Katherine Scott, program director of the Vanier Institute, published Families Count, a 200-page report. Findings suggest that there is no such thing as the typical Canadian family.
The document, based on 2006 census data, indicates the number of legally married Canadians has been declining, with about 48 per cent of adults reporting they were legally married that year.
Two decades ago, 80 per cent of children under age 15 were living with parents who were legally married, but by 2006 that figure had dropped to just below 66 per cent.
Single-parent, step-parent-blended, same-sex or common-law — the country’s modern family comes in all shapes and sizes and is constantly shifting its makeup.
Common-law unions are the fastest-growing type of family, rising to 15.1 per cent of all families in 2006 from 5.6 per cent in 1981, says the report.
Katherine Scott’s team found there are more couples without children in Canada than those with children — and married couples with kids now represent a minority in all provinces and territories.