www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 24, 2014 | 18 Outdoor Dollars & Sense Peter Watson Guest Contributor Oasis Bar Harbour 4 piece conversation set Reg. $1999.99 F $1299.99 Don't be fooled by perceived wealth status inancial discipline and a reality check is needed by many Canadians who feel wealthy but who are not. That is easier said than done. We can see the wealth in our country. Even when people cannot afford to spend as they do, easy access to credit lets the high personal consumption lifestyle continue although built on a weak foundation of rising debt. Statistics Canada reported in 2012, family wealth had jumped 45 per cent from 2005 to $243,800. That is an increase of 88 per cent since 1999. Wealth accumulation has been strong, however, the disparity between those who share in that wealth and those who don't has increased. The wealthiest 20 per cent account for just less than 70 per cent of our nation's wealth. The top 40 per cent of families have approximately 90 per cent of the wealth. This leaves the bottom 60 per cent of families with just more than 10 per cent of the wealth. If we lived in a country with little wealth, the spending habits would follow a pattern of making mindful purchases on items we need, wasting no money on things that are unnecessary. That is not the case in Canada. It seems that almost everyone has a cellphone, cable TV and Internet connection. We spend endlessly on nonessential items. We are, however, not a country populated by just the wealthy. Statistics Canada data shows we have many citizens who are far less nancially secure than we would like to think. The disparity of wealth is signi cant. To a certain extent, it can be explained by the part of the country in which we live. For example, recent empowerment gures show Alberta has created nine out of every 10 jobs over the last year. There is a shift in wealth towards that province. There has also been a shift in wealth towards those owning real estate because one third of a family's wealth is in their principal residence. see Be on p.21 NOW Oliver 9 piece dining set Reg. $1299.99 $699.99 NOW It's a great time to ONLY Our 7 Gal. tree collection is $59.99 plant a tree! on sale! Choose from Oak, Maple, Birch, and more! 6" Gorgeous Bougainvillea (pot sold separately) Reg. $99.99 PondBuilder's Workshops! Learn how to build a pond Milton - April 26th Call to register: 905-876-4000 Waterdown May 3rd Call to register: 905-689-1999 Chelsea Outdoor Glazed Pottery Reg. from $24.99 30% off $12. ONLY 99 Reg. Reg. $19.99 $7.99/ea Hills Yew - 3 Gal. Now $24.99/ea Reg. $39.99 3 for $60 Spring Planter 10" Martha Washington Geranium - 6" 2 for $10 Reg. $8.99/ea Juniper - 3 Gal. - low growing and easy to care for $14. ONLY 99 $19.99 Reg. $29.99 ONLY Reg. $29.99 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK: Thurs. - Fri. 9am - 8pm, Sat & Sun. 9am - 6pm, Mon.-Wed. 8am - 8pm All items while quantities last, subject to availability. Category offers exclude "TERRA Essentials" Sale period: April 24th - 30th www.terragreenhouses.com Burlington (905) 332-3222 · Milton (905) 876-4000 Waterdown (905) 689-1999 ·Vaughan (905) 832-6955 · Hamilton (905) 692-6900