The gap between Canada's highest- and lowest-income households reached a record high in the first quarter of 2025, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.

The difference in the share of disposable income between households in the top 40 percent of the income distribution and the bottom 40 percent rose to 49 percentage points, said the national statistical agency.

According to the agency, the income gap increased each year following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A low of 43.8 percentage points was recorded in the first quarter of 2021.

The highest income households gained from investments, while the lowest income households' wages declined, said the agency.

Lower income households also tend to be more susceptible to job loss during economic downturns. Amid economic uncertainty, labor market conditions have recently weakened. The employment rate has been on a declining trend since early 2023, said Statistics Canada.