This is another in a series of information notes for advisors intended to help them better understand their clients and possibly open up new niche markets to them.

It is based on data gleaned from the RTS consumer survey conducted by BBM Canada, a Toronto-based not-for-profit, industry-owned and -run broadcast audience research organization. BBM Canada conducts the bi-annual RTS survey with a sample size of more than 60,000 respondents, providing detailed insight into the consumer preferences of Canadians across a spectrum of industries including financial, banking and e-commerce. Today’s “factoid” is taken from the most current (fall 2004) BBM RTS release.

4.4 million Canadians (16%) have full time jobs yet no RRSP.

46% of the full time employees with no RRSP are under the age of 34 (1.7 times more the national average); 23% are between the ages of 34 and 44.

60% of the full time employees with no RRSP are males.

The region with the highest incidence of Canadians with full time jobs and no RRSP is Atlantic (1.4 times the national average).

87% of full time employees with no RRSP, have a personal yearly income below $50,000.

Canadians with full time jobs and no RRSP are over represented in primary occupations (3.2 times) and in clerical occupations (2.3 times).

22% (1.8 times more than the national average) have no savings at all; 40% have less than $5,000 (1.6 times over the national average)

34% of the full time employees with no RRSP, rent their home (twice the national average).

Their general use of financial services is under national averages except for personal loans (their incidence is 1.4 times more than the national average).

Their top three medias by yesterday exposure are: TV (86%), radio (83%) and internet (54%)

Their top three favorite radio formats by weekly reach are: 20% adult contemporary (1.8 times the national average), 14% classic/mainstream rock and 13% news/talk.

Movies (74%) followed by news/current affairs (56%) and hockey (43%) are their most popular television shows by weekly average viewing.