The average inheritance in Canada today is just under $100,000, according to a new survey from BMO, and some two-thirds of Canadians anticipate they will get one.

That’s good news for baby boomers, many of whom are entering their senior years with far too little saved up for retirement, and far too much debt still outstanding. An inheritance from the parents could go a long way to fixing that.

But it may be bad news in the long term, as some economists are now arguing that inheritance is becoming a more important part of people’s wealth, and that in turn makes one's bloodline a larger factor in determining success.

The BMO study found that while the average inheritance is slightly more than $96,000, there are large discrepancies between regions. (Is there anything in Canada’s economy that doesn’t follow this rule?)

The average inheritance in British Columbia was more than $120,000, nearly four times as much as the average inheritance in Atlantic Canada, $32,000.

BMO’s report didn’t address the reasons for this, but a spokesperson suggested in an email that Ontario, Quebec and B.C. have considerably higher inheritances because essentially that's where the rich people live -- Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.