Even for a diligent economist like myself, it hasn't been easy. I began my search by harvesting what I could from government information sources and corporate marketing studies. Where possible, I cross-checked my numbers with other data to ensure the highest possible level of accuracy in what is admittedly an inexact science. I believe my final numbers provide a reasonable estimate of wealth distribution in Canada, and I also believe that those numbers will surprise you. When all the figures have been toted up, there is little evidence of any widespread explosion of wealth among Canadian families.
Most families live on incomes that are barely half of a six-figure salary.
If you steadily contribute modest sums to your RRSP, you will probably wind up in the top tier of Canadian wealth builders. Think of what follows as an exercise in financial architecture. We will conclude by surveying the economic landscape across the country and seeing how much Canadians are really worth once you add up all their holdings and subtract their debts. To find out how you stack up, print and fill in our worksheet to estimate your family's net worth, then compare that number to the median figures we have provided.