BC has the Second Highest Level of Income Inequality in Canada

Should we be concerned that BC has the second highest rate of income inequality in Canada? BC Liberal finance minister Kevin Falcon doesn't think so. “We want to have a high-wage-earning economy in B.C. In Cuba, they don’t have any income inequality because they are all poor. We want to have an economy that is giving the people the opportunity to advance,” Said Falcon.

There are two points that disturb me despite Falcon's hubris. 


Even though the median salary increased in BC from 47,600 to 52,800 between the years 2001 and 2009, no mention of inflation was made. The numbers sited are in absolute terms, which is ridiculous. If we apply annual Canadian inflation to 47,600 during the period of 2001 to 2009 we get a value of 56,103.49 which indicates negligible median income growth, forcing Canadians to take on an alarming amount of debt. Also, according to the above graph, median salaries are on a downward trend since the recession started in late 2007. 

Should Falcon be concerned with these trends? I would be, if I were him.

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