Data is going to trickle in over the next months and years that will help us better assess the impact of the Lord government over the past seven years. As you know, it is increasingly likely that we will show another Census to Census population decline when the #s start being published early next.
Here’s another interesting and rather troubling statistic.
In 2005, 23% of tax filers in New Brunswick reported investment income – the second lowest percentage among the ten provinces in Canada. Investment income per capita in Nova Scotia in 2005 was almost $900 while it was less than $500 in New Brunswick. Albertans reported $1,571/per person in investment income.
From 1999 to 2005, per capita investment income reported by tax payers in New Brunswick increased by 28% – the lowest increase among the ten provinces in Canada, by far. So we were second lowest in Canada for per capita investment income in 1999 and in 2005 we are also second last but by an even further margin.
Why does this matter? If New Brunswickers aren’t saving at least to the level of other Maritime provinces that will ultimately put an even greater strain on the social infrastructure in the province – relative to other provinces.
Increase in Per Capita Investment Income
By Province 1999 to 2005
Alberta – 88%
Saskatchewan -73%
Quebec 62%
British Columbia 60%
Nova Scotia 59%
Canada 56%
Prince Edward Island 48%
Ontario 42%
Newfoundland 38%
Manitoba 35%
New Brunswick 28%