Quebec Disposable Incomes Increased In 2020 — Especially In These 10 Regions
Montérégie had the greatest average disposable income in the province.💰
Canadian $100 banknotes.
Quebecers had a higher average of money to burn in 2020 thanks in large part to government pandemic aid. According to a new report from Quebec's Institut de la Statistique, disposable income increased by an average of 8.2% in the first year of the pandemic — the biggest calendar-year increase in almost 40 years.
10 regions, the Nord-du-Québec (9.5%), Laval (9%), Estrie (8.9%), the Centre-du-Québec (8.9%), Mauricie (8.6%), the Laurentides (8.5%), Lanaudière (8.4%), Montreal (8.4%), Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (8.2%) and the Bas-Saint-Laurent (8.2%) saw increases greater than or equal to the Quebec average.
But all regions saw disposable income growth. The lowest was in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (6.1%).
Provincewide, the average disposable income was $33,093 in 2020. It was higher in Montérégie ($34,369), the Capitale-Nationale ($34,196), Montreal ($34,019), Laurentides ($33,927) and Abitibi-Témiscamingue ($33,097).
Laval ($32,800), the Côte-Nord ($32,540), Estrie ($32,395), Chaudière-Appalaches ($32,178), Lanaudière ($32,066), Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean ($31,225), Outaouais ($31,055), Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine ($30,977), the Nord-du-Québec ($30,914), the Centre-du-Québec ($30,588), the Bas-Saint-Laurent ($30,414) and Mauricie ($29,892) followed.
The MRCs (or, in English, RCMs — Quebec municipal administrative groupings) with the biggest average disposable income increases were the MRC Robert-Cliche (Chaudière-Appalaches) and the Kativik Regional Administration (Nord-du-Québec).
Though the Institut de la Statistique du Québec notes that, despite its income growth, the Kativik Regional Administration still had the lowest average revenue in the province.
And with an average disposable income of $44,497, Caniapiscau MRC (Côte-Nord) topped the list in 2020.
The institute says a 38.1% increase in payments from the federal government was more than enough to compensate for the average 0.7% decrease in income across the province.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.