The Fraser Institute recently conducted a study on the comparisons of what Canadians pay in taxes compared to the necessities of life.

Charles Lammam, Director of Fiscal Studies at the Fraser Institute, said that in 2015, Canadians making an average income of $80,593 paid $34,154 in taxes, which is 42.4 per cent of their annual income.

"This is all the taxes they pay from income tax to sale tax, property tax and the like. Taxes now it turns out are consuming more of the average families income than the basic necessities of life, and that is food, clothing, and shelter all combined, which totaled 38 per cent of the average families income."

These number have done a complete reverse in the last five decades, going from 33.5% of the average family’s income payed to taxes in 1961, while 56.5% went to basic necessities.

"Since the 80's, we have seen a switch where taxes now are consuming more of the average families income than the necessities."

With the looming Carbon Tax and the increase to provincial and federal taxes, Lammam said that Albertan's face losing their standing as the lowest tax jurisdiction in the country.

"Their (Albertans) advantage will likely dissipate in the future as governments continue to raise taxes, and more and more of the average Alberta families will be going to pay taxes and less to the other things they want to spend on."

With the increase in taxes levied, the question becomes, 'Are we getting our money's worth for what we are paying?'

"We're trying to give Canadians important information about what they're paying overall, what the cost of government is, so they can start thinking through whether they feel that they are getting good value for what their paying," said Lammam. "Really the only way that you can have that debate or discussion is if you know how much you are paying."

Since 1961, Canadians have seen 1939 per cent in increases to the overall taxes being paid.