Regional Indicator 2: Taxfilers' Employment Income

	Why It's Important This indicator is a measure of economic activity and individual prosperity. Notes: *Regional BC includes the Abbotsford and Kelowna CMAs. The population series used for Regional BC has been revised resulting in lower values than previously reported.

Regional Indicator Two measures the income earned by British Columbians from employment and self-employment as reported to the Canada Revenue Agency on tax returns.

Growth in real per capita employment income between 1997 and 2006 has been strong and widespread, ranging from a low of 24.0 percent in Regional BC to 25.2 percent in Victoria.

In 1997, real per capita employment income ranged between $13,383 in Regional BC to $16,476 in Vancouver. Regional BC and Vancouver have, respectively, been at the bottom and top of this range since 1990. In 2006, income was $3,105 higher in Regional BC and $3,792 higher in Vancouver.

The Northeast and Lower Mainland-Southwest had the highest and second-highest income among the development regions in 2006 and on average between 1997 and 2006.

All eight development regions saw income increases between 1997 and 2006 ranging from 7.3 percent in the North Coast to 47.2 percent in the Northeast.