---
canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-levy-institute-measure-of-economic-well-being-estimates-for-canada-1999-and-2005/"
title: "The Levy Institute Measure of Economic Well-Being: Estimates for Canada, 1999 and 2005"
author:
  name: "CSLS"
  url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/"
date_published: "2026-07-02T13:24:56+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:24:56+00:00"
post_type: "research"
summary: ""
post_tag:
  - "Canada"
  - "economic well-being"
  - "household income"
  - "inequality"
  - "LIMEW"
  - "United States"
country_focus:
  - "Canada"
province_region:
  - "National"
research_theme:
  - "Economic Well-Being"
featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp"
status: "publish"
---

# The Levy Institute Measure of Economic Well-Being: Estimates for Canada, 1999 and 2005

Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-levy-institute-measure-of-economic-well-being-estimates-for-canada-1999-and-2005/

# The Levy Institute Measure of Economic Well-Being: Estimates for Canada, 1999 and 2005

[Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2011-09-1.pdf)

Cite this report

×
Cite this report as:

Sharpe, Andrew, Alexander Murray, Benjamin Evans, and Elspeth Hazell. 2011. “The Levy Institute Measure of Economic Well-Being: Estimates for Canada, 1999 and 2005.” CSLS Research Report 2011-09. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-levy-institute-measure-of-economic-well-being-estimates-for-canada-1999-and-2005/

## Authors:

-
Andrew Sharpe
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)

-
Alexander Murray
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)

-
Benjamin Evans
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)

-
Elspeth Hazell
Levy Economics Institute of Bard College

## Report 2011-09

August 2011 95 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/)

[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/)
[An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada

Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)

February 2003 | Report 2003-01b | 64 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/)

## Abstract

## Résumé

EN
FR

Copy link

Email

LinkedIn

This report presents estimates of the Levy Institute Measure of Economic WellBeing (LIMEW) for a representative sample of Canadian households in 1999 and 2005. The results indicate that there was only modest growth in the average Canadian household’s total command over economic resources in the six years between 1999 and 2005. Although inequality in economic well-being increased slightly over the 1999-2005 period, the LIMEW was more equally distributed across Canadian households than more common income measures (such as after-tax income) in both 1999 and 2005. The median household’s economic well-being was lower in Canada than in the United States in both years.

Ce rapport présente des estimations de la mesure du bien-être économique du Levy Institute (LIMEW) pour un échantillon représentatif de ménages canadiens en 1999 et en 2005. Les résultats indiquent que la maîtrise globale des ressources économiques du ménage canadien moyen n’a connu qu’une croissance modeste au cours des six années séparant 1999 de 2005. Bien que l’inégalité du bien-être économique ait légèrement augmenté entre 1999 et 2005, le LIMEW était réparti de façon plus égale entre les ménages canadiens que les mesures de revenu plus courantes (comme le revenu après impôt), tant en 1999 qu’en 2005. Le bien-être économique du ménage médian était inférieur au Canada par rapport aux États-Unis au cours des deux années étudiées.

[Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2011-09-1.pdf)
