A number is never just a number: The dominance of Canada's 1%

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$201,400

The entry point to become one of Canada's richest 1% of income earners. In other words, if you make more than $201,400 you earn more than 99% of Canadian income earners. (Source)

254,700

Number of tax filers who ranked among Canada's richest 1% in 2010. (Source)

21

Percentage of the top 1% of Canadian income earners in 2010 who were women. That's 53,200 women, almost twice as many as there were in 1982 but the richest 1% still remains a boy's club. (Source)

4

Number of provinces in which 92% of Canada's richest 1% of tax filers live: Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. (Source)

$320,000

The pay increase Alberta's richest 1% of tax filers enjoyed since 1982, which represents a doubling of their income. The richest 1% in Alberta made 18 times more than the bottom 90%. It's the most unequal province in Canada. (Source)

$297,000

Average income increase for the richest 1% of tax filers in Toronto between 1982 and 2010. The bottom 90% in that city experienced an income drop of $1,900, on average, during that period. (Source)

$189,000

Average income increase for the richest 1% of tax filers in Vancouver between 1982 and 2010. The bottom 90% in that city experienced an income drop of $4,300, on average, during that period. (Source)

$162,000

Average income increase for the richest 1% of tax filers in Montreal between 1982 and 2010. The bottom 90% in that city experienced an income drop of $224, on average, during that period. (Source)

8

The richest 1% of tax filers in Prince Edward Island make eight times more than the bottom 90%. PEI is Canada's most equal province. (Source)

0

Number of provinces in Canada that reduced income inequality since 1982. (Source)

1/5th

Amount of Canada's net wealth estimated to be in the hands of the richest 1% of Canadians. (Source)

25

Number of families or individuals in Canada that Forbes Magazine says hold more than $1 billion in assets. The top five are: the Thomson family ($17.5 billion); the Galen Weston family ($7.7 billion); the Irving family ($5 billion); Jim Pattison and Paul Desmarais (tied at $4.3 billion; and Ted Rogers ($1.7 billion). (Source)

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative's Trish Hennessy has long been a fan of Harper Magazine's one-page list of eye-popping statistics, Harper's Index. Instead of wishing for a Canadian version to magically appear, she's created her own index -- a monthly listing of numbers about Canada and its place in the world. Hennessy's Index -- A number is never just a number -- comes out on the first of each month in rabble.ca.

Photo: Benson Kua/Flickr