Alberta households are Canada’s top spenders

Canadian households spent an average of $58,592 on goods and services in 2013, up 4.1 per cent from 2012.

Canadian households spent an average of $58,592 on goods and services in 2013, up 4.1 per cent from 2012. The latest figures on household spending from Statistics Canada shows that mortgage and rent payments and other shelter costs accounted for 28.0 per cent of this total, followed by transportation (20.6 per cent) and food (13.6 per cent). Alberta households spent the most on goods and services ($71,429), followed by British Columbia ($61,007) and Ontario ($60,718). Households in Prince Edward Island ($47,410) reported the lowest average spending. Not surprisingly those with children spent the most ($81,636) while seniors living alone spent the least ($29,064). Those with a mortgage spent around 2 per cent less on shelter than renters.