Canada PoliticsOECD ‘Better Life Index’ suggests Canada has work to do on income equality
Canadians are better off than most other people in the world, but our governments still have work to do when it comes to income equality, according to a new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The OECD's 'Better Life Index' (BLI), released Tuesday, has ranked Canada sixth in terms of 'well-being' behind Australia, Norway, the United States, Sweden, and Denmark. Turkey finished last.
The well-being scale was launched in 2011 as a more nuanced way to gauge well-being in its 34 member countries. Besides the usual data points such as income and education, the index also looks at things like work-life balance and life satisfaction.
This year, among the 34 member countries examined, Canada ranks near the top on several fronts: in housing, with 9 in 10 Canadians satisfied with their accommodations; in safety, with 8 in 10 comfortable walking alone at night; and in life satisfaction, where on a scale of 0 to 10, Canadians graded their happiness at 7.4.
One of the areas where the country falls short, however, is on income equality.
"Despite a general increase in living standards across OECD countries over the past fifteen years, not all people have benefited from this to the same extent," notes the report.
"In Canada, the [household net-adjusted disposable income] of the top 20 per cent of the population is 53,988 USD a year, whereas the bottom 20 per cent live on 10,077 USD a year."
The report also ranks Canada poorly on civic engagement and work-life balance.
The average voter turnout for OECD countries is pegged at 73 per cent, compared to Canada at 61 per cent.
And while Canadians work fewer hours per year than the OECD average, we have less time for personal care and leisure than the OECD average.
Where Canada ranks:
Housing: 2nd
Income: 5th
Jobs: 9th
Community: 18th
Education: 8th
Environment: 15th
Civic engagement: 15th
Health: 4th
Life satisfaction: 6th
Safety: 2nd
Work-life balance: 21st
