New report shows taxes eating up more income

A lot has changed in almost five and a half decades according to a report from the Fraser Institute.

It says in 1961, a Canadian Family spent on average 56.5 per cent of income on things like food, clothing and shelter and taxes represented 33 per cent.

The report says last year taxes were up to 42 per cent of spending while food, clothing and shelter has decreased to 36 per cent.

North Bay Food Bank Manager Amber Livingstone says many of the people who use the food bank say if food prices go up and taxes continue to go up, it can be quite the problem to pay for the basic necessities including food.

Still, she says some of their clients are in a lower tax bracket and they may not be impacted but they will when they have to shop for basic things.

Livingstone says another problem at this time of year is shopping for new school clothes for children.

She says parents want to buy new clothes for their kids, but many can’t because of the costs.

The tax bill cited in the report includes all the taxes we pay: federal, provincial and municipal.