The contribution of pandemic relief benefits to the incomes of Canadians in 2020

Release date: August 2, 2022

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Highlights

  • The 2021 Census of Population includes data on the income Canadians received from pandemic relief benefits in 2020, and highlights how these benefits impacted the income landscape in Canada during the first year of the pandemic.
  • Nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of women received income from one or more pandemic relief programs, while 61.6% of men did so. However, women (24.7%) were slightly less likely than men (25.5%) to receive income from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
  • Canadians aged 65 and older (92.1%) and aged 20 to 24 (88.1%) were the most likely to receive benefits from pandemic relief programs. Canadians aged 20 to 24 most often received the top-up to the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit and the CERB, while those aged 65 and older most often received top-ups to the GST/HST rebate, the Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).
  • Between 77.7% and 93.0% of Canadians in the second to the seventh deciles of the income distribution in 2019 received income from one or more of the pandemic relief programs, compared with 27.0% for those in the top decile of the income distribution.
  • The median amount of benefits received among recipients in the bottom income decile was $2,480. It was $1,090 for those in the fifth decile and $604 for those in the top decile of the income distribution.
  • The median after-tax income for women recipients was $32,000 in 2020, and the income they received from pandemic relief programs accounted for 14.4% of this amount. For men recipients, the proportion was 11.3%.
  • The contribution of pandemic-related benefits to after-tax income was highest (42.5%) among recipients aged 15 to 19 and was lowest (6.0%) among recipients aged 65 years and older.
  • Canadians living in British Columbia (74.5%), Quebec (71.2%) and New Brunswick (70.1%) were most likely to receive income from pandemic relief programs while those living in the Northwest Territory and Yukon (56.8% in each territory) and in Nunavut (61.5%) were least likely to do so.
  • Under a quarter (23.6%) of Canadians living in rural areas received emergency and recovery benefits, compared with 24.8% in small population centres and 29.5% in large population centres.

Introduction

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world, including in Canada, adopted public health measures to slow the spread of the virus. As a result, many businesses closed and many workers lost their jobs or worked reduced hours. To mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on Canadians and businesses, governments implemented relief programs.

On July 13, 2022, Statistics Canada released new data from the 2021 Census of Population, providing a portrait of the incomes of Canadians in 2020. The release examined the lost employment income experienced by millions of Canadians during the first year of the pandemic. It also highlighted how government transfers, including from pandemic relief programs, helped offset the lost employment income.

In this article, the benefits Canadians received in 2020 are examined in more detail. The share of Canadians receiving benefits and median amounts received are examined by gender, age group, income levels and by detailed geography, as are the contributions of these benefits to the total income of Canadians.

Canada ranked fourth among G-20 countries for pandemic-relief spending

According to the International Monetary Fund, as of December 31, 2020, Canada had spent or announced to spend $270 billion to support individuals and businesses.Note 1

This spending is equivalent to 12.3% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020. Among G7 countries, the proportion in Canada was lower than that in the United States (14.4%) and Japan (13.8%), but higher than in the United Kingdom (10.9%), Germany (9.8%), France (6.9%) and Italy (6.2%). The proportion in Canada was also higher than in 11 other G20 countries.

Figure 1 Discretional pandemic-relief spending by central governments (estimated % of GDP)

Description for Figure 1

The title of the figure is "Discretional pandemic-relief spending by central governments (estimated % of GDP)".

This is a map of the world showing pandemic-relief spending as a percentage of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for different countries.

Figure 1
Discretional pandemic-relief spending by central governments (estimated % of GDP)
Table summary
This table displays the results of Canada ranked fourth among G-20 countries for discretional pandemic-relief spending Discretional pandemic-relief spending by central governments (estimated % of GDP) (appearing as column headers).
Discretional pandemic-relief spending by central governments (estimated % of GDP)
G7 Countries
Canada 12.3
United States 14.4
United Kingdom 10.9
France 6.9
Italy 6.2
Germany 9.8
Japan 13.8
Other G20 members
Australia 15.3
Brazil 7.1
South Africa 5.1
China 4.6
European Union 3.8
Argentina 3.5
South Korea 3.2
India 2.9
Russia 2.3
Indonesia 2.2
Turkey 0.8
Mexico 0.5
Saudi Arabia 0.4

Of the $270 billion actual or planned spending, $102.3 billion went directly to individuals through new emergency and recovery benefits and top-ups to existing programs, $105.2 billion went to workers through the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program, $33.2 billion to workers through the recovery benefits and the enhanced Employment Insurance program (Did you know?), and $29.2 billion went to Canadian businesses.

This Census in Brief focuses on the income received directly by Canadian adults from pandemic relief programs in 2020 from the Government of Canada, including emergency and recovery benefits and top-ups to existing programs, as well as benefits from provincial and territorial governments.

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Did you know?

The federal pandemic relief programs aimed at individual Canadians and their families consist of benefits from newly created programs and top-ups to several existing programs.

The new programs include the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the Canada Recovery Benefit, the Canada Recovery and Caregiving Benefit, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, the Canada Emergency Student Benefit. All are related to the employment status of Canadians, directly or indirectly. These programs are referred to as the emergency and recovery programs in this article.

The top-ups included increased amounts to recipients of benefits from the Canada Child Benefit, the Old Age Security pension, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the Disability Benefit and the HST/GST rebate.

The provincial and territorial governments also provided pandemic relief benefits under a variety of programs such as Emergency Benefit for Workers in British Columbia, and the Temporary Aid for Workers Program in Quebec. Benefits from these programs are aggregated into a single provincial and territorial relief benefit in the census.

Benefits from the emergency and recovery programs and some of the provincial benefits were taxable at both the federal and provincial level, while top-up benefits were tax-free.

In September 2020, as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program ended, the Government of Canada transitioned to an enhanced and simplified Employment Insurance (EI), to help Canadians access EI benefits more easily. Enhancements related to the number of hours of work required to qualify, the minimum benefit rate, and the number of weeks of benefits were introduced.

The federal government also provided additional funds to Canadian employers, which benefited individual Canadians indirectly. For example, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program provided a subsidy to eligible employers with up to $847 per week per employee for up to 12 weeks in 2020. These financial supports cannot be distinguished from income from regular Employment Insurance benefit and wages. As such, these supports have not been examined in this article.

It should be noted that the International Monetary Fund statistics cited in this article consists of amounts spent or planned to be spent as of December 31, 2020. This means that not all benefits to individuals would be reflected in the 2020 annual income of Canadians. Pandemic-related benefits in this article refer to benefits received by Canadian adults in 2020.

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More than two-thirds of Canadians benefited from at least one of the pandemic relief programs

The pandemic had a profound impact on the lives of Canadians, in multiple ways. Many lost family and friends, and millions lost jobs and incomes. To help offset income losses, governments in Canada introduced a range of income-support programs.

The 2021 Census of Population includes data on ten federal pandemic relief programs and on additional provincial and territorial financial supports, allowing for an examination of how these programs contributed to the incomes of Canadians in 2020.

Among the 30.3 million Canadian adults (15 years of age and older) enumerated in the census, 20.7 million (or 68.4%) benefited from at least one pandemic relief program in 2020. Of these 20.7 million recipients, over 16.5 million received income from the federal government only, half a million received income from their provincial or territorial government only, and just under 3.7 million received income from both the federal and their provincial or territorial government.Note 2

Canadians faced diverse and often multiple challenges in their personal and professional lives during the pandemic. The pandemic relief programs were designed to respond to diverse needs and allowed recipients to receive support from more than one program.

Among the 20.7 million recipients, 9.5 million received income from only one program, 6.7 million received income from two programs, and 4.5 million benefited from three or more programs.

Figure 2 Population receiving pandemic-related benefits in 2020

Description for Figure 2

The title of the chart is "Population receiving pandemic-related benefits in 2020".

This chart is a tree diagram with 6 blurbs displaying the number of Canadian adults who have received income from pandemic relief programs in 2021.

The 6 blurbs are organised in 3 columns with column one having one blurb, column two having two blurbs, and column three having three blurbs.

  • 30.3 million Canadian adults aged 15 and older in 2021
    • 20.7 million received income from pandemic relief programs
      • 16.5 million received benefits from the federal government only
      • 3.7 million received benefits from the federal and from provincial or territorial governments
      • 0.5 million received benefits from provincial or territorial governments only
    • 9.6 million did not receive income from pandemic relief programs

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.

GST/HST top-ups supported the largest number of Canadians while the CERB provided the highest median benefits

The top-up to the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) rebate program benefited the largest proportion of Canadians—over one-third (36.1%) of Canadian adults received payments from this program with a median amount of $424 in 2020. The GST/HST rebate program was designed to support Canadians with low-to-moderate family income.

Approximately one quarter (25.1%) of Canadian adults received income from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). While it benefited fewer Canadians than the GST/HST top-up, the CERB provided the highest amount of benefits, with a median of $8,000 per recipient.

CERB was the largest pandemic relief program in terms of the total transfers to Canadians. Since many Canadians experienced job losses or worked fewer hours for prolonged periods in 2020, they received multiple CERB payments.

Other major relief programs included the Old Age Security (OAS) top-up, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) top-up and provincial and territorial pandemic relief programs. The one-time $300 OAS top-up benefited over 8 in 10 seniors aged 65 and older (87.1%), to help offset the extra cost of living for elderly Canadians during the pandemic. Over one quarter (29.6%) of seniors with lower incomes also received the top-up to the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

School closures and remote learning were common in Canada during the pandemic. To help families with young children offset the extra cost of child rearing, a top-up to the CCB was introduced. Just under 3.7 million Canadians received this benefit with a median amount of $600. The recipients of the top-up represented 12.2% of Canadian adults.

The provincial and territorial programs benefited 13.8% of Canadian adults with a median amount of $276.

Women were more likely to receive benefits, largely because of top-ups to the Canada Child Benefit

Women were more likely than men to receive benefits from federal, provincial or territorial pandemic relief programs in 2020. Nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of women received income from one or more pandemic relief programs, while 61.6% of men did so.

The difference between women and men was mainly attributable to the top-up to the CCB—22.8% of Canadian women received this benefit while 1.3% of men did so. On the other hand, women (24.7%) were slightly less likely than men (25.5%) to receive income from the CERB program.

The majority of job losses during the first year of the pandemic were recorded among women. In March of 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, women accounted for close to two thirds (62.5%) of employment losses. Although employment losses in subsequent months were more balanced, women still accounted for the majority (53.7%) of employment losses one year into the pandemic.

Part of the gender difference can be attributed to the allocation of family responsibilities within households and the overrepresentation of women in service industries, which were more impacted by lockdowns.

Older Canadians were more likely to receive top-up benefits, while younger Canadians were more likely to receive emergency and recovery benefits

Younger and older Canadians were more likely to receive benefits from pandemic relief programs. Over 9 in 10 Canadians (92.1%) aged 65 and older and 88.1% of those aged 20 to 24 received income from one or more pandemic relief programs. In comparison, half (50.1%) of Canadians aged 55 to 64 and two-thirds (66.9%) of those aged 25 to 54 received benefits.

The top-up to the GST/HST rebate and the CERB were the main factors behind the higher receipt of benefits for Canadians in their early 20s. Young Canadians tend to have lower incomes and were more impacted by lockdowns compared with other age groups, in part because they were more likely to work in industries most impacted by lockdowns. The unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 nearly tripled from its prepandemic level in February 2020 to reach 28.8% in May 2020.

The higher receipt of benefits among older Canadians was mainly driven by the top-ups to the GST/HST rebate, the OAS and the GIS. These top-ups were designed to support Canadians with lower incomes during the pandemic.

Older Canadians were more likely to be in low income in 2020 compared with younger age groups. In 2020, 14.5% of the population aged 65 and older was in a low income situation. In comparison, the low-income rate for the entire population was 11.1%.

Chart 1 Canadians 65 and older more likely to receive  top-up benefits, while those in their early 20s more likely to receive  emergency and recovery benefits in addition to top-ups

Data table for Chart 1
Data table for chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 1. The information is grouped by Age (appearing as row headers), receiving federal emergency and recovery benefits and receiving federal top-up benefits, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Age receiving federal emergency and recovery benefits receiving federal top-up benefits
percent
15 2.1 0.3
16 4.1 0.5
17 13.3 1.0
18 39.0 2.3
19 57.7 3.6
20 61.9 48.6
21 61.8 80.8
22 60.2 83.6
23 56.8 82.8
24 51.9 80.8
25 47.8 78.0
26 44.5 73.8
27 41.7 69.0
28 39.6 64.2
29 37.8 60.0
30 36.5 57.0
31 35.5 54.9
32 34.5 53.6
33 33.9 53.5
34 33.4 53.6
35 33.0 53.8
36 32.5 54.0
37 32.4 54.5
38 32.2 54.8
39 31.8 55.0
40 31.6 54.9
41 31.3 54.6
42 31.0 54.4
43 30.7 53.6
44 30.3 52.8
45 30.1 51.5
46 29.8 49.9
47 29.7 48.4
48 29.5 46.3
49 29.3 44.3
50 29.2 42.0
51 29.1 39.9
52 29.0 37.7
53 28.8 35.8
54 28.4 34.3
55 28.0 33.1
56 27.6 32.1
57 27.2 31.5
58 26.9 31.4
59 26.2 31.4
60 25.7 32.0
61 24.7 32.4
62 23.7 33.0
63 22.8 33.4
64 21.6 34.3
65 20.2 60.4
66 16.2 74.7
67 13.9 89.6
68 12.4 91.0
69 11.3 92.1
70 10.0 93.3
71 8.8 94.4
72 7.8 94.6
73 6.9 94.7
74 6.1 94.9
75 5.3 95.1
76 4.3 95.3
77 3.8 95.4
78 3.3 95.6
79 2.6 95.9
80+ 1.2 96.3

Middle-income Canadians were more likely to receive benefits from COVID-relief programs, but lower-income Canadians received higher amounts

Canadians with lower to middle incomes were more likely to receive benefits from pandemic relief programs, compared with those with higher incomes. Between 77.7% and 93.0% of Canadians in the second to the seventh deciles of the income distribution in 2019 received income from one or more of the pandemic relief programs, compared with 27.0% for those in the top decile of the income distribution.

Canadians in the middle of the income distribution in 2019 were more likely to receive income from multiple relief programs in 2020, including the employment-based emergency and recovery benefits and top-ups to existing programs, compared with those with the lowest incomes (the bottom ten percent) and the highest incomes (the top ten percent).

A lower share (30.2%) of Canadians from the bottom income decile benefited from pandemic relief programs, in part because they were less likely to qualify to receive emergency and recovery benefits. However, those who did receive benefits received higher amounts compared with those in the middle and at the top of the income distribution.

The median amount among recipients in the bottom income decile was $2,480. In comparison, it was $1,090 for those in the fifth decile and $604 for those in the top decile of the income distribution.

Chart 2 Middle-income  Canadians were more likely to receive benefits from COVID-relief programs

Data table for Chart 2
Data table for chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 2. The information is grouped by Distribution of the population based on 2019 total income (appearing as row headers), % receiving benefits from any relief program, % receiving emergency and recovery benefits, % receiving top-up benefits and % receiving provincial or territorial benefits, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Distribution of the population based on 2019 total income % receiving benefits from any relief program % receiving emergency and recovery benefits % receiving top-up benefits % receiving provincial or territorial benefits
percent
1st decile 30.2 16.5 17.6 4.9
2nd decile 79.7 43.4 57.7 14.4
3rd decile 91.8 38.0 80.8 19.1
4th decile 93.0 34.4 84.1 18.7
5th decile 88.6 39.0 77.2 17.5
6th decile 83.7 33.9 72.2 16.4
7th decile 77.7 27.2 66.2 15.5
8th decile 64.4 20.2 50.9 14.1
9th decile 47.4 14.2 34.4 10.8
10th decile 27.0 9.0 18.1 6.6

Chart 3 Median  benefits for lower-income recipients over four times higher than for  higher-income recipients

Data table for Chart 3
Data table for chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 3. The information is grouped by Distribution of the population based on 2019 total income (appearing as row headers), Median amount of all benefits received, calculated using 2020 constant dollars units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Distribution of the population based on 2019 total income Median amount of all benefits received
2020 constant dollars
1st decile 2,480
2nd decile 2,600
3rd decile 1,090
4th decile 1,030
5th decile 1,090
6th decile 900
7th decile 640
8th decile 600
9th decile 600
10th decile 604

Income from the pandemic relief programs accounted for a higher share of the median after-tax income for women, younger and lower income recipients

The top-ups to existing federal programs and some provincial and territorial programs were tax-free, while income from emergency and recovery benefits and other provincial benefits were fully taxable. The contribution of the pandemic relief programs to the economic wellbeing of Canadians can be examined by looking at the share of these benefits as a proportion of the after-tax income of recipients. After-tax income is the measure of income that most closely reflect how much money Canadians have to support their consumption, investment and savings needs.

In 2020, the median after-tax income of Canadians who received benefits was $32,800. Removing benefits received, net of taxes paid on the taxable portion of the benefits (estimated based on an average tax rate), the median decreases to $28,400. Therefore, in an accounting sense, the pandemic relief benefits accounted for 13.4% of the median after-tax income of Canadians who received them.

Chart 4 Income from pandemic relief programs accounted for higher shares of  after-tax income for women, younger and lower-income recipients

Data table for Chart 4
Data table for chart 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 4 Share of COVID-relief benefits in after-tax income, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Share of COVID-relief benefits in after-tax income
percent
All recipients 13.4
Women+ 14.4
Men+ 11.3
15 to 19 years 42.5
20 to 24 years 29.4
25 to 54 years 11.3
55 to 64 years 17.3
65 years and older 6.0
Bottom decile 58.0
Second decile 33.6
Third decile 19.2
Fourth decile 10.5
Fifth decile 10.1
Sixth decile 6.2
Seventh decile 3.5
Eighth decile 2.9
Ninth decile 2.2
Top decile 2.2

The contribution of benefits to after-tax income was greater for women than for men. The median after-tax income for women recipients was $32,000 in 2020, and the income they received from pandemic relief programs accounted for 14.4% of this amount. For men recipients, the proportion was 11.3%.

Younger recipients (those aged 15 to 19 in 2021) saw their income from pandemic relief programs account for nearly half of their median after-tax income (42.5%), highest among all age groups. The benefits they received were often similar to or higher than those received by Canadians in older age groups. Younger Canadians had lower incomes to begin with and experienced a greater increase in unemployment following a particularly challenging spring and summer job market in 2020.

In contrast, the contribution of pandemic-related benefits to after-tax income was lowest (6.0%) among recipients aged 65 years and older. While older Canadians were more likely to receive benefits, they mostly received one-time top-ups to existing programs that paid much less compared with emergency and recovery benefits.

Canadians from the lowest decile of the income distribution in 2019 were less likely than the rest of the population to receive benefits, but among those who did, the median amount was higher. Accordingly, benefits accounted for a much higher share of the median after-tax income among recipients with lower incomes. The share was 58.0% for recipients in the bottom decile of the income distribution in 2019.

The proportions receiving pandemic-related benefits were highest in British Columbia, Quebec and New Brunswick

Canadians living in British Columbia (74.5%), Quebec (71.2%) and New Brunswick (70.1%) were the most likely to receive income from pandemic relief programs while those living in the Northwest Territory and Yukon (56.8% in each territory) as well as in Nunavut (61.5%) were the least likely to do so.

These differences partly reflect variations in the share of residents receiving benefits from their provincial or territorial government. For example, while 13.8% of all Canadians received benefits from their provincial or territorial government, in British Columbia, the proportion was 55.6%, by far the most of any province or territory.

The differences also reflect variations in income levels and in the age composition of populations across provinces and territories. For example, older populations in Atlantic Canada have contributed to higher receipt of benefits, mostly through top-ups to the OAS and the GIS.

The share of residents receiving emergency and recovery benefits varied by province and territory. In 2020, the share was highest in Nunavut (35.1%), Alberta (29.0%) and Quebec (28.5%) and was lowest in Yukon (22.6%), New Brunswick (23.6%) and Manitoba (24.0%).

The share of Canadians receiving benefits and the median amount received also varied between rural and urban areas and between census agglomerations and census metropolitan areas across Canada.Note 3 Areas with higher shares of their population receiving pandemic-related benefits tended to be older and to have lower incomes.

For example, Parksville, British Columbia, had the highest share of residents receiving benefits (82.0%) among all urban areas in Canada and also had the highest median age (65). In contrast, Wood Buffalo, Alberta had the lowest share of residents receiving benefits (49.3%) among all urban areas and also the highest income level ($74,000).

Chart 5 Urban centres with higher shares of their population  receiving pandemic-related benefits tended to be older and to have lower  incomes

Data table for Chart 5
Data table for chart 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 5 Share of residents receiving COVID-related benefits, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Share of residents receiving COVID-related benefits
percent
Top 10 urban centres with the highest shares of their population receiving pandemic-related benefits
Parksville, B.C. 82.0
Port Alberni, B.C. 80.5
Powell River, B.C. 80.1
Hawkesbury, Ont./Que. 79.9
Penticton, B.C. 79.6
Elliot Lake, Ont. 78.6
Courtenay, B.C. 78.5
Duncan, B.C. 78.4
Salmon Arm, B.C. 78.2
Thetford Mines, Que. 78.2
Bottom 10 urban centres with the lowest shares of their population receiving pandemic-related benefits
Grande Prairie, Alta. 61.4
Thompson, Man. 61.4
Essa, Ont. 61.2
Canmore, Alta. 60.0
Estevan, Sask. 59.0
Okotoks, Alta. 58.2
Petawawa, Ont. 56.5
Whitehorse, Y.T. 55.1
Yellowknife, N.W.T. 49.5
Wood Buffalo, Alta. 49.3

Canadians living in rural areas were less likely to receive emergency and recovery benefits. Under a quarter (23.6%) of those living in rural areas received emergency and recovery benefits, compared with 24.8% in small population centres and 29.5% in large population centres. In rural areas, businesses generally fared better operationally during the pandemic in 2020, which may have contributed to a lower reliance on these benefits.

Canadians living in rural areas were however slightly more likely to receive top-up benefits from existing federal programs. Compared with larger population centres, rural areas tend to have older populations and lower levels of income.

Looking ahead

The distribution of pandemic relief benefits by detailed characteristics such as ethno-cultural characteristics, Indigenous identity, employment and education characteristics will be available over the coming months as data based on the long-form census questionnaire become available.

An article focusing on poverty in Canada will be released in the coming months. Based on the latest data from the 2021 Census of Population, the article will look at poverty in Canada using the market basket measure, Canada’s official poverty line.

Table 1
Percentage receiving pandemic-related benefits, Canada, 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Percentage receiving pandemic-related benefits 15 and older, 15 to 19 years, 20 to 24 years, 25 to 54 years, 55 to 64 years and 65 and older, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
15 and older 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 54 years 55 to 64 years 65 and older
percent
Total population
Emergency and recovery benefits
Canada Emergency Response Benefit 25.1 13.4 44.7 31.6 25.1 8.1
Canada Emergency Student Benefit 2.4 10.4 15.8 1.2 0.1 0.0
Canada Recovery Benefit 3.8 1.3 6.4 4.9 4.0 1.1
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit 0.7 0.1 0.7 1.1 0.3 0.0
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit 0.8 0.3 1.6 1.1 0.5 0.1
Top-ups to existing programs
Canada Child Benefit 12.2 0.1 2.3 24.4 2.4 0.2
Disability benefit 4.6 1.2 2.0 3.4 6.6 7.5
GST/HST credit 36.1 0.3 74.6 35.9 27.6 41.2
Old Age Security 18.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 87.1
Guaranteed Income Supplement 6.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 29.6
Provincial or territorial relief programs 13.8 3.3 14.8 16.9 8.4 14.1
Women+
Emergency and recovery benefits
Canada Emergency Response Benefit 24.7 14.4 46.5 32.0 24.3 6.4
Canada Emergency Student Benefit 2.6 11.0 17.2 1.5 0.1 0.0
Canada Recovery Benefit 3.6 1.3 6.3 4.7 3.6 0.8
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit 0.8 0.1 0.9 1.5 0.3 0.0
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit 0.8 0.3 1.6 1.1 0.5 0.1
Top-ups to existing programs
Canada Child Benefit 22.8 0.2 4.6 46.0 4.1 0.2
Disability benefit 5.2 0.9 1.6 4.4 7.1 7.5
GST/HST credit 37.4 0.4 76.0 36.7 28.7 44.1
Old Age Security 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 88.4
Guaranteed Income Supplement 7.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32.3
Provincial or territorial relief programs (%) 17.9 3.6 16.2 24.4 9.3 15.1
Men+
Emergency and recovery benefits
Canada Emergency Response Benefit 25.5 12.4 43.1 31.2 25.9 10.0
Canada Emergency Student Benefit 2.3 9.8 14.5 1.0 0.0 0.0
Canada Recovery Benefit 4.0 1.2 6.6 5.0 4.5 1.5
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.0
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit 0.8 0.3 1.6 1.1 0.6 0.2
Top-ups to existing programs
Canada Child Benefit 1.3 0.0 0.1 2.3 0.7 0.1
Disability benefit 4.0 1.5 2.4 2.4 6.1 7.5
GST/HST credit 34.7 0.2 73.3 35.1 26.5 37.9
Old Age Security 17.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 85.5
Guaranteed Income Supplement 5.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.6
Provincial or territorial relief programs (%) 9.6 3.1 13.4 9.2 7.4 13.0
Table 2
Median amount of pandemic-related benefits received, Canada, 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Median amount of pandemic-related benefits received All recipients, Women+ recipients and Men+ recipients, calculated using 2020 constant dollars units of measure (appearing as column headers).
All recipients Women+ recipients Men+ recipients
2020 constant dollars
Emergency and recovery benefits
Canada Emergency Response Benefit 8,000 8,000 8,000
Canada Emergency Student Benefit 5,000 5,000 5,000
Canada Recovery Benefit 5,000 5,000 5,000
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit 3,000 3,480 2,500
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit 1,000 1,000 1,000
Top-ups to existing programs
Canada Child Benefit 600 600 302
Disability benefit 600 600 600
GST/HST credit 424 432 412
Old Age Security 300 300 300
Guaranteed Income Supplement 200 200 200
Provincial or territorial relief programs 276 290 246

Additional information

Key findings from the 2021 Census on the incomes of Canadians can be found in the Daily article released on July 13, 2022: Pandemic benefits cushion losses for low income earners and narrow income inequality – after-tax income grows across Canada except in Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Data products include the income results for a wide range of standard geographic areas, available through the Census Profile and data tables.

Focus on Geography provides data and highlights on key topics found in this Daily release at various levels of geography.

Reference materials are designed to help users make the most of census data. They include the Guide to the Census of Population, 2021, the Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021; and the 2021 Census of Population questionnaires. The Income Reference Guide is also available.

Geography-related 2021 Census products and services can be found under Census Geography. These include thematic maps, which show data for various standard geographic areas, along with Focus on Geography and the Census Program Data Viewer, which are data visualization tools.

Acknowledgments

This report was prepared by Xuelin Zhang and André Bernard of Statistics Canada's Centre for Income and Socioeconomic Well-being Statistics, with the assistance of other staff members in that centre, and the collaboration of staff members of Census Subject Matter Secretariat, Census Operations Division, Communications and Dissemination Branch.

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