Investors down, investment income up in 2001: StatsCan

(November 15, 2002) The number of Canadians who reported investment income in 2001 dropped by roughly 500,000.

Statistics Canada said about eight million Canadians reported receiving $32.8 billion in investment income last year. They represented 36% of tax filers. In 2000, about 8.5 million people received $32.6 billion in investment income, after adjustments for inflation. The data was taken from income tax forms filed last spring.

The number of investors in 2001 declined 5.9% from 2000, while the amount of investment income increased slightly by 0.7%.

Every province recorded a decline in the number of investors, with the biggest drops occurring in Quebec (-15.1%), followed by New Brunswick (-9.5%).

The amount of investment income increased in only three provinces: Alberta (+14.7%), Ontario (+1.1%) and Saskatchewan (+0.4%). Nunavut reported the largest decline (-17.7%), followed by Prince Edward Island (-15.5%).

Stats Canada defines investment income as the interest and dividend income received by savers and/or investors from investments in non-tax-sheltered vehicles. Income earned from investments held in an RRSP or RRIF are not included.

The number of Canadians who reported dividend income declined notably in 2001. A 20% drop in the number of recipients resulted in fewer than three million investors. The investment income they received — $22.7 billion in dividend and interest income — declined 0.3%.

Stats Canada said the decline in the number of dividend recipients was likely due to the drop in annual corporate operating profits, which slipped to the lowest level since 1998.

There was an increase in both the number of savers in 2001 and the amount of interest income they reported from 2000 and 1999. For the first time since 1997, there were more than five million savers in 2001, and their interest income exceeded $10.1 billion.

Filed by Jim MacDonald, Advisor.ca, jmacdonald@advisor.ca.

(11/15/02)