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Cost of living, real wages and real incomes in thirteen Canadian cities, 1900-1950

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  • J. C. Herbert Emery
  • Clint Levitt

Abstract

Price indices for thirteen Canadian cities for 1900 to 1950 demonstrate large regional differences in cost of living until 1914. After 1914 regional price levels converged. Before the war, western Canadian cities had the highest cost of living. After 1920 cities in Ontario had the highest cost of living. Accounting for these trends in regional costs of living reveals that regional real wage and real income structures have been present and stable since at least 1901. Thus, regional wage and income disparities are long-standing and persistent features of the Canadian economy.

Suggested Citation

  • J. C. Herbert Emery & Clint Levitt, 2002. "Cost of living, real wages and real incomes in thirteen Canadian cities, 1900-1950," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 35(1), pages 115-137, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:35:y:2002:i:1:p:115-137
    DOI: 10.1111/1540-5982.00123
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    Cited by:

    1. Bruce Cater & Byron Lew, 2018. "The impact of climate on the law of one price: A test using North American food prices from the 1920s," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 1191-1220, November.
    2. Alicia Gómez-Tello & Alfonso Díez-Minguela & Julio Martinez-Galarraga & Daniel A. Tirado, 2019. "Regional prices in early twentieth-century Spain: a country-product-dummy approach," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 13(2), pages 245-276, May.
    3. Patrick J. Coe, 2018. "Downward nominal wage rigidity: Evidence from Canada 1901–1950," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(3), pages 946-967, August.
    4. Ross D. Hickey & David S. Jacks, 2011. "Nominal rigidities and retail price dispersion in Canada over the twentieth century," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(3), pages 749-780, August.
    5. Patrick J. Coe & J.C. Herbert Emery, 2004. "The disintegrating Canadian labour market? The extent of the market then and now," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(4), pages 879-897, November.
    6. Janmaat, Johannus & Harris, Lindsay & Carlaw, Kenneth & Evans, Mike, 2019. "Action economics? working with citizen groups in Revelstoke, BC to evaluate the impact of a living wage," MPRA Paper 96740, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Kris Inwood & Chris Minns & Mary MacKinnon, 2010. "Labour market dynamics in Canada, 1891-1911: A first look from new census samples," Working Papers 1014, University of Guelph, Department of Economics and Finance.
    8. Chris Minns & Mary MacKinnon, 2007. "The costs of doing hard time: a penitentiary-based regional price index for Canada, 1883-1923," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(2), pages 528-560, May.
    9. Alexander, Patrick D. & Keay, Ian, 2018. "A general equilibrium analysis of Canada’s national policy," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 1-15.
    10. Rosés, Joan R. & Minns, Chris, 2018. "Power to the Periphery? The failure of Regional Convergence in Canada, 1890-2006," CEPR Discussion Papers 12803, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Kris Inwood & Chris Minns & Fraser Summerfield, 2016. "Reverse assimilation? Immigrants in the Canadian labour market during the Great Depression," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 20(3), pages 299-321.
    12. J.C. Herbert Emery & Jesse A. Matheson, 2012. "Should income transfers be targeted or universal? Insights from public pension influences on elderly mortality in Canada, 1921-1966," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 45(1), pages 247-269, February.
    13. Vincent Geloso & Germain Belzile, 2018. "Electricity in Quebec before Nationalization, 1919 to 1939," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 46(1), pages 101-119, March.
    14. Germain Belzile & Rosolino A. Candela & Vincent Geloso, 2022. "Regulatory capture and the dynamics of interventionism: the case of power utilities in Quebec and Ontario to 1944," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 193(1), pages 35-61, October.
    15. Jason Dean & Vincent Geloso, 2022. "The linguistic wage gap in Quebec, 1901 to 1951," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 16(3), pages 615-637, September.
    16. Mark Partridge & Dan Rickman, 2009. "Canadian regional labour market evolutions: a long-run restrictions SVAR analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(15), pages 1855-1871.
    17. J.C. Herbert Emery & Ronald D. Kneebone, 2008. "Socialists, Populists, Resources, and the Divergent Development of Alberta and Saskatchewan," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 34(4), pages 419-440, December.
    18. MacKinnon, Mary & Minns, Chris, 2009. "The impact of school provision on pupil attendance: evidence from the early 20th century," Economic History Working Papers 27863, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.

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