--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/trends-in-low-wage-employment-in-canada-incidence-gap-and-intensity-1997-2014/" title: "Trends in Low-Wage Employment in Canada: Incidence, Gap and Intensity, 1997-2014" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T12:49:04+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T12:49:04+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Canada" - "gender" - "job quality" - "Labour Force Survey" - "low-wage employment" - "low-wage gap" - "low-wage intensity" - "minimum wage" - "province" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Economic Well-Being" - "Labour Markets" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Trends in Low-Wage Employment in Canada: Incidence, Gap and Intensity, 1997-2014 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/trends-in-low-wage-employment-in-canada-incidence-gap-and-intensity-1997-2014/ # Trends in Low-Wage Employment in Canada: Incidence, Gap and Intensity, 1997-2014 [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2016-10-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Thomas, Jasmin. 2016. “Trends in Low-Wage Employment in Canada: Incidence, Gap and Intensity, 1997-2014.” CSLS Research Report 2016-10. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/trends-in-low-wage-employment-in-canada-incidence-gap-and-intensity-1997-2014/ ## Author: - Jasmin Thomas Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2016-10 July 2016 66 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 paper introduces two new concepts to the debate on job quality: the low-wage gap and low-wage intensity. These two measures provide information on the depth and severity of low wages. Using Labour Force Survey microdata, we discuss trends in these two measures, along with trends in the incidence of low wages over the 1997-2014 period. For example, in 2014, 27.6 per cent of all employees aged 20 to 64 years earned less than two-thirds of median hourly wages for full-time workers aged 20 to 64 years (or $16.01 per hour), our low-wage cutoff. In this same year, the low-wage gap was 21.0 per cent, which means that the average lowwage employee earned approximately 79.0 per cent of the low-wage cutoff (or $12.66 per hour). Consequently, low-wage intensity, defined as the product of the incidence and the gap (scaled by 100) was 5.8. This is down from an intensity of 6.3 in 1997, which was the result of a slightly higher incidence (27.9 per cent) and a higher gap (22.7 per cent). This paper also provides these results by gender, age, educational attainment, industry, occupation, employment status and province. These detailed results help identify which groups face the highest rates, greatest depths, and largest intensities of low-wage employment in Canada. Furthermore, this paper explores the implications of a $15 minimum wage on the low-wage gap in 2014. Finally, to provide a brief sensitivity analysis, we discuss (1) the results for low-wage employment in Canada using a different cutoff (two-thirds mean hourly wages for full-time employees aged 25 to 54 years) and (2) comparisons of our results to those of CIBC’s Employment Quality Index and the OECD’s low-pay data. Cet article introduit deux nouveaux concepts dans le débat sur la qualité de l’emploi : l’écart de bas salaire et l’intensité des bas salaires. Ces deux mesures fournissent des renseignements sur la profondeur et la gravité des bas salaires. À l’aide de microdonnées de l’Enquête sur la population active, nous examinons les tendances de ces deux mesures, ainsi que les tendances de l’incidence des bas salaires au cours de la période 1997-2014. Par exemple, en 2014, 27,6 % de l’ensemble des employés âgés de 20 à 64 ans gagnaient moins des deux tiers du salaire horaire médian des travailleurs à temps plein âgés de 20 à 64 ans (soit 16,01 $ l’heure), notre seuil de bas salaire. La même année, l’écart de bas salaire était de 21,0 %, ce qui signifie que l’employé à bas salaire moyen gagnait environ 79,0 % du seuil de bas salaire (soit 12,66 $ l’heure). Par conséquent, l’intensité des bas salaires, définie comme le produit de l’incidence et de l’écart (mis à l’échelle sur 100), s’établissait à 5,8, en baisse par rapport à une intensité de 6,3 en 1997, qui résultait d’une incidence légèrement plus élevée (27,9 %) et d’un écart plus élevé (22,7 %). Cet article présente également ces résultats selon le sexe, l’âge, le niveau de scolarité, l’industrie, la profession, le statut d’emploi et la province. Ces résultats détaillés aident à cerner les groupes les plus touchés par les taux les plus élevés, les écarts les plus profonds et les intensités les plus fortes de bas salaire au Canada. De plus, cet article explore les répercussions d’un salaire minimum de 15 $ sur l’écart de bas salaire en 2014. Enfin, à titre d’analyse de sensibilité sommaire, nous examinons (1) les résultats pour l’emploi à bas salaire au Canada selon un seuil différent (les deux tiers du salaire horaire moyen des employés à temps plein âgés de 25 à 54 ans) et (2) une comparaison avec d’autres seuils de référence. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2016-10-1.pdf)