Stats Canada releases national household survey

Stats Canada has released its 2011 national household survey, which shows, amongst other things, how and where Canadians are living.

The report says 1/4 of Canadian households spent 30% of more of their total income on shelter. Homeowners paid an average of around $1200 a month.

Meanwhile, 69% of homeowners owned their dwelling. 14.9% lived in low-income households in 2010.

Four out of five households that bought a home between 2006 and 2011 had a mortgage, and one in five bought a condo.

The survey also provides a breakdown of how much Canadians are earning and where their income is coming from.

Stats Can says 10% of Canadians earned more than $80,000 in 2010. The top 1% averaged $381,000, with 64% living in Ontario and Alberta.

Men accounted for 79.5% of the top earners, and 62% were between 45 and 64-years old.

90% of Canadians earned an average of $28,000. For Canadians 65 and older, government transfers comprised 41% of total income through pension income and old-age security benefits, for example.