Closing the gap? Assessing the labour market outcomes of unpartnered mothers in Canada

Description: Using data from the Labour Force Survey, this study assesses the degree to which employment and hourly wage rates of unpartnered mothers with young children have caught up to their partnered peers between 1997 and 2023. Focusing on mothers aged 18 to 49 with at least one child aged 5 or younger, the analysis examines differences between partnered (i.e., currently married or living common law) and unpartnered mothers, with disaggregation by unpartnered mothers who have never been married and those who were previously married. The study also examines employment and wage gaps by various diverse groups, such as the experiences of immigrant mothers, as well as Indigenous mothers.

Issue Number: 2024001