THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA - The institution of marriage is on the decline in Fredericton, according to new census data that offers fresh insight
into the complex composition of modern-day Canadian families.
The latest information from the 2011 census, released Wednesday by Statistics Canada, reveals the many different ways Canadians live together as a family unit: married, common-law, same-sex, with or without children and -- tracked for the first time -- in Brady Bunch-style stepfamilies.
When the census was taken in May 2011, there were 15,430 families in Fredericton. Statistics Canada defines a ocensus family” as being composed of a married or common-law couple, including those with children, or of a lone parent living with at least one child in the same household.
Married couples - those with and without children - make up 67.9 per cent of families in Fredericton. ThatIs a decrease from the last census taken in 2006 when 68.7 per cent of couples were married. Common-law couples make up 15.6 per cent of the families, up from 2006.
Across Canada, the percentage of married couples has dropped over the last five years from 68.6 per cent to 67 per cent of all
families. Couples living together without being legally married make up 16.7 per cent of all families across the country, an increase from the 2006 census when it was 15.5 per cent.
The new census data shows some other interesting details about families in Fredericton: Stepfamilies - defined by Statistics Canada as couples living with one or more children where at least one child is the biological or adopted child of only one of the parents - represent 6.3 per cent of all families in Fredericton. This is the first time Statistics Canada has counted stepfamilies in a census. The percentage of people in Fredericton who are divorced is 8, up slightly from 7.9 per cent in 2006.
A total of 0.3 per cent of children under the age of 15 live with at least one grandparent instead of a parent.
16.6 per cent of families are headed by single parents: 13.7 per cent by single mothers and 2.9 per cent by fathers.
4.9 per cent of households have adult children aged 25 and over still living at home.
Statistics Canada reported Wednesday that it would not be releasing data on same-sex couples in geographic regions smaller than the countryIs major metropolitan areas because of concerns about the accuracy of the numbers in smaller communities. That means information about the same-sex population in Fredericton and its surrounding communities is not available for 2011, although it was released in 2006.
Here is a local breakdown of family structure information for some communities in the Fredericton area:
Community 2011 % 2006 % Canada N.B.
Fredericton
Total families 15,430 13,980 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.7 1.6 1.8 1.6
Married no children 5,495 35.6 4,710 33.7 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 4,970 32.2 4,905 35.1 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 1,625 10.5 1,460 10.4 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 770 5.0 580 4.1 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 2,120 13.7 1,975 14.1 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 445 2.9 355 2.5 327,545 7,450
Living alone 7,570 30.6 6,650 30.1 3,673,305 81,700
New Maryland
Total families 1,300 1,260 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.6
Married no children 445 34.2 415 32.9 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 635 48.8 660 52.4 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 50 3.8 35 2.8 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 50 3.8 45 3.6 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 95 7.3 100 7.9 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 30 2.3 10 0.8 327,545 7,450
Living alone 165 11.1 145 10.0 3,673,305 81,700
Oromocto
Total families 2,525 2,340 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.6
Married no children 630 25.0 525 22.4 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 1,035 41.0 1,095 46.8 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 275 10.9 265 11.3 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 290 11.5 190 8.1 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 220 8.7 230 9.8 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 75 3.0 35 1.5 327,545 7,450
Living alone 750 21.7 635 20.6 3,673,305 81,700
Harvey
Total families 105 95 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.6
Married no children 35 33.3 35 36.8 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 35 33.3 30 31.6 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 5 4.8 10 10.5 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 10 9.5 0 0.0 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 15 14.3 15 15.8 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 0 0.0 10 10.5 327,545 7,450
Living alone 45 31.0 45 30.0 3,673,305 81,700
McAdam
Total families 385 420 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.6
Married no children 180 46.8 175 41.7 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 115 29.9 155 36.9 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 20 5.2 10 2.4 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 25 6.5 25 6.0 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 35 9.1 65 15.5 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 10 2.6 0 0.0 327,545 7,450
Living alone 175 31.3 160 27.1 3,673,305 81,700
Nackawic
Total families 340 345 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.6
Married no children 155 45.6 160 46.4 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 95 27.9 80 23.2 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 20 5.9 30 8.7 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 15 4.4 15 4.3 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 45 13.2 50 14.5 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 0 0.0 0 0.0 327,545 7,450
Living alone 85 19.5 70 17.3 3,673,305 81,700
Fredericton Junction
Total families 215 200 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.6
Married no children 70 32.6 65 32.5 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 80 37.2 85 42.5 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 15 7.0 25 12.5 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 10 4.7 10 5.0 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 25 11.6 10 5.0 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 5 2.3 20 10.0 327,545 7,450
Living alone 70 24.6 65 24.1 3,673,305 81,700
Minto
Total families 770 795 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.6
Married no children 325 42.2 325 40.9 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 180 23.4 230 28.9 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 45 5.8 30 3.8 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 50 6.5 40 5.0 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 135 17.5 145 18.2 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 35 4.5 25 3.1 327,545 7,450
Living alone 340 30.4 355 30.7 3,673,305 81,700
Chipman
Total families 405 420 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.5 1.6 1.8 1.6
Married no children 210 51.9 200 47.6 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 80 19.8 105 25.0 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 30 7.4 30 7.1 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 15 3.7 0 0.0 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 60 14.8 75 17.9 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 10 2.5 10 2.4 327,545 7,450
Living alone 205 33.3 195 31.5 3,673,305 81,700
Gagetown
Total families 210 210 9,389,700 224,590
Average
children at home 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.6
Married no children 105 50.0 95 45.2 2,891,210 82,075
Married w/children 50 23.8 60 28.6 3,402,735 70,380
Common-law no children 15 7.1 15 7.1 861,350 20,160
Common-law w/children 15 7.1 10 4.8 706,555 15,785
Female lone parent 15 7.1 25 11.9 1,200,295 28,740
Male lone parent 0 0.0 10 4.8 327,545 7,450
Living alone 85 28.8 65 22.8 3,673,305 81,700