There were 8.4 million families in Canada in 2001.
The majority of Canadian families are married households. In 2001, 70.4% of families were married couples, 13.8% were common-law relationships, and the remaining 15.6% were lone-parent families.
Although married families are the most common family type in Canada, Quebec and the Northern Territories have a smaller percentage. In 2001, only 58.2% of families in Quebec were married families, while 25.2% were common-law. In the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, common-law families ranged from 23% to 31%, higher than the Canadian average of 13.8%.
The size of Canadian families is decreasing. In 2001, average family size was 3.0 persons, down from 3.1 in 1991, and 3.7 in 1971. Nunavut had the largest average family size, at 4.4 persons.
The number of families in Canada grew by 6.8% between 1996 and 2001. The largest proportional increase was among common-law families, which rose by 25.8%. Ontario and Prince Edward Island reported the largest increases in the number of common-law families, which grew by more than 30% over this five-year period.
Distribution of Canadian Families, by Family Type and Province/Territory, 2001
Province/Territory
Married, children at home
Married, no children at home
Common-law, children at home
Common-law, no children at home
Female lone-parent
Male lone-parent
Newfoundland
45.5%
29.9%
4.7%
5.0%
12.3%
2.7%
Prince Edward Island
44.3%
29.9%
4.4%
5.0%
13.6%
2.7%
Nova Scotia
39.9%
31.9%
4.8%
6.6%
14.0%
2.8%
New Brunswick
40.1%
30.9%
6.0%
6.9%
13.1%
3.0%
Quebec
33.2%
25.0%
13.0%
12.2%
13.2%
3.4%
Ontario
46.1%
29.3%
3.9%
5.4%
12.6%
2.7%
Manitoba
42.7%
31.3%
4.4%
5.4%
13.2%
3.0%
Saskatchewan
40.8%
33.8%
4.5%
5.0%
12.9%
3.0%
Alberta
44.3%
29.8%
4.7%
6.9%
11.5%
2.9%
British Columbia
41.0%
32.4%
3.9%
7.1%
12.6%
2.9%
Yukon
33.9%
23.4%
11.1%
11.9%
15.7%
4.2%
Northwest Territories
37.2%
15.6%
15.6%
10.8%
15.8%
5.2%
Nunavut
36.6%
6.4%
23.8%
7.4%
18.7%
7.0%
CANADA
41.4%
29.0%
6.3%
7.5%
12.7%
2.9%
Source: Calculations by the CCSD using data from Statistics Canada's 2001 Census, Ivision Table 97F0005XCB01006.ivt.
LONE-PARENT FAMILIES
There were 1.3 million lone-parent families in Canada in 2001. The majority of these families were headed by women (81.3%).
Over the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the number of lone-parent families. Between 1991 and 2001, the number of male lone-parent families grew by 49%, while the number of female-lead lone-parent families rose by 35%.
The Northwest Territories (21%) and Nunavut (25.7%) reported the highest percentage of lone-parent families in Canada in 2001.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
In 2004, there were 146,377 marriages in Canada, a marginal decrease of 0.9% from the previous year. The number of marriages has been declining in recent years, with a drop of 6.0% recorded between 1999 and 2004.
In 2004, 48.6% of the Canadian population were married, 41.8% were single, and the remainder (9.6%) were divorced or widowed. Nunavut had Canada's largest proportion of single people, at 62.8%, and Newfoundland had the lowest, at 38%.
Canadians are continuing to marry later in life. The average age of brides in 2002 was 31.5 years. This was up by 2.2 years from 1991, and up 5.3 years from 1981. The average age of grooms in 2002 was 34 years, an increase of 2.2 years from 1991, and 5.2 years from 1981.
The number of divorces in Canada has remained relatively stable over the last few years. In 2003, there were 70,828 divorces – up 1% over the previous year – largely due to increases in Ontario (+5.1%) and Quebec (+1.4%).
Between 2002 and 2003, the divorce rate in Canada increased by only 0.7%. Most provinces and territories recorded a drop in their divorce rates, the exceptions being Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Ontario, which reported increases of 2.1% over this period. New Brunswick and Saskatchewan reported marginal increases of 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively.
Divorces in Canada and the Provinces/Territories
Province/Territory
2000
2001
2002
2003
% Change 2000-2003
% Change 2002-2003
Newfoundland
913
755
842
662
-27.5%
-21.4%
Prince Edward Island
272
246
258
281
3.3%
8.9%
Nova Scotia
2,054
1,945
1,990
1,907
-7.2%
-4.2%
New Brunswick
1,717
1,570
1,461
1,450
-15.6%
-0.8%
Quebec
17,054
17,094
16,499
16,738
-1.9%
1.4%
Ontario
26,148
26,516
26,170
27,513
5.2%
5.1%
Manitoba
2,430
2,480
2,396
2,352
-3.2%
-1.8%
Saskatchewan
2,194
1,955
1,959
1,992
-9.2%
1.7%
Alberta
8,176
8,252
8,291
7,960
-2.6%
-4.0%
British Columbia
10,017
10,115
10,125
9,820
-2.0%
-3.0%
Yukon
68
91
90
87
27.9%
-3.3%
Northwest Territories
94
83
68
62
-34.0%
-8.8%
Nunavut
7
8
6
4
-42.9%
-33.3%
CANADA
71,444
71,110
70,155
70,828
-0.9%
1.0%
Source: Calculations by the CCSD using data from Statistics Canada's The Daily, May 4, 2004.
CHILD CARE
In 2003/04, there were 745,254 regulated child care spaces across Canada. This was an increase of 151,824 spaces from 2001, and 373,741 more spaces than in 1992. Of these 745,254 spaces, 48% were centre-based full-day and part-day care for preschool-aged children, 34.1% were child care spaces for school-aged children, and the remaining 17.9% were regulated family care spaces.
In 2003/04, there were only enough regulated child care spaces to accommodate 15.5% of Canadian children aged 0 to 12. This was, however, an improvement over 2001, when there were regulated spaces for only 12.1% of Canadian children, and an increase over 1992, when there were spaces for only 7.5% of children. Among the provinces and territories, the percentage of children aged 0 to 12 for whom there was a regulated space available ranged from a low of 4.9% in Saskatchewan to a high of 29.9% in Quebec.
Between 2001 and 2003/04, 151,824 new child care spaces were created and of those, 87,000 spaces - or 57.3% - were generated in Quebec. In fact, by 2003/04, 43% of all regulated child care spaces in Canada were in Quebec, up from 40% in 2001.
Between 1992 and 2004, the percentage of children for whom there was a regulated space increased in all provinces and territories except Alberta. Quebec reported the greatest increase over this period (at 23.1%), while Alberta saw a decline of 0.4%. In five of the provinces, the increase was less than 5%.
Estimated Number of Regulated Child Care Spaces by Type of Care, Canada & Provinces/Territories, 2003/04
Province/Territory
Centre-based full and part-day child care for preschool-aged children
School-aged child care
Regulated family child care
TOTAL regulated spaces
% of children aged 0-12 for whom there is a regulated child care space
Newfoundland
4,103
578
2401
4,921
6.8%
Prince Edward Island
3,3652
695
40
4,1002
18.9%2
Nova Scotia
12,6003
n/a
159
12,759
9.6%
New Brunswick
11,7473
n/a
150
11,897
11.0%
Quebec4
97,711
141,9775
82,044
321,732
29.9%
Ontario
124,292
62,613
19,838
206,743
10.7%
Manitoba
15,299
6,126
4,209
25,634
14.3%
Saskatchewan4
4,666
874
2,370
7,910
4.9%
Alberta
41,405
17,767
6,554
47,959 (65,726)6
9.3% (12.7%)6
British Columbia
39,769
23,089
17,372
80,230
13.7%
Yukon4
743
243
383
1,369
29.2%
Northwest Territories
802
161
256
1,219
13.1%
Nunavut
919
95
N/A
1,014
11.6%
CANADA
357,421 (48.0%)
254,218 (34.1%)
133,615 (17.9%)
745,254 (100%)
15.5%
Source: Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Early Childhood Education in Canada 2003/04.
Notes:
N/A = Not available 1Includes individually licensed and agency approved settings. 2For the purpose of comparison with other provinces, the figure 1,266 part-day spaces (excluding part-day kindergarten spaces) has been used in calculations. 3This figure includes school-aged child care, as breakdown is not available. 4Nursery schools (part-time) are not regulated in Quebec, Saskatchewan or Yukon, so are not included in these figures. 5School-aged child care for children 5-12 years old is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education (MEQ). 6School-aged child care in Alberta became regulated for the first time in 2004. For purposes of comparison with previous years, the 2003/04 figure for Alberta uses the number of spaces without school-aged care; the figure including school-aged care appears in brackets. However, the figure including school-aged spaces has been used in the total spaces calculations and total percentage calculations in this table.
Estimated Number of Regulated Child Care Spaces Canada & Provinces/Territories, 1992 to 2004
Province/Territory
1992
1995
1998
2001
2003/04
% Change 1992 to 2003/04
Newfoundland
3,568
4,202
4,275
4,226
4,921
37.9%
Prince Edward Island
4,123
3,888
3,717
4,270
4,100
-0.6%
Nova Scotia
10,826
10,645
11,163
11,464
12,759
17.9%
New Brunswick
7,162
7,952
9,204
11,086
11,897
66.1%
Quebec
78,388
111,452
175,002
234,905
321,732
310.4%
Ontario
145,545
147,853
167,090
173,135
206,743
42.0%
Manitoba
18,977
18,846
20,490
23,022
25,634
35.1%
Saskatchewan
6,418
7,266
7,124
7,166
7,910
23.2%
Alberta
51,656
51,088
47,033
47,693
47,959(65,726)*
-7.2%(27.2%)*
British Columbia
42,927
59,794
68,978
72,949
80,230
86.9%
Yukon
1,020
1,060
1,307
1,348
1,369
34.2%
Northwest Territories
963
1,286
1,351
1,234
1,219
26.6%
Nunavut
n/a
n/a
n/a
932
1,014
n/a
CANADA
371,573
425,332
516,734
593,430
745,254
100.6%
N/A = Not available Source: Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Early Childhood Education in Canada 2003/04.
*School-aged child care in Alberta became regulated for the first time in 2004. For purposes of comparison with previous years, the 2003/04 figure for Alberta uses the number of spaces without school-aged care; the figure incuding school-aged care appears in brackets. However, the figure including school-aged spaces has been used in the total spaces calculations and total percentage calculations in this tabale.
In November 2004, the CCSD organized the “Child Care for a Change” conference in Winnipeg, in cooperation with Social Development Canada, the Government of Manitoba, and Status of Women Canada. Over three days, 650 participants from across Canada discussed, debated and shared their expertise on the latest developments in child care policy.
Highlights from the Conference proceedings and workshop sessions are available on the Council's website at www.ccsd.ca/subsites/childcare, along with a special issue of the CCSD's Perception magazine, which focussed on quality child care and early learning.
MOTHERS IN THE PAID LABOUR FORCE
In 2003, almost 72% of Canadian mothers with children under age 16 were in the labour force working either full- or part-time. Over the last decade, the percentage of mothers in the workforce has increased steadily, particularly among women with children under age 3. In 1993, 55.1% of women with children under 3 were employed, and by 2003, this had climbed to 63.4%.
Overall, women with preschool-aged children are less likely to be employed than those with school-aged children. In 2003, 65.6% of women with children under age 6 were employed, compared with 76.5% of women with children aged 6 to 15.
Female lone-parents are less likely than women in two-parent families to be employed. In 2003, 67.9% of female lone-parents with children under age 16 living at home were employed, compared with 72.3% of mothers in two-parent families with children in the same age group.
Percentage of Mothers who are Employed, by Age of Youngest Child, 1993 to 2003
Youngest child under age 3
Youngest child aged 3-5
Youngest child under age 6
Youngest child aged 6-15
Youngest child under age 16
Mothers under age 55, no children under age 16 living at home
1993
55.1%
59.8%
56.9%
68.7%
62.8%
71.6%
1994
56.2%
59.4%
57.5%
68.7%
63.1%
72.0%
1995
56.7%
60.7%
58.3%
70.0%
64.2%
72.9%
1996
58.4%
60.8%
59.4%
70.0%
64.8%
72.3%
1997
59.2%
52.4%
60.6%
71.3%
66.2%
73.4%
1998
59.9%
64.2%
61.7%
72.3%
67.3%
74.8%
1999
60.7%
66.3%
63.1%
73.6%
68.7%
76.0%
2000
60.9%
67.8%
63.8%
74.5%
69.5%
76.3%
2001
62.0%
67.4%
64.2%
75.3%
70.3%
76.7%
2002
62.4%
68.4%
64.9%
76.9%
71.5%
77.5%
2003
63.4%
68.8%
65.6%
76.5%
71.7%
78.5%
Source: Statistics Canada, Women in Canada: Work Chapter Updates, 2003.
THE COSTS OF RAISING CHILDREN
Based on estimates from the economics section of Manitoba Agriculture, the cost of raising a daughter to age 18 in 2004 was an average of $166,549. For boys, the figure was slightly higher – at $166,972 – due to extra costs for food.
Raising a child can be an expensive undertaking, with the first year being the most expensive. In 2004, over $10,000 was needed to raise a child to age 1. Parents spent the least amount of money – close to $7,000 – when their children reached age 12. Expenses for both boys and girls then began to rise again as they entered their teenaged years.
The Progress of Canada's Children and Youth 2006 is the latest edition in this highly acclaimed series of
CCSD reports which explore different aspects in the lives of Canada's young people. Using information
from a vast number of databases, Progress examines trends in family life, economic security, physical
safety, community resources, health status, social engagement, learning, and the labour force
(April 2006). Check the
