Protection from income shocks

Proportion of individuals living in households who have enough savings to maintain well-being for three months (asset resilience).

This indicator is measured in the Survey of Financial Security (SFS). It measures an individual's level of financial security in the face of an economic shock such as job loss or an unexpected expense.

Protection from income shocks is measured in the SFS using the proportion of individuals who are asset resilient. Asset resilience refers to having enough savings to maintain well-being for three months. More specifically, the ability of Canadians to cover unexpected expenses, or reduced income, by drawing from assets for three months. A household can be considered asset resilient when it has liquid assets that are at least equal to the after-tax low-income measure for at least three months.

For this indicator, the term "savings" refers to liquid assets. Liquid assets include bank accounts, term deposits, treasury bills, tax-free savings accounts, stocks and bonds (in mutual funds or not) and registered retirement savings plans. Liquid assets can provide some relief for families faced with a disruption to their primary source of income by allowing them to continue to meet their essential needs and financial obligations.

• Survey of Financial Security (SFS)
  • Table 11-10-0082-01 – Percentage of persons who are asset resilient, Canada
  • Table 11-10-0083-01 – Percentage of persons who are asset resilient, Canada and provinces

• Canada's Official Poverty Dashboard of Indicators: Trends, March 2022 (Statistics Canada – Infographics, March 23, 2022)

• The financial resilience and financial well-being of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic (Income Research Paper Series, September 9, 2021)
• Asset resilience of Canadians, 2019 (The Daily, May 4, 2021)

The Dimensions of Poverty Hub, sponsored by Employment and Social Development Canada, tracks progress on 13 performance indicators. It is updated regularly by Statistics Canada as new data become available.