Canadian Seniors and the Low Income Measure

Abstract

About 6 percent of seniors in Canada have family incomes below the Low Income Measure (LIM), a definition of relative poverty that sets the line at 50 percent of the median household income adjusted for family size. The Canadian senior below-LIM rate has fallen sharply in the last 35 years and is low compared to that in other countries, to the general Canadian population, and to Canadian families with children. Canadian income tax data show that below-LIM seniors are overrepresented among recent immigrants, females, the unmarried, and those supporting dependent children (possibly grandchildren). Age does not appear to be of great importance. While there are no uncontestable cases for additional targeting of transfer income, there is a strong argument for assistance to the small number of seniors with dependent children.