Environics Analytics has launched the latest version of WealthScapes, its comprehensive financial database on the assets, liabilities and wealth of Canadians.
WealthScapes 2015, now in its eighth year, has more than 50 new variables, bringing the total to 178 financial and investment statistics. New categories of data include employer pension plans, tax-free savings accounts and registered retirement savings plan contributions.
It’s used by financial institutions, charitable organizations, universities, retailers and real estate developers to help them better understand the financial and investment behaviour of their customers and to provide details into the financial health of Canadian households.
WealthScapes 2015 uses data from such sources as the Bank of Canada, Equifax and Statistics Canada and has been updated to Dec. 2014.
Among its findings:
- Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto remain the wealthiest cities in Canada. Vancouver is Canada’s wealthiest city because it has the priciest real estate.
- Employer pension plans represent significant share of household net worth in Ottawa and Quebec City because of their large public sector workforces.
- B.C., Alberta and Ontario remain the three wealthiest provinces and their net worth grew the most of all provinces.
- Net worth rose 6.1% in 2014 while debt increased 2.9%.
- Canadians seem to be kicking their plastic habit with average credit card debt rising only 0.3% in 2014—much lower than the 1.5% rate of inflation.
