 9.3 per cent lower for average total
income). In non-urban areas, the average after-tax income of census family units rose from$52,114 (91.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $57,182 (93.6 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019. Hence, the gap between the average after-tax income of census
family units in non-urban areas and the provincial level narrowed by 2.6 points between 2008
and 2019.

56

Chart 22: Average After-Tax Income of census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Average After-Tax Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
80,0002019 Dollars

70,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

Panel B: Average After-Tax Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and2019 (Per cent)120

113.0 110.8 109.8

107.8 105.3

102.9 103.3

100

98.7

91.0

93.6

92.2

93.1

99.0

92.9

86.2

86.2

Per Cent

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton

Saint John

MonctonMiramichi
2008

Non CMA- Edmundston
CA

Bathurst

Campbellton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

57

Chart 23: Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Average After-Tax Income (2019 constant dollars)
70,0002019 Constant Dollars

65,00060,00055,00050,00045,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Average After-Tax Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Average (Per cent)120
115

Per Cent

110
105
100
95
90
85
80
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2008 and 2019, the average after-tax income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.59 per cent (Chart 24). As was the case for58

average total income, the Edmundston CA was the only CA to outpace the provincial rate (withaverage total income growth of 0.68 per cent per year), and the Campbellton CA matched theprovincial rate. The Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton CMAs saw similar growth rates of
0.42 per cent per year, 0.41 per cent per year and 0.39 per cent per year, respectively. At 0.17 percent per cent per year, census family units in the Miramichi CA saw much weaker average aftertax income growth. Census family units in the Bathurst CA saw virtually no average after-tax
income growth, at 0.01 per cent per year. Meanwhile, the average after-tax income of census
family units in non-urban areas rose at a compound annual rate of 0.85 per cent, 0.26 points
above the provincial rate.
Chart 24: Growth in the Average After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
0.9

0.85

0.8

0.7

Per Cent

0.6
0.5

0.68
0.59

0.59

0.42

0.41

0.4

0.38

0.3
0.17

0.2
0.1

0.01

0.0
Non CMA- Edmundston
New
Campbellton Saint John Fredericton
CA
Brunswick

MonctonMiramichi

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-10-005101; Number of census family units: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

II. Median Income of Census Families and Census Family Units, 2000-2019
This section outlines trends in median employment income, median governmenttransfers, median employment insurance benefits, median total income and median after-tax
income. Median income is generally considered to be a more accurate indicator of living
standards than average income because average income is skewed upwards by thedisproportionately high incomes at the top end of the income distribution. Median employment
income, median government transfers and median employment insurance benefits were available
from 2008 to 2019 by census family type but not for the aggregate of census families andpersons not in census families (that is, census family units). Since persons in census families
made up over 80 per cent of the total population of New Brunswick throughout the 2008-2019
period, this section looks at median employment income, median government transfers andmedian employment insurance benefits for census families. 9 Trends in these income components
for persons not in census families are similar to those observed for census families. Details are9

For the share of persons in census families in the total populations of the CMAs and CAs, see Database Table 15.

59available in Appendix I. Median total income and median after-tax income were available from2000 to 2019 by census family type and for the aggregate of the two types of units. This section
looks at the median total and after-tax incomes of all census family units.
Nominal income was obtained from tables from Statistics Canada’s T1 Family File.
Nominal income was then converted by the CSLS to 2019 constant dollars using the Consumer
Price Index. Data for the Saint John CMA were deflated using the Saint John CMA Consumer
Price Index, while data for the other CAs and CMAs were deflated using the provincial
consumer price index (as Statistics Canada does not produce consumer prices indices for theother CMAs and CAs). From 2000 to 2007, Statistics Canada rounded median incomes to thenearest hundred dollars, and from 2008 to 2019, incomes were rounded to the nearest ten dollars.
Zero values are excluded in the calculation of the median for employment income, governmenttransfers and employment insurance benefits. On the other hand, zero values and negative values
are included in the calculation of the median total and after-tax incomes of census family units.
A. Median Employment Income of Census Families, 2008-2019
As was the case for the average employment incomes of census family units, the median
employment incomes of census families were considerably higher in the three CMAs than in thefour CAs, providing further evidence of the income disparities between southern and northern
New Brunswick (Chart 26). Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest
median census family employment income throughout the 2008-2019 period. Fredericton was
also the only CMA or CA in which the median employment income of census families wasconsistently higher than the national median. However, the gap between Fredericton’s mediancensus family employment income and the provincial median narrowed over the period. In 2019
constant dollars, the median employment income of census families in Fredericton fell from$76,723 (121.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $76,640 (117.5 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019.
As was the case in Fredericton, the gap between the median incomes of census families in
the Saint John and Moncton CMAs and the provincial median narrowed between 2008 and 2019.
The median employment income of census families in the Saint John CMA fell from $74,501(118.3 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $73,800 (113.2 per cent of the provincial
median) in 2019. Census families in the Moncton CMA saw their median employment income
fall from $71,305 (113.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $71,250 (109.3 per cent of
the provincial median) in 2019.
With the exception that census families in the Campbellton CA had a slightly higher
median employment income than did census families in the Bathurst CA in 2014, of all the CAs,
the Campbellton CA had the lowest median census family employment income between 2008
and 2019. The median employment income of census families in the Campbellton CA rose from$52,642 (83.6 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $54,240 (83.2 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019. Moreover, the median employment income of census families in the
Campbellton CA was lower than that of census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs formuch of the 2008-2019 period.

60

The median employment income of census families in non-urban areas was on average
14.0 per cent lower than the provincial median between 2008 and 2019. That said, the median
employment income of census families in non-urban areas rose 2.1 points as a proportion of theprovincial median over the period. The median employment income of census families in nonurban areas rose from $53,485 (84.9 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $56,760 (87.1
per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
Chart 25: Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 20192019 Dollars

Panel A: Median Employment Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
90,00080,00070,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

Panel B: Median Employment Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median, 2008 and2019 (Per Cent)
140
121.8
120

117.5 118.3

113.2 113.2 109.3
99.7

Per Cent

100

99.4
88.9

97.6 101.3

91.4

84.9

87.1

83.6

83.2

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton

Saint John

Moncton

Edmundston
2008

Miramichi

Bathurst

Non CMA- Campbellton
CA

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

61

Chart 26: Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Employment Income (2019 constant dollars)
85,0002019 Constant Dollars

80,00075,00070,00065,00060,00055,00050,00045,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Median Employment Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per cent)130120

Per Cent

110
100
90
80
70
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: Statistics Canada. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2008 and 2019, the real median employment income of census families in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.31 per cent (Chart 27). The real median
employment incomes of census families in the Miramichi, Edmundston and Campbellton CAs
increased from 2008 to 2019, while the real median employment incomes of census families
declined in the three CMAs and in the Bathurst CA (despite the fact that the nominal median
employment incomes of census families rose in all CMAs and CAs). Of all the CMAs and CAs,
62

the Miramichi CA had the strongest growth in the median employment income of census
families, at 1.17 per cent per year. In contrast, the median employment income of census families
in the Bathurst CA fell by 0.62 per cent per year. In areas outside the CMAs and CAs, themedian employment income of census families increased at a compound annual rate of 0.54 percent, outpacing the provincial rate by 0.23 points.
Chart 27: Growth in the Median Employment Income of Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
1.4
1.2

1.17

1.0

0.8

Per Cent

0.6
0.4

0.54
0.31

0.29

0.27

0.2
0.0
-0.2

-0.01

-0.01

-0.09

-0.4
-0.6
-0.8

-0.62

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

B. Median Government Transfers to Census Families, 2008-2019
Median government transfers to census families in New Brunswick rose from $11,415 in2008 to $15,370 in 2019 (Chart 29). Median government transfers to census families in the
Edmundston CA were very close to the provincial median, representing on average 100.6 percent of the provincial median.
Median government transfers to census families in the three CMAs were considerably
lower than median government transfers to census families in the CAs and in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period. This is consistent with the fact that the median
employment incomes of census families in the three CMAs exceeded the medians in the CAs andin areas outside the CMAs and CAs between 2008 and 2019. On average, median governmenttransfers to census families in the Fredericton CMA were 68.7 per cent of the provincial median.
Median government transfers to census families in Fredericton rose from $7,549 (66.1 per centof the provincial median) in 2008 to $11,100 (72.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

63

On the other hand, median government transfers to census families in the Bathurst,
Miramichi and Campbellton CAs were higher than the provincial median from 2008 to 2019,consistent with the fact that census families in these CAs had lower median employment incomesthan the provincial average throughout the period. Median government transfers to census
families were highest in the Campbellton CA, where median government transfers to census
families were on average 23.7 per cent higher than the provincial median. The mediangovernment transfers to census families in the Campbellton CA rose from $14,449 in 2008
(126.6 per cent of the provincial median) to $18,520 (120.5 per cent of the provincial median) in
2019.
Median government transfers to census families in non-urban areas were on average 21.4
per cent higher than the provincial median between 2008 and 2019, consistent with the fact that
census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs had a lower median employment income
than the provincial average over the period (Database Table 9). Median government transfers tocensus families in non-urban areas rose from $14,112 (123.6 per cent of the provincial median)in 2008 to $18,420 (119.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
Also of note is that fact that median government transfers to census families in all CMAs
and CAs and in areas outside of CMAs and CAs reached a minimum in 2018.
Chart 28: Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008 and 20192019 Dollars

Panel A: Median Government Transfers, 2019 (2019 dollars)
20,00018,00016,00014,00012,00010,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0

New Brunswick

64Panel B: Median Government Transfers as a Proportion of the Provincial Median, 2008
and 2019 (Per cent)
140

126.6

120

120.5 123.6 119.8

114.3

119.8 120.6 117.4
98.7

Per Cent

100

99.7
85.4
75.8

80

71.9

76.4
66.1

72.2

60
40
20
0
Campbellton

Non CMACA

Bathurst

Miramichi
2008

Edmundston

Saint John

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-100009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart 29: Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Government Transfers (2019 constant dollars)
20,0002019 Constant Dollars

18,00016,00014,00012,00010,000
8,000
6,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

Bathurst

65

2019Panel B: Median Government Transfers as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per
cent)
140
130

Per Cent

120
110
100
90
80

70
60
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-100009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2008 and 2019, median government transfers to census families in New
Brunswick grew at a compound annual rate of 2.74 per cent (Chart 30). Of all the CMAs andCAs, the Saint John CMA had the strongest growth in median government transfers to census
families over the 2008-2019 period, at 3.87 per cent per year. The Fredericton and Moncton
CMAs followed at 3.57 per cent per year and 3.31 per cent per year, respectively. On the other
hand, growth in median government transfers to census families was weakest in the Campbellton
CA, at 2.28 per cent per year. In areas outside the CMAs and CAs, median government transfersto census families rose by 2.45 per cent per year.

Per Cent

Chart 30: Growth in Median Government Transfers to Census Families by CMA and CA,
New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

3.87

3.57

3.31

3.18

2.84

2.74

2.50

2.45

2.28

Source: Statistics Canada. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-000501

66

2019

i. Median Employment Insurance Benefits, Census Families
This section looks at trends in the percent of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits and the median value of those benefits between 2008 and 2019.
a. Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
The share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in New Brunswick
fell from 31.4 per cent in 2008 to 29.5 per cent in 2019 (Chart 32). Throughout the 2008-2019
period, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits was much higher in
the CAs than in the CMAs. Of all the CMAs and CAs, the share of census families receiving
employment insurance benefits was lowest in the Fredericton CMA. The share of census families
receiving employment insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA rose from 18.7 per cent (59.7
per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 18.9 per cent (64.0 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019.
The shares of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in the Monctonand Saint John CMAs were greater than the share in the Fredericton CMA but still much lower
than the provincial average. On average, the shares of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits in the Moncton and Saint John CMAs represented 72.6 per cent and 72.1 percent of the provincial share between 2008 and 2019, respectively. In Moncton, the share ofcensus families receiving employment insurance benefits fell from 21.8 per cent (69.4 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to 21.2 per cent (72.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
In Saint John, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits rose from
21.0 per cent (66.8 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 22.2 per cent (75.5 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2019.
On average, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in the
Miramichi CA represented 119.8 per cent of the provincial share, the highest proportion of all
the CAs between 2008 and 2019. The share of census families receiving employment insurance
benefits in the Miramichi CA fell from 38.5 per cent (122.7 per cent of the provincial average) in2008 to 35.0 per cent (119.9 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. On the other hand, on
average, of all the CAs, the share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits
was lowest in the Edmundston CA. The share of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits in the Edmundston CA fell from 35.2 per cent (112.0 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to 31.4 per cent (106.7 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
The share of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in non-urban areas
was higher than that in the CMAs and CAs over the entire 2008-2019 period. On average, theshare of census families receiving employment insurance benefits in areas outside the CMAs andCAs was 30.6 per cent higher than the provincial average. The share of census families receiving
employment insurance benefits in areas outside the CMAs and CAs fell from 41.6 per cent(132.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 38.8 per cent (131.8 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

67

Chart 31: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent)

Per Cent

Panel A: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits, 2019
45.0
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0

38.8

37.4

35.0

34.5

31.4
22.2

29.5

21.2

18.9

New Brunswick

Panel B: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits as a
Proportion of the Provincial Average, 2008 and 2019140120

132.4 131.8

127.0
115.1

122.7 118.8

113.4 117.0 112.0

106.7

Per Cent

100
80

66.8

75.5

69.4

72.0
59.7

60

64.0

40
20
0
Non CMA-CA Campbellton

Miramichi

Bathurst
2008

Edmundston

Saint John

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

68

Chart 32: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent)Panel A: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
45
40

Per Cent

35
30
25
20
15
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Share of Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits as a
Proportion of the Provincial Average
130
120

Per Cent

110
100
90
80
70
60
50
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

Bathurst

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

Between 2008 and 2019, the share of census families receiving employment insurance
benefits in New Brunswick fell by 1.9 percentage points (6.1 per cent) (Chart 33). The share ofcensus families receiving employment insurance benefits increased by 1.3 percentage points inboth the Saint John CMA and the Campbellton CA and by 0.1 percentage point in the69

Fredericton CMA. In the Moncton CMA and in the other CAs, the share of census families
receiving employment insurance benefits fell between 2008 and 2019. The Edmundston CA saw
both the largest relative and absolute falls in the share of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits, at 3.7 percentage points (10.6 per cent).
Chart 33: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Census Families Receiving Employment
Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
2

1.3

1.3

Percentage Points

1
0.1

0
-1

-0.6
-1.1

-2
-1.9
-3

-2.7

-4

-3.5

-3.7

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

b. Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families
Census families in the CAs generally received greater median employment insurance
benefits than did census families in the CMAs between 2008 and 2019 (Chart 35). This isconsistent with the fact that census families in the CAs had lower median employment incomesthan did census families in the CMAs. Median employment insurance benefits were fairly evenamong census families in the three CMAs. On average, census families in the Moncton CMA
received the lowest median employment insurance benefits, at 74.7 per cent of the provincial
average. Median employment insurance benefits received by census families in the Moncton
CMA rose from $5,924 (70.5 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $6,570 (76.3 per centof the provincial median) in 2019.
Median employment insurance benefits received by census families in the Fredericton
and Saint John CMAs represented on average 75.0 per cent and 76.6 per cent of the provincial
median, respectively, between 2008 and 2019. Median employment insurance benefits received
by census families in the Fredericton CMA rose from $5,767 (68.6 per cent of the provincial
median) in 2008 to $6,570 (76.3 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019. Meanwhile, census
families in the Saint John CMA saw their median employment insurance benefits rise from
$5,727 (68.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $6,930 (80.5 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2019.

70

Of all the CAs, census families in the Edmundston CA received the lowest median
employment insurance benefits between 2008 and 2019. This is consistent with the fact that
census families in the Edmundston CA had a higher median employment income than did census
families in the other CAs for most of the 2008-2019 period. In 2008, census families in the
Edmundston CA received median employment insurance benefits of $7,646, 91.0 per cent of theprovincial average. From 2008 to 2014, census families in the Edmundston CA received greater
median employment insurance benefits than did census families in the three CMAs. In 2015, themedian employment insurance benefits received by census families in the Edmundston CA
dipped below the medians in the three CMAs. From 2016 to 2018, the median employment
insurance benefits received by census families in the Edmundston CA slightly exceeded thosereceived by census families in the Moncton CMA but were slightly lower than those received bycensus families in the Fredericton and Saint John CMAs. In 2019, census families in the
Edmundston CA received median employment insurance benefits of $6,760, 78.5 per cent of theprovincial median, slightly higher than the median employment insurance benefits received bycensus families in the Moncton and Fredericton CMAs but slightly lower than those received bycensus families in the Saint John CMA.
On the other hand, the median employment insurance benefits received by census
families in the other three CAs exceeded those received by census families in all three CMAs
throughout the entire 2008-2019 period. On average, census families in the Miramichi CA
received the greatest median employment insurance benefits. The median employment insurance
benefits received by census families in the Miramichi CA fell from $9,404 (111.9 per cent of theprovincial average) in 2008 to $9,300 (108.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Census families in non-urban areas received higher median employment insurance
benefits than did census families in any of the CMAs or CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period.
On average, median employment insurance benefits received by census families in areas outside
the CMAs and CAs were 20.2 per cent higher than the provincial level. The median employment
insurance benefits received by census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs rose from
$10,186 (121.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $10,510 (122.1 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019.

71

Chart 34: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008 and 2019
Panel A: Median Employment Insurance Benefits, 2019 (2019 dollars)
12,0002019 Dollars

10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000

0

New Brunswick

Panel B: Median Employment Insurance Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial
Median, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent)140
121.2 122.1
120

111.9 108.0

Per Cent

100

102.8
91.0

98.3

99.1

91.0
80.5

80

78.5

68.1

70.5

76.3

68.6

76.3

60
40
20
0
Non CMACA

Miramichi

Campbellton

Bathurst
2008

Saint John

Edmundston

MonctonFredericton

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

72

Chart 35: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families by CMA
and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Employment Insurance Benefits (2019 constant dollars)
11,0002019 Constant Dollars

10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Median Employment Insurance Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial Median(Per cent)120
110

Per Cent

100
90

80
70
60
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

73

Between 2008 and 2019, real median employment insurance benefits received by census
families in New Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.22 per cent (Chart 36). The SaintJohn CMA had by far the strongest growth in median employment insurance benefits received bycensus families, at 1.75 per cent per year. The Fredericton and Moncton CMAs followed withgrowth rates of 1.19 per cent per year and 0.95 per cent per year, respectively. Median
employment insurance benefits received by census families in the Miramichi, Campbellton and
Edmundston CAs declined over the 2008-2019 period (despite increases in nominal median
employment insurance benefits). At 1.11 per cent per year, the decline in median employment
insurance benefits was fastest in the Edmundston CA.
Chart 36: Growth in Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Census Families
by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
2.0
1.5

Per Cent

1.0
0.5

1.75
1.19
0.95
0.29

0.28

0.22

0.0
-0.5
-1.0
-1.5

-0.10
-0.81
-1.11

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

C. Median Total Income of Census Family Units, 2000-2019
Census family units in the three CMAs had significantly higher median total incomesthan did census family units in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000
and 2019, consistent with the incomes disparities between southern and northern New Brunswick
discussed in Section I (Chart 38 and Database Table 13). Of all the CMAs and CAs, theFredericton CMA had the highest median total census family unit income throughout the 20002019 period. Fredericton was the only CMA or CA with a median total income higher than thenational median. On average, the median total income in Fredericton was 18.2 per cent higher
than the provincial median. The median total income of census family units in the Fredericton
CMA rose from $54,291 (119.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $62,900 (116.7 percent of the provincial median) in 2019. Hence, the median total income of census family units in
the Fredericton CMA fell 2.7 points as a proportion of the provincial median between 2000 and
2019.

74

The median total income of census family units in the Moncton CMA increased from
$50,020 (110.0 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $56,580 (105.0 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019. The Saint John CMA saw its median total census family unit income
rise from $48,929 (107.6 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $57,490 (106.7 per cent of
the provincial median) in 2019.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Campbellton CA had the lowest median total income overthe entire 2000-2019 period, rising from $38,196 (84.0 per cent of the provincial median) in
2000 to $44,110 (81.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019. Moreover, the median total
income in the Campbellton CA was lower than that in areas outside the CMAs and CAs for theentire 2000-2019 period.
The median total income of census family units in non-urban areas was lower than theprovincial median throughout the 2000-2019 period (Database Table 13). However, the gap
narrowed slightly over the period. The median total income of areas outside the CMAs and CAsrose from $41,836 (92.0 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $50,320 (93.4 per cent of
the provincial median) in 2019.
Chart 37: Median Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2000 and 2019
Panel A: median Total Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
70,0002019 Dollars

60,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

75Panel B: Median Total Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median, 2000* and 2019
140

120

119.4 116.7

107.6 106.7 110.0 105.0

Per Cent

100

99.7

98.9

92.0

93.4

97.9

89.9

96.4

89.3

84.0

81.8

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton

Saint John

MonctonMiramichi
2000

Non CMA-CA

Bathurst

Edmundston

Campbellton

2019*Miramichi: 2006 and 2019
Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart 38: Median Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2000-2019
Panel A: Median Total income (2019 constant dollars)
65,0002019 Constant Dollars

60,00055,00050,00045,00040,00035,0002000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

76

Panel B: Median Total Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per cent)130120

Per Cent

110
100

90
80
70
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2000 and 2019, the median total income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.90 per cent. Of all the CMAs and CAs, census
family units in the Saint John CMA had the strongest median total income growth, at 0.85 percent per year (Chart 39). Census family units in the Fredericton CMA and the Campbellton CA
followed with median total income growth of 0.78 per cent per year and 0.76 per cent per year,
respectively. Meanwhile, census family units in the Miramichi CA and the Moncton CMA saw
similar median total income growth rates of 0.69 per cent per year and 0.65 per cent per year,
respectively. Growth in the median total income of census family units was weakest in the
Edmundston and Bathurst CAs, at 0.49 per cent per year and 0.45 per cent per year, respectively.
Census family units in non-urban areas outperformed all the CMAs and CAs, with median total
income growth of 0.98 per cent per year.
For all CMAs and CAs and for areas outside the CMAs and CAs, median total income
growth was much stronger between 2000 and 2008 than it was between 2008 and 2019.10
Between 2000 and 2008, the median total income of census family units in New Brunswick grewat a compound annual rate of 1.59 per cent. Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Bathurst CA had thestrongest median total income growth, at 1.71 per cent per year. The Saint John CMA was closebehind, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.70 per cent. The Fredericton CMA was the
only other CMA or CA to outpace the provincial rate, with median total income growth of 1.60
per cent per year. The median total incomes of census family units in the Moncton CMA and the10This is not consistent with trends in the median total income of economic units in New Brunswick. For economic
units, median total income growth rose from 0.96 per cent per year between 2000 and 2008 to 1.19 per cent per year
between 2008 and 2019. This discrepancy may be explained by the differences between the definitions of census
families and economic families.

77other CAs grew at slower rates than did the provincial median and the median of areas outside of
CMAs and CAs, which grew by 1.47 per cent per year. Median total income growth was weakest
in the Edmundston CA, at 0.93 per cent per year.
Over the 2008-2019 period, median total income growth in New Brunswick dropped to0.40 per cent per year, barely a quarter of the 2000-2008 rate and 0.13 points below the growthrate for the average total income of census family units. This fall-off in growth between the
2000-2008 and the 2008-2019 periods was also observed in all CMAs and CAs and in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs. The median total income in areas outside the CMAs and CAs grewat a compound annual rate of 0.62 per cent, down 0.85 points from the 2000-2008 rate but 0.22
points above the provincial rate and stronger than the growth observed in any of the CMAs or
CAs.
After enjoying the strongest median total income growth of all the CMAs and CAs
between 2000 and 2008, the Bathurst CA saw its median total income fall by 0.45 per cent per
year between 2008 and 2019. On the other hand, the Campbellton CA had the strongest median
total income growth of all the CMAs and CAs over the 2008-2019 period, at 0.53 per cent per
year. In the other five CMAs and CAs, median total income growth lagged the provincial rate
between 2008 and 2019.
Chart 39: Growth in the Median Total Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2000-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)

Per Cent

Panel A: 2000-2019*
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0

0.98

0.90

0.85

0.78

0.76

0.69

0.65
0.49

Non CMACA

New
Brunswick

Saint John

Fredericton Campbellton Miramichi

Moncton

Edmundston

0.45

Bathurst*Miramichi: 2006-201978

Panel B: 2000-2008 and 2008-2019
2.00

Per Cent

1.50
1.00

0.50

1.70

1.59

1.47

1.71

1.60

1.37

1.08
0.62

0.93
0.53

0.40

0.32

0.24

0.18

0.17

0.13

0.00
-0.50

-0.45

-1.00

2000-2008

2008-2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

D. Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units, 2000-2019
As was the case for median total income, the median after-tax incomes of census family
units in the three CMAs were significantly higher than the medians in the CAs and in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019. However, taxes helped lessen the subprovincial total income disparities discussed in section C.
As was the case for median total income, the Fredericton CMA had the highest medianafter-tax census family unit income of all the CMAs and CAs over the 2000-2019 period, and theFredericton CMA was the only CMA or CA with median after-tax income higher than thenational median (Chart 41 and Database Table 13). However, the gap between the median aftertax income of census family units in Fredericton and that of the province as a whole was smaller
than the gap between the total incomes of Fredericton and the province as a whole. On average,
Fredericton’s median total income was 18.2 per cent higher than the provincial median, while
Fredericton’s median after-tax income was only 14.8 per cent higher than the provincial medianon average. The median after-tax income of census family units in the Fredericton CMA rosefrom $46,422 (115.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $55,550 (114.2 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2019.
Similarly, the gaps between the median after-tax incomes of census family units in theMoncton and Saint John CMAs and the province as a whole were smaller than the gaps between
the median total incomes in the two CMAs and the provincial median. Moncton’s median aftertax income rose from $43,441 (107.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $50,360(103.5 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019. The median after-tax income in Saint John79

increased from $42,620 (105.7 per cent of the national median) in 2000 to $51,390 (105.6 percent of the provincial median) in 2019.
The gaps between the median after-tax incomes of census family units in the CAs and theprovincial median were smaller than the gaps between the median total incomes of census family
units in the CAs and the provincial median. In addition to having the lowest median total income,the Campbellton CA also had the lowest median after-tax income from 2000 to 2019. Moreover,
the Campbellton CA was the only CA in which the median after-tax income of census family
units was lower than that of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs throughout
the entire 2000-2019 period. The median after-tax income of census family units in the
Campbellton CA rose from $34,784 (86.3 per cent of the provincial median) in 2000 to $41,050(84.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019. On average, the median after-tax income ofcensus family units in the Campbellton CA was 84.0 per cent of the provincial median, while themedian total income of census family units in the Campbellton CA was only 81.7 per cent of theprovincial median.
As was the case with median total income, the median after-tax income of census family
units in non-urban areas was lower than the provincial median throughout the 2000-2019 period(Database Table 13). However, tax narrowed the gap slightly. On average, the median after-tax
income of census family units in non-urban areas represented 93.7 per cent of the provincial
median. On the other hand, the median total income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs represented only 92.2 per cent of the provincial median on average. The medianafter-tax income of census family units in non-urban areas rose from $37,780 (93.7 per cent of
the provincial median) in 2000 to $46,070 (94.7 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
Chart 40: Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,2000 and 2019
Panel A: Median After-Tax Income, 2019 (2019 dollars)
60,0002019 Dollars

50,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

New Brunswick

80Panel B: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median, 2000* and2019 (Per cent)120

115.2 114.2

105.7 105.6 107.8 103.5

100

99.7

99.4

93.7

94.7

98.7

91.7

97.0

90.5

86.3

84.4

Per Cent

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton

Saint John

MonctonMiramichi Non CMA-CA
2000

Bathurst

Edmundston Campbellton

2019*Miramichi: 2006 and 2019
Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart 41: Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New Brunswick,
2000-2019
Panel A: Median After-Tax Income (2019 constant dollars)
60,0002019 Constant Dollars

55,00050,00045,00040,00035,00030,0002000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

81

Panel B: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per cent)
120
115
110

Per Cent

105
100
95
90
85
80
75

70
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Between 2000 and 2019, the median after-tax income of census family units in New
Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 1.00 per cent per year (Chart 42). As was the casefor median total income growth, of all the CMAs and CAs, growth of the median after-tax
income of census family units was strongest in the Saint John CMA, at 0.99 per cent per year.
Census family units in the Fredericton CMA were close behind, with median after-tax income
growth of 0.95 per cent per year. Of all the CAs, census family units in the Campbellton CA saw
the strongest median after-tax income growth, at 0.88 per cent per year. Census family units in
the Miramichi CA and the Moncton CMA had nearly identical median after-tax income growth
rates of 0.79 per cent per year and 0.78 per cent per year, respectively. Median after-tax income
growth was weakest for census family units in the Edmundston and Bathurst CAs, at 0.63 percent per year and 0.61 per cent per year, respectively. As observed for median total income
growth, census family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs outperformed census family
units in all the CMAs; the median after-tax income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs grew at a compound annual rate of 1.05 per cent over the 2000-2019 period.
As was the case for median total income growth, the median after-tax incomes of census
family units grew at much stronger paces between 2000 and 2008 than between 2008 and 2019in all CMAs and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. 11 Between 2000 and 2008, themedian after-tax income of census family units in New Brunswick grew at a compound annual
rate of 1.74 per cent. While the Bathurst CA had the strongest median total income growth of
11This is not consistent with trends in the median after-tax income of economic units in New Brunswick. Growth in
the median after-tax income of economic units in New Brunswick was equal to 1.10 per cent per year between 2000
and 2008 and between 2008 and 2019. This discrepancy may be explained by the differences between the definitionsof census families and economic families.

82

census family units over the 2000-2008 period, the Saint John CMA enjoyed the strongest
median after-tax income growth, at 1.89 per cent per year. The Fredericton CMA and theBathurst CA followed with growth of 1.82 per cent per year. The median after-tax income ofcensus family units in areas outside the CMAs and CAs grew at a compound annual rate of 1.63
per cent per year. The Moncton CMA and the Campbellton and Edmundston CAs lagged thisrate. The Edmundston CA had the weakest median census family unit after-tax income growth,
at 1.16 per cent per year.
Compared with the 2000-2008 period, in New Brunswick, median after-tax income
growth dropped 1.29 points between 2008 and 2019, to 0.46 per cent per year, 0.13 points below
the growth rate of the average after-tax income of census family units. The gap between the
median average after-tax incomes of census family units between 2008 and 2019 reflected therising income inequality over the period. This rising inequality will be discussed in more detail in
section III of the report. The median after-tax income of census family units in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs grew at a compound annual rate of 0.63 per cent from 2008 to 2019, down 1.00
point from the 2000-2008 rate but stronger than the growth observed in all of the CMAs andCAs.
After enjoying relatively strong median after-tax income growth between 2000 and 2008,
the Bathurst CA saw its median census family unit after-tax income fall by 0.27 per cent per year
from 2008 to 2019. On the other hand, the Campbellton CA had the strongest median after-tax
income growth of all the CMAs and CAs, at 0.53 per cent per year.
Chart 42: Growth in the Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2000-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
Panel A: 2000-2019*
1.2
1.05

1.00

1.0

0.99

0.88
0.79

0.8

Per Cent

0.95
0.78

0.63

0.61

Edmundston

Bathurst

0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
Non CMACA

New
Brunswick

Saint John

Fredericton Campbellton Miramichi

Moncton*Miramichi: 2006-201983Panel B: 2000-2008 and 2008-2019
1.89

2.0
1.63

1.82

1.82

1.74

1.58

1.5

1.35

Per Cent

1.16
1.0
0.63
0.5

0.53

0.46

0.36

0.34

0.32

0.24

0.20

0.0
-0.27

-0.5
Non CMA- Campbellton
New
CA
Brunswick

Miramichi
2000-2008

Saint John

Fredericton Edmundston

Moncton2008-2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal income: Table 11-10-0017-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

III. Median After-Tax Income of Census Family Units Compared to Average
After-Tax Income of Census Family Units, 2008-2019
Examining median after-tax income as a proportion of average after-tax income sheds
light on income inequality. Average after-tax income is generally higher than median after-tax
income because disproportionately high incomes at the top end of the income distribution skew
average income upward. Hence, a greater gap between median and average income indicatesgreater income inequality.
In areas outside the CMAs and CAs and in all CMAs and CAs except for the MiramichiCA, growth in the average after-tax income of census family units was stronger than growth in
the median after-tax income of census family units between 20008 and 2019. Consequently, themedian after-tax income of census family units fell as a proportion of the average after-tax
income of census family units in areas outside the CMAs and in all CMAs and CAs except for
the Miramichi CA over the 2008-2019 period. This suggests that between 2008 and 2019,
income inequality increased everywhere in New Brunswick except for in the Miramichi CA.
In New Brunswick, between 2008 and 2019, growth in the average after-tax income ofcensus family units outpaced growth in the median after-tax income of census family units by
0.13 points. As a result, the median after-tax income of census family units fell 1.2 percentage
points (1.5 per cent) as a proportion of the average after-tax income of census family units,

84

Bathurst

suggesting that income inequality increased over the 2008-2019 period (Chart 43).12 At 3.8
percentage points (4.7 per cent), the Edmundston CA saw the greatest decrease in the medianafter-tax income of census family units as a proportion of the average after-tax income of census
family units from 2008 to 2019. This is consistent with the fact that, of all the CMAs and CAs,
the gap between the growth rates of the average and median after-tax incomes of census family
units was greatest in the Edmundston CA, at 0.44 percentage points. In areas outside the CMAs
and CAs, the median after-tax income of census family units fell 1.9 points (2.4 per cent) as aproportion of the average after-tax income of census family units. On the other hand, for census
family units in the Miramichi CA, the median after-tax income rose 1.6 percentage points (2.1
per cent) as a proportion of average after-tax income between 2008 and 2019.
Chart 43: Percentage Point Change in Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of Average AfterTax Income by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, Census Family Units, 2008-2019
2

1.6

Percentage Points

1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4

-0.4

-0.7

-0.8

-1.2

-1.5

-1.9
-2.5
-3.8

-5

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units and nominal median after-tax income: Table 11-100017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01
The median after-tax income of census family units in New Brunswick fell from 80.9 percent of the average after-tax income of census family units in 2008 to 79.7 per cent in 2019
(Chart 45). Of all the CMAs and CAs, the percentage gap between the median after-tax income
and the average after-tax income of census family units was smallest in the Fredericton CMA
throughout the 2008-2019 period. This suggests that the Fredericton CMA had the least after-tax
income inequality of all the CMAs and CAs over the period. The median after-tax income ofcensus family units in the Fredericton CMA fell from 82.9 per cent of the average after-tax

12

This is not consistent with the fact that the Gini coefficient of adjusted after-tax income decreased from 0.279 in2008 to 0.270 in 2019 (the lower the Gini coefficient, the lower is the degree of income inequality), as discussed in
Richer and Fairer: New Brunswick Income Trends, 1976-2019. This discrepancy may be explained by the fact that
the Gini coefficient of adjusted after-tax income is based on after-tax income adjusted to take into account theeconomies of scale present in larger households, whereas the average and median after-tax income of census family
units were not adjusted.

85

income in 2008 to 82.1 per cent in 2019. On average, the Fredericton proportion was 2.4 per centhigher than the provincial proportion.
The average gap between the median and average after-tax incomes of census family
units over the 2008-2019 period was also smaller than the average provincial gap in the
Miramichi CA and in the Moncton CMA. This suggests that, on average, there was less income
inequality in the Miramichi CA and in the Moncton CMA than in New Brunswick as a wholebetween 2008 and 2019. The median after-tax income of census family units in the Miramichi
CA rose from 78.7 per cent of the average after-tax income in 2008 to 80.3 per cent in 2019.
Meanwhile, the median after-tax income of census family units in the Moncton CMA fell from
81.7 per cent of the average after-tax income in 2008 to 80.1 per cent in 2019.
On the other hand, over the 2008-2019 period, the average gap between the median andaverage after-tax incomes of census family units was greater in the Saint John CMA and in the
Bathurst, Campbellton and Edmundston CAs than in New Brunswick as a whole. On average,
the gap was greatest in the Campbellton CA, suggesting that the Campbellton CA had thegreatest income inequality of all the CMAs and CAs between 2008 and 2019. The median aftertax income of census family units in the Campbellton CA fell from 78.5 per cent of the averageafter-tax income in 2008 to 78.0 per cent in 2019.
Meanwhile, throughout the entire 2008-2019 period, the gap between the median andaverage after-tax incomes of census family units in non-urban areas was smaller than theprovincial average, suggesting that income was more equally distributed in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs than in the CMAs and CAs. The median after-tax income of census family units
in non-urban areas fell from 82.5 per cent of the average after-tax income in 2008 to 80.6 percent in 2019. On average, the median after-tax income of census family units in non-urban areas
as a proportion of the average after-tax income was 1.7 per cent higher than the provincial
proportion between 2008 and 2019.
Chart 44: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of Average After-Tax Income by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, Census Family Units, 2008 and 2019 (Per cent)

Per Cent

Panel A: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of Average After-Tax Income, 2019
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

82.1

80.6

80.3

80.1

78.7

78.1

78.0

77.4

79.7

New Brunswick86Panel B: Median After-Tax Income Divided by Average After-Tax Income as a Proportionof the Provincial Average, 2008 and 2019120
102.5 103.0 102.0 101.1

97.3

100

100.8 101.0 100.6 100.3

98.7

97.4

98.0

97.9

100.4 97.2

Campbellton

Edmundston

97.0

Per Cent

80
60
40
20
0
Fredericton Non CMA-CA

Miramichi

Moncton2008

Bathurst

Saint John

2019

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 1110-0051-01; Number of census family units and nominal median after-tax income: Table 11-100017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01
Chart 45: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of Average After-Tax Income by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, Census Family Units, 2008-2019 (Per cent)Panel A: Median After-Tax Income as a Proportion of Average After-Tax Income
84
83
82

Per Cent

81
80
79
78
77
76
75
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

87

Panel B: Median After-Tax Income Divided by Average After-Tax Income as a Proportionof the Provincial Average
104
103
102

Per Cent

101
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal aggregate income: Table 11-100051-01; Number of census family units and nominal median after-tax income: Table 11-100017-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

IV. Low-Income Measures, 2000-2019
This section outlines trends in the Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure
between 2000 and 2019 and provides the Market Basket Measure poverty rate by CMA and CA
in 2015. To understand income trends and levels, it is important to look not only at average andmedian income measures but also at low-income measures.
A. Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure (CLIM-AT), 2000-2019
The Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure (CLIM-AT) is a relative measure of
low income measured on an individual basis. According to the CLIM-AT, an individual has low
income if their adjusted after-tax income is less than 50 per cent of the national median adjusted
after-tax income.13 Statistics Canada calculates adjusted after-tax income by “dividing census
family income by the square root of the census family size and assigning this value to all persons
in the census family” (Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0018-01).
New Brunswick’s CLIM-AT rate fell 1.4 points from 18.8 per cent in 2000 to 17.4 percent in 2019 (Chart 47). Over the 2000-2019 period, the CLIM-AT rate declined in all CMAs
and CAs except for the Moncton CMA and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. The
Campbellton CA had by far the highest CLIM-AT rate throughout the 2000-2019 period. This is13

For CLIM-AT rates by age group and by census family type, see Tables 10 and 11 in the database, respectively.

88consistent with the fact that, of all the CMAs and CAs, the gap between the average and medianafter-tax incomes of census family units was greatest in the Campbellton CA for most of the
2008-2019 period. Campbellton’s CLIM-AT rate fell from 23.1 per cent (122.9 per cent of theprovincial rate) in 2000 to 21.4 per cent (123.0 per cent of the provincial rate) in 2019.
Conversely, the Moncton CMA had the lowest CLIM-AT rate from 2000 to 2018. Moncton’s
CLIM-AT rate increased 0.4 points from 15.9 per cent (84.6 per cent of the provincial rate) in2000 to 16.3 per cent (93.7 per cent of the provincial rate) in 2019. In 2019, of all the CMAs andCAs, the Fredericton CMA had the lowest CLIM-AT rate, at 16.1 per cent.
Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Bathurst CA saw both the largest absolute and relative
decrease in its CLIM-AT rate between 2000 and 2019. Bathurst’s CLIM-AT rate fell 1.8 points(8.8 per cent) from 20.5 per cent in 2000 to 18.7 per cent in 2019.
Throughout the 2000-2019 period, the CLIM-AT rate in areas outside the CMAs andCAs was higher than the provincial average (Database Table 16). The CLIM-AT rate for areas
outside the CMAs and CAs fell 1.8 points from 20.2 per cent (107.4 per cent of the provincialrate) in 2000 to 18.4 per cent (105.7 per cent of the provincial rate) in 2019. This is consistent
with the narrowing income gap between the CMAs and CAs and areas outside of CMAs andCAs from 2000 to 2019.
Chart 46: Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure by CMA and CA, New
Brunswick, 2019 (Per cent of persons in low income)
25.0
21.4

Per Cent

20.0

18.7

18.4

17.8

17.0

17.0

16.3

16.1

17.4

15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0

New Brunswick

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0018-01

89

Chart 47: Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 20002019
Panel A: Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure (Per cent of persons in low
income)26
24

Per Cent

22
20
18
16

14
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

Panel B: Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure as a Proportion of the Provincial
Average (Per cent)140
130

Per Cent

120
110
100
90
80
70
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0018-01

B. Market Basket Measure, 2015
The Market Basket Measure (MBM) poverty rate is Canada’s official poverty rate. The
MBM is based on a threshold set at the cost of a specific basket of goods and services
representing a modest, basic standard of living for a reference family of two adults and two90

children. The MBM threshold is adjusted for other family sizes using the square root of theeconomic family size. If an individual or a family cannot afford the cost of this basket in theircommunity (that is, their disposable income is below the MBM threshold), they are considered tobe living in poverty.14 The 2015 MBM (2011-Base) poverty rate was available by CMA and CA
from 2016 census data.
According to the MBM, in 2015, 15.0 per cent of New Brunswick’s population wasliving in poverty (Chart 48). Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Moncton CMA had the lowest MBM
poverty rate, at 12.3 per cent. The Saint John CMA followed with the second lowest MBM
poverty rate, at 14.4 per cent. On the other hand, the Campbellton CA had the highest MBM
poverty rate, at 19.4 per cent.
At the provincial level and in all the CMAs and CAs, in 2015, the MBM poverty rate waslower than the CLIM-AT rate. Moreover, in terms of highest to lowest rate, the order was
slightly different. According to both rates, the Campbellton CA had the highest proportion of the
population in low-income and the Moncton CMA the lowest. The Bathurst CA had the third
highest proportion of the population in low-income according to both rates. Compared to the
CLIM-AT rate, the Miramichi CA moved down two places, while the Edmundston CA and theFredericton CMA moved up two places in the sub-provincial ranking by the MBM rate. The
Saint John CMA moved down one place. This discrepancy is due to the differences in the way
the two measures are calculated.
Chart 48: Market Basket Measure Low Income Rate by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2015 (Percent of persons in low income)
20

19.4
17.5

18

16.3

16.2

16

15.3

15.0

14.4

Per Cent

14

12.3

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Campbellton

Edmundston

Bathurst

Fredericton

MiramichiNew
Brunswick

Saint John

MonctonStatistics Canada, 2016 Census Data Tables

14

For a more detailed definition of the Market Basket Measure, see the 2016 Census dictionary entry at
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/dict/pop165-eng.cfm.

91

Conclusion
This report has provided a detailed analysis of the levels and the growth rates of income
in New Brunswick by CMA and CA compared to those in areas outside the CMAs and CAs.
There were significant sub-provincial income disparities in New Brunswick between 2000 and2019. New Brunswick’s three CMAs (in the south) had significantly higher average and medianincomes than did the province’s four CAs (in the north) and than did areas outside the CMAs andCAs. Key findings about these disparities and other income trends include:•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest average total and aftertax census family unit incomes between 2008 and 2019. The average incomes of census
family units in the Saint John and Moncton CMAs were also significantly higher than the
averages in the CAs and in non-urban areas throughout the 2008-2019 period.

•

There was a significant fall-off in both total and after-tax median census family unit
income growth in New Brunswick between the 2000-2008 and the 2008-2019 periods.
This fall-off was observed in all CMAs and CAs and in non-urban areas. The Bathurst
CA saw the most dramatic fall-off. After having the strongest median total income
growth and the second strongest median after-tax income growth of all the CMAs andCAs between 2000 and 2008, the Bathurst CA saw its median total income and its
median after-tax income fall from 2008 to 2019.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the Fredericton CMA had the highest median total and aftertax census family unit incomes from 2000 to 2019. The median total and after-tax census
family unit incomes in the Moncton and Saint John CMAs also exceeded the provincial
average throughout the 2000-2019 period.

•

The Campbellton CA had both the lowest median total income and the lowest medianafter-tax income of all the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019.

•

Of all the CMAs and CAs, the percentage gap between the median after-tax income andthe average after-tax income of census family units was smallest in the Fredericton CMA
throughout the 2008-2019 period, suggesting that the Fredericton CMA had the least
after-tax income inequality of all the CMAs and CAs over the period. On the other hand,on average, the gap between the median after-tax income of census family units and theaverage after-tax income of census family units was greatest in the Campbellton CA,
suggesting that the Campbellton CA had the greatest income inequality of all the CMAs
and CAs between 2008 and 2019. Meanwhile, over the entire 2008-2019 period, the gap
between the median and average after-tax incomes of census family units in non-urban
areas was smaller than the provincial average, suggesting that income was more equallydistributed in areas outside the CMAs and CAs than in the CMAs and CAs.

•

The Census Family After-Tax Low-Income Measure declined in all CMAs and CAs
except for the Moncton CMA and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs over the 20002019 period.

This report has thoroughly analyzed income trends and levels in New Brunswick by
CMA and CA compared to those in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, revealing significant sub92

provincial income disparities between the north of the province and the south. However, further
research is needed to better understand these trends and their impact on living standards in the
CMAs and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs.

93

Research Addenda
This report has provided a detailed analysis of income trends and levels in New
Brunswick at the level of CMAs and CAs compared to trends in areas outside the CMAs andCAs. That said, future research is needed to better understand sup-provincial income in New
Brunswick.
In terms of income levels, it would be interesting to compare the changes in the ranks of
the CMAs and CAs in New Brunswick to those in other provinces. In particular, this report
showed that the rankings in New Brunswick were relatively stable between 2000 and 2019.
Future research is needed to see whether the same was true in other provinces.
Future research is also needed to better understand the sub-provincial income disparities
discussed in this report. For example, it would be interesting to investigate why the average
employment income was higher in Saint John than in Moncton and Fredericton. The higher
average employment income in Saint John may reflect the CMA’s industrial base — particularly
the Irving pulp and paper mill and the Irving oil refinery, which are the sources of many
relatively high-paying jobs. On the other hand, Moncton has many service jobs, which are
relatively low-paying. Future research is needed to disaggregate employment income data byindustry to see if the industrial structures of the CMAs and CAs can explain the differences in
employment incomes.

94References
Bonsall, Nettie (2021) “Richer and Fairer: New Brunswick Income Trends, 1976-2019” report inpreparation for the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research, forthcoming
Bonsall, Nettie (2021) “Turning the Tide: Demographic Developments in New Brunswick, 19512019” report in preparation for the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research, forthcoming
Centre for Income and Socioeconomic Well-being Statistics (2021) “Technical Reference Guide
for the Annual Income Estimates for Census Families, Individuals and Seniors” July,
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/72-212-x/2021001/sect3-eng.htm
Statistics Canada (2021) “Annual Income Estimates for Census Families and Individuals (T1Family File”
https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=4105#a3

95

Appendix I: Median Income of Persons Not in Census Families, 2008-2019
This appendix looks at the growth rates and the levels of real median employment
income, government transfers and employment insurance benefits for persons not in census
families. Findings in this appendix are similar to those for census families, which were discussed
in parts A and B of section II of the report.
A. Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families
Persons not in census families outperformed census families in terms of median
employment income growth in all CMAs and CAs and in areas outside of CMAs and CAs
between 2008 and 2019. Over the 2008-2019 period, the median employment income of persons
not in census families in New Brunswick rose at a compound annual rate of 0.66 per cent, 0.35
points above the rate for census families. As was the case for census families, persons not in
census families had the strongest median employment income growth in the Miramichi CA. The
median employment income of persons not in census families in the Miramichi CA rose by 1.66
per cent per year. Persons not in census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs followedwith median employment income growth of 1.17 per cent per year.
As was the case for census families, persons not in census families in the Saint John,
Moncton and Fredericton CMAs were below the provincial average in terms of median
employment income growth. However, in contrast to the decline in median employment income
growth experienced by census families in the three CMAs, the median employment income of
persons not in census families in the Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton CMAs rose over theperiod (by 0.43 per cent per year, 0.25 per cent per year and 0.24 per cent per year, respectively).
In the Bathurst CA, the median employment income of persons not in census families fell at acompound annual rate of 0.33 per cent (as opposed to 0.62 per cent for census families in the
CA).

96

Chart A1: Growth in the Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families
by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
2.0
1.66
1.5

Per Cent

1.17
1.00
1.0
0.69
0.5

0.66
0.43
0.25

0.24

0.0
-0.5

-0.33

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

The median employment income of persons not in census families in New Brunswickrose from $25,791 in 2008 to $27,730 in 2019 (Chart A3). Persons not in census families in thethree CMAs had significantly higher median employment incomes than did persons in the CAs
and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs, providing further proof of the income disparities
between the northern CMAs and the rest of the province discussed in the main report. That said,
the gaps between the median employment incomes of persons not in census families in the three
CMAs and the provincial average narrowed over the 2008-2019 period. The median employment
incomes of persons not in census families were highest in the Moncton and Saint John CMAs,
exceeding the provincial median by averages of 11.7 per cent and 11.5, respectively. The median
employment income of persons not in census families in the Moncton CMA rose from $29,451(114.2 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $30,260 (109.1 per cent of the provincial
median) in 2019.
On the other hand, persons not in census families in the CAs and in areas outside the
CMAs and CAs had lower median employment incomes than did the province as a whole(Database Table 9). On average, the greatest gap was between the Campbellton CA and theprovincial average, at 12.2 per cent. The median employment income of persons not in census
families in the Campbellton CA rose from $22,612 (87.7 per cent of the provincial median) to$25,230 (91.0 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
On average, the median employment income of persons not in census families in nonurban areas was 12.4 per cent lower than the provincial median. However, as was the case for
census families, the gap narrowed over the period. The median employment income of persons
not in census families in non-urban areas rose from $22,034 (85.4 per cent of the provincial
median) in 2008 to $25,050 (90.3 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

97

Chart A2: Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars)
35,0002019 Dollars

30,00025,00020,00015,00010,0005,000
0New Brunswick

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart A3: Median Employment Income of Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Employment Income (2019 constant dollars)
32,0002019 Constant Dollars

30,00028,00026,00024,00022,00020,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

98

Panel B: Median Employment Income as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per cent)
120
115
110

Per Cent

105
100
95
90

85
80

75
70
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal Income: Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI:
Table 18-10-0005-01

B. Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families
From 2008 and 2019, median government transfers to persons not in census families in
New Brunswick grew at a compound annual rate of 0.69 per cent, 2.05 points below the growthrate of median government transfers to census families (Chart A4). Of all the CMAs and CAs,
the Miramichi CA had the strongest growth in median government transfers to persons not in
census families, at 1.67 per cent per year. In contrast, median government transfers to persons
not in census families in the Moncton CMA fell by 0.03 per cent per year. Meanwhile, mediangovernment transfers to persons not in census families in non-urban areas rose by 1.02 per centper year.

99

Chart A4: Growth in Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by
CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth rates)
1.8
1.6

1.67

1.57

1.55
1.43

1.42

1.4

Per Cent

1.2

1.02

1.0
0.8

0.69

0.69

0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2

-0.03

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-100009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Given the fact that the average number of persons in census families in New Brunswick
was between 2.9 and 2.7 from 2000 to 2019, it is not surprising that the median governmenttransfers to census families were higher than the median government transfers to persons not in
census families (Database Table 10). Median government transfers to persons not in census
families in New Brunswick rose from $10,259 in 2008 to $11,070 in 2019 (Chart A6).
In terms of levels, similar trends to those observed for census families were observed for
persons not in census families. Namely, the median government transfers to persons not in
census families in the three CMAs were much lower than the median government transfers topersons not in census families in the CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. In particular,of all the CMAs and CAs, persons not in census families in the Fredericton CMA received thelowest median government transfers, rising from $6,333 (61.7 per cent of the provincial median)in 2008 to $7,500 (67.8 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
Moreover, median government transfers to persons not in census families reached aminimum in 2018 in all the CMAs and CAs and in areas outside the CMAs and CAs. One
notable difference between data for persons not in census families and data for census families
was that while the Campbellton CA had the highest median government transfers to census
families from 2008 to 2019, the Bathurst CA had the highest median government transfers topersons not in census families for most of the 2008-2019 period. Median government transfers topersons not in census families in the Bathurst CA rose from $12,257 (119.5 per cent of theprovincial median) in 2008 to $14,330 (129.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.
On average, the median government transfers to persons not in census families in areas
non-urban areas were 29.1 per cent higher than the provincial median between 2008 and 2019.
The median government transfers to persons not in census families in areas outside the CMAs
100

and CAs rose from $13,064 (127.3 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $14,600 (131.9
per cent of the provincial median) in 2019 (Database Table 10).
Chart A5: Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars)
16,00014,0002019 Dollars

12,00010,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0

New Brunswick

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-100009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

Chart A6: Median Government Transfers to Persons Not in Census Families by CMA and
CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Government Transfers (2019 constant dollars)
16,0002019 Constant Dollars

14,00012,00010,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

101

Panel B: Median Government Transfers as a Proportion of the Provincial Median (Per
cent)
160
140

Per Cent

120
100
80
60
40
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal government transfers: Table 11-100009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

i. Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census Families
a. Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits
In contrast to the decrease in the share of census families receiving employment
insurance benefits in New Brunswick between 2008 and 2019, the share of persons not in census
families receiving employment insurance benefits in New Brunswick rose by 0.8 percentage
points (6.0 per cent) from 2008 to 2019 (Chart A7). Moreover, the share of persons not in census
families receiving employment insurance benefits increased in all CMAs and CAs and in areas
outside of CMAs and CAs. At 2.1 percentage points (15.1 per cent), the Campbellton CA had thelargest absolute increase in the share of persons not in census families receiving employment
insurance benefits of all the CMAs and CAs. The saint John CMA had the largest relative
increase in the share, at 17.0 per cent (1.4 per centage points). On the other hand, the Bathurst
CA had both the smallest absolute and relative increases in the share, at 0.1 percentage point (0.5
per cent). Meanwhile, the share of persons not in census families in non-urban areas rose by 0.9
percentage point (4.3 per cent) over the 2008-2019 period.

102

2019

Chart A7: Percentage Point Change in the Share of Persons Not in Census Families
Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
2.5
2.1

Percentage Points

2.0
1.5

1.9
1.4
1.1

1.0
0.5

1.0

0.9

0.8
0.5
0.1

0.0

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

Between 2008 and 2019 in New Brunswick, the share of persons not in census families
receiving employment insurance benefits was much lower than the corresponding share ofcensus families. The share of persons not in census families receiving employment insurance
benefits in New Brunswick rose from 13.6 per cent in 2008 to 14.4 per cent in 2019 (compared adecrease from 31.4 per cent to 29.5 per cent for census families) (Chart A9). As was the case for
census families, greater shares of persons not in census families received employment insurance
benefits in the CAs than in the CMAs over the entire 2008-2019 period. Of all the CMAs andCAs, on average, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment insurance
benefits was lowest in the Fredericton CMA. The share of persons not in census families
receiving employment insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA rose from 7.4 per cent (54.5
per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 8.4 per cent (58.2 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2019. On average, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment
insurance benefits in the Fredericton CMA was 57.4 per cent of the provincial share.
The share of persons not in census families receiving employment insurance benefits in
the Saint John and Moncton CMAs were also below the provincial share, by an average of 31.9
per cent and 29.7 per cent, respectively. In the Saint John CMA, the share of persons not in
census families receiving employment insurance benefits rose from 8.5 per cent (62.7 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to 9.9 per cent (69.2 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
In the Moncton CMA, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment
insurance benefits rose from 8.9 per cent (65.3 per cent of the provincial share) in 2008 to 9.9 percent (69.2 per cent of the provincial share) in 2019.
Of all the CAs, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment
insurance benefits was lowest in the Edmundston CA for most of the 2008-2019 period (thesame was true for census families). The share of persons not in census families receiving
103

employment insurance benefits in the Edmundston CA rose from 12.9 per cent (95.5 per cent of
the provincial average) in 2008 to 13.4 per cent (93.4 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
On the other hand, on average, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment
insurance benefits was highest in the Miramichi CA. The share of persons not in census families
receiving employment insurance benefits in the Miramichi CA rose from 15.6 per cent (115.3 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to 17.6 per cent (122.2 per cent of the provincial average)
in 2019.
As observed for census families, the share of persons not in census families receiving
employment insurance benefits in non-urban areas was greater than the shares in all the CMAs
and CAs throughout the 2008-2019 period. The share of persons not in census families receiving
employment insurance benefits in non-urban areas rose from 19.7 per cent (145.3 per cent of theprovincial share) in 2008 to 20.6 per cent (143.0 per cent of the provincial share) in 2019. On
average, the share of persons not in census families receiving employment insurance benefits in
non-urban areas was 41.5 per cent greater than the provincial share.
Chart A8: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance
Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (Per cent)25
20.6

Per Cent

20

17.6

16.0

15

13.7

13.4

14.4
9.9

10

9.9

8.4

5
0

New Brunswick

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

104

Chart A9: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance
Benefits by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Per cent)Panel A: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance
Benefits
19
17

Per Cent

15
13
11

9
7
5
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Share of Persons Not in Census Families Receiving Employment Insurance
Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial Share
130
120
110

Per Cent

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0009-01

b. Median Employment Insurance Benefits
In contrast to the 0.22 per cent per year growth for census families, median employment
insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in New Brunswick fell by 0.04 percent per year between 2008 and 2019 (despite increases in the nominal median employment
105

insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in all CMAs and CAs and in areas
outside the CMAs and CAs) (Chart A10). As was the case for census families, for persons not in
census families, median employment insurance benefits growth was strongest in the Saint John
CMA. Between 2008 and 2019, median employment insurance benefits received by persons notin census families in the Saint John CMA grew at a compound annual rate of 2.26 per cent, 0.51
points above the rate for census families. Persons not in census families in the Fredericton CMA
also outperformed their census family counterparts, with growth in median employment
insurance benefits of 1.41 per cent per year, 0.22 points above the rate for census families. On
the other hand, at 0.79 per cent per year, growth of median employment insurance benefits
received by persons not in census families in the Moncton CMA lagged the rate for census
families.
Meanwhile, median employment insurance benefits received by persons not in census
families in the Bathurst CA grew at a compound annual rate of 0.30 per cent per year, nearly
identical to the rate for census families in the CA (0.29 per cent per year). Median employment
insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs
grew by 0.12 per cent per year, less than half the rate for census families (0.28 per cent per year).
Median employment insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in the
Campbellton and Miramichi CAs fell at compound annual rates of 0.14 per cent and 0.23 percent, respectively. As observed for census families, median employment insurance benefits
received by persons not in census families declined at the fastest rate in the Edmundston CA.
Median employment insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in the
Edmundston CA fell by 0.86 per cent per year.
Chart A10: Growth in Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in
Census Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019 (Compound annual growth
rates)
2.5

2.26

2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5

1.41
0.79
0.30

0.12

0.0
-0.5
-1.0

-0.04

-0.14

-0.23
-0.86

-1.5

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

106

In terms of levels of median employment insurance benefits, similar patterns to thoseobserved for census families were observed for persons not in census families. In particular,
persons not in census families in the CAs generally received greater median employment
insurance benefits than did persons not in census families in the CMAs (Chart A9). However,while median employment insurance benefits were on average lowest for census families in theMoncton CMA, for persons not in census families, median employment insurance benefits wereon average lowest for persons in the Fredericton CMA. Median employment insurance benefits
received by persons not in census families in the Fredericton CMA represented on average 69.7
per cent of the provincial average. Median employment insurance benefits received by persons
not in census families in the Fredericton CMA rose from $4,491 (61.4 per cent of the provincial
average) in 2008 to $5,240 (72.0 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
Persons not in census families in the Moncton CMA saw their median employment
insurance benefits rise from $4,840 (66.2 per cent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $5,280(72.5 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019. Median employment insurance benefits
received by persons not in census families in the Saint John CMA rose from $4,584 (62.7 percent of the provincial average) in 2008 to $5,860 (80.5 per cent of the provincial average) in2019.
As was the case for census families, of all the CAs, persons not in census families in the
Edmundston CA received the lowest median employment insurance benefits between 2008 and2019. On average, median employment insurance benefits received by persons not in census
families in the Edmundston CA represented 78.6 per cent of the provincial average (compared to
83.3 per cent for census families). Median employment insurance benefits to persons not in
census families in the Edmundston CA fell from $6,093 (83.4 per cent of the provincial average)
in 2008 to $5,540 (76.1 per cent of the provincial average) in 2019.
As observed for census families, for persons not in census families, median employment
insurance benefits in non-urban areas were higher than those in all the CMAs and CAs
throughout the 2008-2019 period. On average, median employment insurance benefits received
by persons not in census families in areas outside the CMAs and CAs were 23.5 per cent higher
than the provincial average (compared to only 20.2 per cent higher for census families). Median
employment insurance benefits received by persons not in census families in areas outside the
CMAs and CAS rose from $9,163 (125.4 per cent of the provincial median) in 2008 to $9,280(127.5 per cent of the provincial median) in 2019.

107

2019 Dollars

Chart A11: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census
Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2019 (2019 dollars)
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0

New Brunswick

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

108

Chart A12: Median Employment Insurance Benefits Received by Persons Not in Census
Families by CMA and CA, New Brunswick, 2008-2019
Panel A: Median Employment Insurance Benefits (2019 constant dollars)
10,0002019 Constant Dollars

9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Panel B: Median Employment Insurance Benefits as a Proportion of the Provincial Median(Per cent)120
110

Per Cent

100
90
80
70
60
50

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MonctonSaint John

Fredericton

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

2016

2017

2018

2019

Bathurst

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. Nominal employment insurance benefits:
Table 11-10-0009-01; CPI: Table 18-10-0005-01

109

Appendix II: Real GDP Per Capita at Basic Prices, Moncton and Saint John CMAs, 20012017
Appendix II reviews the levels and the growth rates of real GDP and real GDP per capita
at basic prices between 2001 and 2017 in the Moncton and Saint John CMAs compared to theprovincial average. (GDP estimates were not available for the Fredericton CMA or for the CAs.)
Nominal data were available from 2001 to 2009 from Statistics Canada’s Table 36-10-0423-01,
based on Mark Brown and Luke Rispoli’s research paper “Metropolitan Gross Domestic
Product: Experimental Estimates, 2001 to 2009.” Data from 2009 to 2017 were available from
Statistics Canada’s Table 36-10-0468-01, based on the Supply, Use and Output Tables. In 2009
(the only overlapping year), the estimate for Moncton from the 2009-2017 series was 4.9 percent higher than the estimate for Moncton from the 2001-2009 series. The estimate for SaintJohn from the 2009-2017 series was 8.3 per cent higher than the estimate from the 2001-2009
series.
Moncton outpaced Saint John and New Brunswick as a whole in terms of real GDP
growth over the 2001-2017 period and during the subperiods 2001-2008 and 2008-2017 (Table1). While Moncton saw stronger real GDP per capita growth over the 2001-2017 period andbetween 2001 and 2008, as a result of Moncton’s much stronger population growth, Saint John
outpaced Moncton in terms of GDP per capita growth from 2008 to 2017.
Between 2001 and 2008, New Brunswick’s real GDP per capita grew at a compound
annual rate of 2.05 per cent (Table A1 and Chart A13). The Moncton CMA’s real GDP per
capita growth outpaced that of the province by 0.30 points, increasing by 2.35 per cent per year
from 2001 to 2008. On the other hand, the Saint John CMA’s real GDP per capita growth fell
0.50 points short of the provincial rate, with GDP per capita rising by 1.55 per cent per year.
For Moncton, Saint John and New Brunswick as a whole, GDP per capita growth wasmuch weaker between 2008 and 2017 compared to the 2001-2008 period. This fall-off was
primarily attributable to weaker GDP growth, but it was reinforced by stronger population
growth. Between 2008 and 2017, New Brunswick’s real GDP rose at a compound annual rate of
0.38 per cent, down 1.61 points from the 2001-2008 rate. On the other hand, New Brunswick’s
population growth picked up to 0.29 per cent per year (up 0.35 points from the negative growthexperienced between 2001 and 2008), reducing GDP per capita growth to 0.09 per cent per year.
Compared to the 2001-2008 period, Moncton’s GDP growth fell 1.97 points to 1.61 percent per year. In Saint John, GDP growth dropped 0.94 points from the 2001-2008 rate to 0.63
per cent per year, 0.98 points below Moncton’s GDP growth. Despite Moncton’s stronger GDP
growth, as a result of much stronger population growth in Moncton than in Saint John (1.31 percent per year versus 0.17 per cent per year), Saint John outpaced Moncton in terms of GDP per
capita growth; Saint John’s GDP per capita rose at a compound annual rate of 0.46 per cent, 0.16
points above Moncton’s GDP per capita growth (0.30 per cent per year). Meanwhile, at theprovincial level, GDP per capita rose at an even weaker compound annual rate of 0.09 per cent.

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Table A1: Growth in Real GDP, Population and Real GDP Per Capita, New
Brunswick and the Moncton and Saint John CMAs, 2001 -2017 (Compound
annual growth rates)
CompoundGDP
Population
GDP Per Capita
AnnualN.B.
MonctoSaint
N.B.
MonctoSaint
N.B.
MonctoSaint
Growth
n
John
n
John
n
John
Rate
2001-2017
1.09
2.47
1.04
0.14
1.26
0.10
0.95
1.19
0.93
2001-2008
1.99
3.58
1.57
-0.06
1.21
0.02
2.05
2.35
1.55
2008-2017
0.38
1.61
0.63
0.29
1.31
0.17
0.09
0.30
0.46
Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. GDP of Moncton and Saint John in 2001 and2008: Table 36-10-0423-01; GDP of Moncton and Saint John in 2017: Table 36-10-0468-01; GDP of
New Brunswick: Table 36-10-0487-01; Implicit GDP deflator: calculated by dividing nominal GDP(Table 36-10-0487-01) by real GDP (Table 36-10-0402-01)

Chart A13: Real GDP Per Capita Growth, New Brunswick and the Moncton and SaintJohn CMAs, 2001-2008 and 2008-2017 (Compound annual growth rates)
2.5

2.35
2.05

2.0

Per Cent

1.55

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.46
0.30

0.09
0.0
Saint John

Moncton2001-2008

New Brunswick

2008-2017

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. GDP of Moncton and Saint John in 2001 and2008: Table 36-10-0423-01; GDP of Moncton and Saint John in 2017: Table 36-10-0468-01; GDP of
New Brunswick: Table 36-10-0487-01; Implicit GDP deflator: calculated by dividing nominal GDP(Table 36-10-0487-01) by real GDP (Table 36-10-0402-01)

Both the Saint John and the Moncton CMAs had higher real GDP per capita than New
Brunswick as a whole throughout the 2001-2017 period (by an average of 19.8 per cent and 14.4
per cent, respectively) (Chart A14). Moreover, the gaps between GDP per capita in the two
CMAs and GDP per capita at the provincial level widened over the period. The Saint John CMA
had higher GDP per capita than the Moncton CMA in every year of the period except for 2009,
when Moncton’s GDP per capita exceeded that of Saint John by $265 million according to the
2009-2017 series. In 2001, New Brunswick’s real GDP per capita was about $33,934 (in chained
2012 dollars). Moncton’s GDP per capita was 9.5 per cent higher, at $37,160. Saint John’s GDP
per capita was 16.1 per cent higher than the provincial average, at $39,404.
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In 2017, New Brunswick’s GDP per capita was $39,449, up about 16 per cent from the2001 level. Moncton’s GDP per capita was 13.8 per cent higher, at $44,906. Saint John’s GDP
per capita was 15.9 per cent higher than the provincial level, at $45,726.
Chart A14: Real GDP Per Capita at Basic Prices, New Brunswick and the Moncton andSaint John CMAs, 2001-2017 (Chained 2012 dollars)
50,000Chained 2012 Dollars

48,00046,00044,00042,00040,00038,00036,00034,00032,00030,000MonctonSaint John

New Brunswick

Source: CSLS estimates based on Statistics Canada tables. GDP of Moncton and Saint John from 2001 to
2008: Table 36-10-0423-01; GDP of Moncton and Saint John from 2009 to 2017: Table 36-10-0468-01;
GDP of New Brunswick: Table 36-10-0487-01; Implicit GDP deflator: calculated by dividing nominal
GDP (Table 36-10-0487-01) by real GDP (Table 36-10-0402-01)

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Appendix III: Top Income Earners in the Saint John CMA, 1982-2018
Examining trends in the after-tax income (including capital gains) of high-income tax
filers sheds light on income inequality. Unfortunately, sub-provincial data on top income earners
were available only for the Saint John CMA.
I.

Shares of Income of Top Income Earners

Throughout the 1982-2018 period, the shares of after-tax income that went to the top 1
per cent, 5 per cent and 10 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John CMA were very similar to thecorresponding provincial shares (Chart A15). Moreover, in both the Saint John CMA and New
Brunswick as a whole, the shares of after-tax income that went to the three high-income groups
increased between 1982 and 2000 — suggesting an increase in income inequality — and thendecreased slightly between 2000 and 2018.
The share of after-tax income that went to the top 1 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John
CMA rose 2.4 points from 5.2 per cent (94.5 per cent of the provincial share) in 1982 to 7.6 percent (104.1 per cent of the provincial share) in 2000. By 2019, this share had dropped 0.5 points,
to 7.1 per cent, equal to the provincial share. Similarly, the share of after-tax income that went to
the top 5 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John CMA rose 3.2 points from 16.2 per cent (97.0 per
cent of the provincial share) in 1982 to 19.4 per cent (103.2 per cent of the provincial share) in2000 before dropping 1.1 points to 18.3 per cent (101.7 per cent of the provincial share) in 2018.
Meanwhile, the top 10 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John CMA saw their share ofafter-tax income increase 3.4 points from 26.8 per cent (96.4 per cent of the provincial share) in1982 to 30.2 per cent (103.1 per cent of the provincial share) in 2000, the largest absoluteincrease in the shares of income of the three income groups. The share of after-tax income thatwent to the top 10 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John CMA then dropped 1.5 points to 28.7
per cent (102.1 per cent of the provincial share) in 2019, the largest absolute decrease in theshares of income of the three income groups.

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Chart A15: Share of Total After-Tax Income of the Top 1, 5 and 10 Per Cent of Tax Filers
in the Saint John CMA and in New Brunswick, 1982-2018 (with capital gains)
35
30

Per Cent

25
20
15
10
5
0

New Brunswick

Saint John

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0056-01

II.

High-Income Thresholds

Throughout the 1982-2018 period, the high-income thresholds in the Saint John CMA
were higher than the provincial thresholds for all three income groups (Chart A16). This is not
surprising, given the fact that the average income in the Saint John CMA is higher than theprovincial average. The threshold to be in the top one per cent of tax filers in the Saint John
CMA was on average about 13 per cent higher than the provincial threshold, the top 5 per centthreshold about 11 per cent higher and the top 10 per cent threshold about 10 per cent higher.
In 1982, one needed an after-tax income of at least $46,900 (in current dollars) to be in
the top 1 per cent of tax filers in the Saint John CMA. This represented 113.6 per cent of theprovincial threshold for the top 1 per cent income group. Between 1982 and 2018, the thresholdfor the top 1 per cent income group in the Saint John CMA more than tripled, reaching $150,100
in 2018, 109.6 per cent of the provincial threshold. Meanwhile, the threshold for the top 5 percent income group in the Saint John CMA rose from $30,000 (108.3 per cent of the provincial
threshold) in 1982 to $91,700 (111.3 per cent of the provincial threshold) in 2018. The thresholdfor the top 10 per cent income group in the Saint John CMA rose from $25,200 (107.2 per centof the provincial threshold) in 1982 to $74,100 (111.1 per cent of the provincial threshold) in
2018.

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Chart A16: High-Income Group Thresholds in the Saint John CMA and in New
Brunswick, After-Tax Income Including Capital Gains, 1982-2018
Panel A: High-Income Group Thresholds in Saint John CMA and New Brunswick(Current dollars)
160,000
140,000

Current Dollars

120,000
100,000
80,00060,00040,00020,0000

New Brunswick, Top 1 Per Cent

New Brunswick, Top 5 Per Cent

New Brunswick, Top 10 Per Cent

Saint John, Top 1 Per Cent

Saint John, Top 5 Per Cent

Saint John, Top 10 Per Cent

Panel B: Saint John CMA High-Income Thresholds as Proportions of New Brunswick
High-Income Thresholds (Per cent)125

Per Cent

120
115
110
105
100

Top 1 Per CentTop 5 Per CentTop 10 Per Cent

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0056-01

115