Study says Canadians spend more on taxes than food, shelter, clothing

CTV Winnipeg: Study suggests spike in taxes Ben Miljure reports on findings from a new study by a Conservative think tank on the levels of taxes paid by Canadian families.

If you feel like much of what you bring home goes to the government, a new study says you are right.

The conservative think-tank The Fraser Institute commissioned the report that shows the average Canadian family spent more on taxes in 2013 than food, shelter and clothing combined.

"Today, taxes ate taking up a bigger chunk of household budget than all other basic necessities combined. This includes spending on shelter, spending on food and clothing,” said the Fraser Institute’s Charles Lammam.

The report uses 1961 as a baseline and said the average Canadian family earned $5,000 that year and spent 34 per cent of that money on taxes compared to 57 per cent on food, shelter and clothing.

By 2013, the average family income was more than $77,000 and 42 per cent of that went to taxes compared to just 36 per cent on those basic necessities, suggests the study.

The report took into account all taxes paid to all levels of government by the average family but that number changes depending on where you live in the country.

"Manitobans actually pay one of the highest tax burdens in Canada so our numbers might be even higher than what you see in the Fraser Institute's national look,” said Colin Craig of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.