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Fathers and mothers... by the numbers
Here are some selected facts on fathers, mothers and parenting in Canada.
(Last updated: September 11, 2009.)
Parents in Canada
8.1 million — The total number of fathers in Canada (including biological, adoptive and step fathers) in 2006.
3.7 million — The number of fathers in Canada with children under 18 living with them (including biological, adoptive and step fathers) in 2006.
9.2 million — The total number of mothers in Canada (including biological, adoptive and step mothers) in 2006.
3.9 million — The number of mothers in Canada with children under 18 living with them (including biological, adoptive and mothers) in 2006.
Source: General Social Survey - Family, 2006 (Cycle 20).
Stay-at-home parents (revised)
In 2008, there were 2.7 million couples with at least one child under age 16 at home.
While the majority of these families were dual-earners, one in five (519,000) had one employed parent and one stay-at-home parent.
10% — The proportion of two-parent families with one parent at home (54,000 families) where it was the father who stayed home in Canada in 2008.
90% — The proportion of two-parent families with one parent at home (465,000 families) where it was the mother who stayed home in Canada in 2008.
| Type of husband-wife family with at least one child under 16 at home | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | |||||
| 1976 | 1986 | 1996 | 2006 | 2008 | |
% |
|||||
| Father earner, stay-at-home mother | 99 | 96 | 93 | 90 | 90 |
| Mother earner, stay-at-home father | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Dual earners | 36 | 53 | 61 | 68 | 69 |
| Single earners | 59 | 41 | 32 | 28 | 27 |
Source: Unpublished data from the Labour Force Survey.
Parental leave
28% — The proportion of fathers who claimed paid parental leave for (or were planning to apply for) benefits for the birth or adoption of a child in 2008. This was up from 27% in 2007 and 15% in 2005.
386,900 — The number of mothers in Canada with a child up to 12 months of age in 2008, up 2.6% from 2007. More than three-quarters of these mothers (77%) had insurable income. In all, 88% of them had received benefits in the form of maternity or parental benefits during their pregnancy or since the birth or adoption of their child.
68% — The proportion of mothers who received benefits from either the Employment Insurance program or the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan.
23% — The proportion of all mothers with a child one year old or younger who did not have insurable employment. More than half of these women had not worked in the previous two years.
Source: “Employment Insurance Coverage Survey,” The Daily, Thursday, July 23, 2009.
See also: “Fathers' use of paid parental leave,” Perspectives on Labour and Income, June 2008; Navigating Family Transitions: Evidence from the General Social Survey.
Adoptions
603,743 — The number of people in Canada who reported in 2006 that they had adopted children.
56% — The proportion of all adopted children in 2006 who were adopted by a parent with at least one biological child.
23% — The proportion of all adoptions in which a child is adopted by a person with no biological children.
Source: General Social Survey - Family, 2006.
See also: Navigating Family Transitions: Evidence from the General Social Survey.
Time with the family
250 minutes — The amount of time men spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 1986.
205 minutes — The amount of time men spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 2005.
248 minutes — The amount of time women spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 1986.
209 minutes — The amount of time women spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 2005.
Source: “Study: Time with the family,” The Daily, Tuesday, February 13, 2007.
Keeping in touch
Dads who remain closely involved with their children in the first few months following separation have a much greater chance of remaining involved with their kids later on.
Source: “Study: Frequency of contact between separated fathers and their children,” The Daily, Monday, October 29, 2007.
Single parents
20% — The proportion of one-parent families headed by men in 2006.
80% — The proportion of one-parent families headed by women in 2006.
1.4 million — The total number of one-parent families in 2006.
Source: 2006 Census, Family Portrait: Continuity and Change in Canadian Families and Households in 2006: Findings.
Baby carriages
The bulk of baby carriages imported to Canada came from China in 2008.
Italy, Taiwan, the United States and Portugal rounded out the top five nations from which Canada imported baby carriages.
510,396 — The total number of baby carriages imported to Canada from around the world in 2008.
$30,004,275 — The total value of baby carriages imported to Canada from around the world in 2008.
Source: Imports and exports (International trade statistics).
New mothers
354,617 — The total number of births in Canada in 2006.
Younger mothers
116 — The total number of live births to mothers under 15 years of age in Canada in 2006. For 98% of these mothers, this was their first live birth.
14,432 — The total number of live births to mothers 15 to 19 years of age in Canada in 2006. For 86% of these mothers, this was their first live birth.
Older mothers
424 — The total number of live births to mothers aged 45 to 49 in Canada in 2006. For 28% of these mothers, this was their first live birth.
Repeat mothers
24,159 — The number of live births to mothers with more than 3 children, or 7% of total live births. Fifty years ago—in 1956—it was 31%.
Source: CANSIM, Table 102-4508, (Vital Statistics - Birth Database).
Becoming a mother
54% — The proportion of Canadian women who found their overall experience of labour and birth to be "very positive." Another one-quarter of them considered it "somewhat positive," while the remaining 20% chose a neutral or a negative rating.
Source: “Maternity Experiences Survey,” The Daily, Tuesday, November 27, 2007.
Women wait longer to have children
29.3 years — The average age of women giving birth in Canada in 2006. This was up from 27.0 years of age in 1986. During this period, the fertility rate declined for Canadian women in their twenties, while it climbed steadily for women in their thirties.
In 2006, for the first time, the fertility rate of Canadian women aged 30 to 34 surpassed that of women aged 25 to 29. This rate has been higher than the rate for women aged 20 to 24 since 1989.
Source: “Births,” The Daily, Friday, September 26, 2008.
More Canadian women have gone back to work after giving birth to a child during the past two decades, and fewer have quit their jobs.
Source: “Study: Returning to work after childbirth,” The Daily, Wednesday, December 19, 2007.
Health and development of children of older first-time mothers
For the most part, first-born children of older mothers (aged 35 or over) did not differ significantly from children born to mothers aged 25 to 29 with respect to a number of health, behaviour and cognitive outcomes measured up to the age of 5.
However, there were a few outcomes for which children of older mothers differed significantly from children of mothers aged 25 to 29. Even after controlling for a number of factors, children of older mothers were more likely to be late to first sit up by themselves, to score lower on the Motor and Social Development scale at ages 2 to 3, and to have lower positive behaviour scores at ages 4 to 5 than children of mothers aged 25 to 29. Medically speaking, older mothers are at increased risk of pre-natal and birth-related complications.
23% — The proportion of children of older mothers (aged 35 or over) who had a mother who suffered from hypertension during pregnancy.
13% — The proportion of children of mothers aged 25 to 29 who had a mother who suffered from hypertension during pregnancy.
40% — The proportion of children of older mothers (aged 35 or over) who were delivered by caesarean section.
23% — The proportion of children of mothers aged 25 to 29 who were delivered by caesarean section.
17% — The proportion of children of older mothers (aged 35 or over) who were born pre-term.
11% — The proportion of children of mothers aged 25 to 29 were born pre-term.
43% — The proportion of children of older mothers (aged 35 or over) who were breastfed for more than six months.
26% — The proportion of children of mothers aged 25 to 29 who were breastfed for more than six months.
Source: “Study: Health and development of children of older first-time mothers,” The Daily, Wednesday, September 24, 2008.
Teenage mothers
31,611 — The number of teenage pregnancies in Canada in 2004. Almost half of these pregnancies resulted in live births, or 4.2% of total births.
Source: “Study: Life after teenage motherhood,” The Daily, Friday, May 23, 2008.
Working women, working mothers
A sizeable earnings gap exists between Canadian women with and without children.
On average, the earnings of women with children were 12% less than those of women without children, and this gap increased with the number of children: with one child, the gap was 9%; with two children, it was 12%; and with three or more children, 20%.
Source: “Study: Earnings of women with and without children,” The Daily, Tuesday, March 24, 2009.
Raising Aboriginal children
In some homes in Canada, extended family and community play a role in raising the younger generation.
In fact, census data show that higher proportions of young Aboriginal children are growing up in large families, and are being raised by younger parents, when compared with non-Aboriginal children.
As well, the 2006 Aboriginal Children's Survey reveals that many people— including extended family and community members—are involved in raising young Aboriginal children.
First Nations children living off-reserve
According to the 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey, 9 in 10 off-reserve First Nations children under 6 years of age were being raised by more than one person. Mothers were most commonly reported as being involved (93%) followed by fathers (72%), grandparents (44%) and other relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings) (28%).
About 17% of First Nations children had non-relatives involved in raising them, for example, child care providers or teachers.
Inuit children
In 2006, 9 in 10 Inuit children were being raised by more than one person. Mothers were most commonly reported as being involved (92%) followed by fathers (77%), grandparents (46%) and other relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings) (47%).
About 19% of Inuit children had non-relatives involved in raising them, for example, child care providers or teachers.
Métis children
The 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey also found that 9 in 10 Métis children were being raised by more than one person. Mothers were most commonly reported as being involved (94%) followed by fathers (78%), grandparents (41%) and other relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings) (21%).
About 17% of Métis children had non-relatives involved in raising them, for example, child care providers or teachers.
Sources: “Aboriginal Children's Survey: Family, community and child care”, The Daily, Wednesday, October 29, 2008; First Nations Children Under Six Years Old Living Off Reserve; Inuit Children Under Six Years Old; Métis Children Under Six Years Old.
Adult children care for parents
Eventually there comes a time when it is an adult child’s turn to care for an aging parent.
2.7 million — The number of Canadians aged 45 and over in 2007 who provided some form of unpaid care to seniors (65+) with long-term health problems.
Source: “Study: Caring for seniors,” The Daily, Tuesday, October 21, 2008.
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