Canadian men in the top earnings ventile live eight years (11%) longer than men in the bottom ventile. For women, the difference is 3.6 years. This earnings-longevity gradient has shifted uniformly across earnings groups through time, in stark contrast to the U.S.We demonstrate that the widely-used period measurement method can differ from cohort measures. For middle-aged men, we find a recent slowdown of mortality improvements, echoing the U.S. Using comparable data, the Canadian earnings-longevity gradient is half the U.S. gradient; but one quarter of this gap may result from Canada-U.S. earnings differences.

Published paper (February 2021)

Final draft (January 2020)

NBER Working Paper (August 2018)

A longevity gap between rich and poor has persisted over the years in Canada with significant policy implications, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Rich Man, Poor Man: The Policy Implications of Canadians Living Longer” – the first study of long-term changes in longevity across earnings groups in Canada – authors Kevin Milligan and Tammy Schirle provide new evidence on the incomes and life expectancy of Canadians.

E-Brief (August 2018)