General Social Survey, Cycle 25: Family, 2011 Public Use Microdata Files

This package was designed to enable users to access and manipulate the microdata file for Cycle 25 (2011) of the General Social Survey (GSS). It contains information on the objectives, methodology and estimation procedures, as well as guidelines for releasing estimates based on the survey.

Cycle 25 collected data from persons 15 years and over living in private households in Canada, excluding residents of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut; and full-time residents of institutions.

For the fifth time, in 2011, the General Social Survey (GSS) collected detailed information on families in Canada. Previous GSS surveys on this topic were conducted in 1990, 1995, 2001 and 2006. The 2011 survey updated most of the information collected in previous surveys, including leaving the family home, conjugal history (marriages, common-law unions, separations and divorces), children (biological, adopted or step), maternity and parental leave, childcare arrangements, intentions to form (or re-form) a union, fertility intentions, custody and financial support agreements and work history. As in all GSS surveys, data were also collected on the respondent's main activity, education and other socio-demographic characteristics. The 2011 GSS data can be used for cross-sectional and retrospective analyses (i.e. tracking the different family histories and trajectories followed by men and women).