--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/new-estimates-of-the-index-of-economic-well-being-for-canada-and-the-provinces-1981-2008/" title: "New Estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being for Canada and the Provinces, 1981-2008" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T13:32:55+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:32:55+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Canada" - "consumption" - "economic security" - "economic well-being" - "equality" - "IEWB" - "Index of Economic Well-Being" - "provinces" - "wealth" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "Multi-province" research_theme: - "Economic Well-Being" - "Regional Economic Development" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # New Estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being for Canada and the Provinces, 1981-2008 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/new-estimates-of-the-index-of-economic-well-being-for-canada-and-the-provinces-1981-2008/ # New Estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being for Canada and the Provinces, 1981-2008 [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2009-10-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Osberg, Lars, and Andrew Sharpe. 2009. “New Estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being for Canada and the Provinces, 1981-2008.” CSLS Research Report 2009-10. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/new-estimates-of-the-index-of-economic-well-being-for-canada-and-the-provinces-1981-2008/ ## Authors: - Lars Osberg Department of Economics, Dalhousie University - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2009-10 December 2009 115 pages ## Related research [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? Andrew Sharpe December 1999 | Report 1999-03 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/) [A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being Andrew Sharpe July 1999 | Report 1999-cprn | 72 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-survey-of-indicators-of-economic-and-social-well-being/) [Creating a More Efficient Labour Market Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2001 | Report 2001-02 | 147 pages](https://csls.ca/research/creating-a-more-efficient-labour-market/) [Productivity Trends in the Construction Sector: A Case of Lagging Technical Progress Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) November 2001 | Report 2001-03 | 177 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-the-construction-sector-a-case-of-lagging-technical-progress/) [The Impact of the National Child Benefit Supplement on the Low Income Status of Canadian Families with Children: The SPSD/M Results Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2002 | Report 2002-01 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-impact-of-the-national-child-benefit-supplement-on-the-low-income-status-of-canadian-families-with-children-the-spsd-m-results/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) [Productivity in the Forest Products Sector: A Review of the Literature Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-02 | 28 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-forest-products-sector-a-review-of-the-literature/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This report presents new estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being (IEWB) and its four domains (consumption flows, stocks of wealth, economic equality and economic security) for Canada and the provinces for the 1981-2008 period. It finds that the IEWB advanced at a 1.20 per cent average annual growth rate over the period, below the 1.58 per cent growth for GDP per capita. Both the consumption and wealth domains experienced solid advances over the period, but these developments were offset by declines in the equality and economic security domains. The IEWB addresses most of the recommendations of the recently released Commission for the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (the Stiglitz report) on what aspects of economic reality an index of economic well-being should capture. Ce rapport présente de nouvelles estimations de l’Indice de bien-être économique (IBEE) et de ses quatre domaines (flux de consommation, stocks de richesse, égalité économique et sécurité économique) pour le Canada et les provinces pour la période 1981-2008. Il révèle que l’IBEE a progressé à un taux de croissance annuel moyen de 1,20 % sur la période, en deçà de la croissance de 1,58 % du PIB par habitant. Les domaines de la consommation et de la richesse ont connu une progression solide durant la période, mais ces avancées ont été contrebalancées par des reculs dans les domaines de l’égalité et de la sécurité économique. L’IBEE répond à la plupart des recommandations récemment publiées par la Commission sur la mesure des performances économiques et du progrès social (le rapport Stiglitz) sur les aspects de la réalité économique qu’un indice de bien-être économique devrait saisir. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2009-10-1.pdf)