To the surprise of no one, the income a single Montrealer needs to live comfortably rose by 9% between 2022 and 2023. That's according to the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS), which published the 2023 edition of its sustainable income report on May 3. The report identifies the minimum-income residents of seven Quebec cities Gatineau, Montreal, Quebec City, Saguenay, Sept-Îles, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières need to live not just above the poverty line but "with dignity."
Quebecers are making more money. In a February 23 release, the province's Institut de la statistique noted an "unprecedented" increase in the median Quebec employment income in 2021: 9% among 24-to-60-year-olds compared to just 1.8% in 2020.