Core Target 2: Personal Income

Core Target Two tracks the level of personal disposable income (PDI) per person.

After eight years below average, BC returned to above average real personal disposable income per capita in 2006 and saw small improvements in 2007 and 2008.

Personal income in BC was $1,100 above Canada's in 1990. It declined to $410 above in 1995 then to $308 below in 1998 and continued to deteriorate to $544 below in 2000. The income gap in BC improved to $262 below Canada's in 2005 and real PDI per capita was $118 above Canada's in 2008.

Real personal disposable income per capita was stagnant or in decline through much of the 1990s in BC and Canada. Strong growth started in 1998 in Canada and the following year in BC.

North American Comparison

BC ranked 54th of 61 in North America in 2007. The top five jurisdictions in 2007 are all located in the northeastern United States.

Except for Alberta at 39th place, the bottom positions are all occupied by provinces.

BC's real personal disposable income per capita was roughly $5,000 above lowest ranked Prince Edward Island but $3,000 below the lowest ranked state, Mississippi, and $30,000 below first place District of Columbia.