The number of Canadians reporting investment income plunged in 2001, although the income they received rose marginally.

According to Statistics Canada, about 8 million Canadians reported receiving $32.8 billion in investment income in 2001.

In 2000, about 8.5 million reported receiving $32.6 billion, after adjustments for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index.

This was a 5.9% decline in the number of persons reporting investment income, and a 0.7% increase in the amount of income received. Data came from income tax returns filed in the spring of 2002.

The number of persons reporting investment income declined in every province and territory. By far, the biggest drop occurred in Quebec (-15.1%), followed by New Brunswick (-9.5%). At the same time, the amount of investment income increased in only three provinces: Alberta (+14.7%), Ontario (+1.1%) and Saskatchewan (+0.4%). The largest decline in 2001 was in Nunavut (-17.7%). Investors in Prince Edward Island reported the second largest decline (-15.5%) after recording the largest percentage gain in 2000.

The decline in persons reporting investment income was most noticeable in the number who reported dividend income. In 2001, recipients of dividend income declined by almost 20% at the national level and by varying degrees across all provinces and territories, except Nunavut where the number remained stable. The investment income received by these investors declined 0.3%. In 2001, there were fewer than 3 million investors, who in total reported $22.7 billion in dividend and interest income. StatsCan says that the decline in people receiving and reporting income from dividends in 2001 may be in part because annual operating profits of enterprises were at their lowest level since 1998.

On the other hand, both the number of savers and the amount of interest income they reported increased from 2000 and 1999. For the first time since 1997, there were more than 5 million savers in 2001, and the interest income they reported exceeded $10.1 billion.