Income

Very clear geographic distrinctions emerge when income is evaluated. The first indicator of economic health is the official Statistics Canada measurement of the Unemployment Rate, determined by measuring the number of persons able to participate in the labour force by their actual participation. It can be seen that the rate of unemployment is quite high in the urban core, particularly in the Arrondissement of Montreal. The UE rate decreases markedly as distance from the urban core increases, out into the urban and rural fringe. St. Jerome, at the northern extreme of the CMA, also has a markedly higher level of unemployment than the surrounding area. Inerestingly, the unemployment rate is nearly the reverse of the University education attainment map suggesting a correlation between education and future employment prospects.

Looking at the number of persons employed out of the entire population, it can be seen that employed individuals in the urban core constitute less than half of the total population. Note again that the urban core has been observed to have very few children but a high student population, particularly around the downtown core. The elderly do not have a strong spatial pattern of concentration, but constitute upwards of 20% of the population in some neighbourhoods, particularly in the urban core and urban fringe.

Therefore, the next map examines population in relation to those between 15 and 64, those too young to work, and those past the age of retirement are not considered. Everyone else, students, caregivers, etc. are included. A very strong disparity between the urban core and urban/rural fringe emerges. In the outer areas, those who are of age to participate in the labour force generally do, while in the urban core, the participation rate is much lower. This suggests that the urban core has a much greater proportion of those who are unable to work for some reason (disability, student, etc.)

Looking at the same data but from the perspective of the percentage of the eligible population who are unemployed, again the urban core carries a far greater proportion of the burden, but is far less than the above UE Rate map suggests. As the UE Rate is calculated from those who could participate in the labour force but are unable to due to a lack of opportunity, it suggests that the urban core has a greater than average percentage of those who are unable to participate for a different reason. This could be disability, or school.

When examining individual income, again, the urban core has a very low average, with much of the populaton making less than $20,000. Westmount, Senneville and Baie d'Urfe in the West Island again stand out strongly from this, reporting very high individual earnings.

Family incomes again follow the same trend as individual incomes, but now some areas of Longueil report higher levels.

Unemployment Rate

Employed / Total Population

Employed / 15-64

Unemployed - 15-64

Average Individual Income

Average Family Income