Married families with children in decline across Canada, index shows
A new index tracking married families with children shows a sharp national decline, with the largest drops in Quebec and Nunavut.
A new index tracking the prevalence of married families with children across Canada shows a steady national decline over the last two decades.
The Canadian Married Families Index, developed by the think tank Cardus, recorded an average score of 87.40 in 2021, down from a baseline of 100 set in 2001.
The sharpest decline occurred between 2016 and 2021, which may have been pandemic driven, according to the index.
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The index combines three federal census data points measured between 2001 and 2021: total fertility rate, the portion of adults aged 25 to 54 who are married, and the proportion of children 14 and under living with their married parents.
It compares provinces and territories to their own baseline rather than comparing regions to a national standard score.
Changes in the number of children aged 14 and under living with married parents, and the number of adults aged 25 to 54 who are married drove most of the decline.
Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced the smallest decline in index points, scoring 91.56 and 91.40 in 2021 respectively.
The largest changes in index scores between 2001 and 2021 were observed in Quebec with more than a 20-point decline, and in Nunavut, which posted a nearly 30-point decline.
This occurred despite higher-than-average fertility in both regions.
"Nunavut and Quebec are culturally distinct regions that featured unique family structure patterns that predated the beginning of the study period in 2001," the analysis states.
"The index indicates these patterns have further solidified over the last two decades."
The report notes that in most regions, Canadians hold positive attitudes toward marriage, and many desire it.
"Yet it seems that achieving the family life one desires is becoming more difficult," it states.
The increasing cost of living and a shortage of suitable housing is making it difficult for families to start and grow.
Federal and provincial governments should consider whether their taxes, benefits, and social policy systems contribute to greater family affordability or inadvertently disincentivize family life.
While economics certainly contributes to delayed family formation, evidence suggests Canadians are delaying children for other reasons.
"Some young adults feel they need to prioritize their own self-development. For others, the perceived difficulty of modern parenting has caused prospective parents to think twice," the report states.
It concludes that the future of the married family depends, in part, on whether Canadians can see that life as attainable, supported and worth pursuing.
With files from National Post
Isabelle Moreau is the editor of Novello Desserts and writes about family life and everyday living in Canada. The editor signs off on corrections and editorial standards.