The average Canadian family spent 43 per cent of their income on taxes in 2017, a new Fraser Institute study suggests.

While a family earned about $85,883 in annual income, they paid a total of $37,058 in municipal, provincial and federal taxes, according to the annual consumer report released Tuesday by the right-leaning think-tank.

That鈥檚 compared to $30,597 on other necessities like rent or mortgage payments, food and clothing.

鈥淢any Canadians will be surprised to learn that taxes 鈥� and not life鈥檚 basic necessities, including housing 鈥� are the biggest household expense,鈥� report co-author Charles Lammam said in a news release.

When the institute started tracking household tax spending in 1961, the average Canadian family spent about 33.5 per cent of their on taxes and 56.5 per cent on basic necessities.

The report says even after accounting for inflation, the tax bill has gone up 166 per cent since then.

鈥淭axes help fund important public services that Canadians rely on, but the issue is the amount of taxes governments take compared to what Canadians get in return,鈥� Lammam said.

鈥淲ith 43 per cent of their income going to taxes, Canadians might ask whether they鈥檙e getting the best value for their tax dollars.鈥�

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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