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This topic provides information on families and households in Canada. The 2001 Census data show that the diversification of family and household settings continues, and that the trends have an impact on all Canadians, including children, young adults and seniors. Several indicators are used to highlight provincial and territorial differences.

This series includes a number of comprehensive articles that supplement the day-of-release information launched through The Daily. These catalogued articles provide an analytical perspective on the 2001 Census release topics. The number and length of these articles vary for each census release and are based on the 21 census release topics disseminated over 8 major release dates.

More focused articles were disseminated as major releases in The Dailyin the weeks following the official release of the data. Other more specialized articles were also announced in The Daily. The articles in the 2001 Census Analysis Series are available free of charge via the Internet.

From February to December 2001, cycle 15 of the General Social Survey (GSS) collected data about the family. Data were gathered from 24,310 persons aged 15 and older and living in a private household in one of 10 Canadian provinces. The cycle focused on information about the respondent's family: family origins; marital history; common-law unions; fertility intentions; biological, adopted and stepchildren; and departure from the parental home. The GSS also gathered data on the respondent's domestic situation at the time of the survey.

The increasing popularity of common-law unions is transforming family life in Canada, according to new data from the 2001 General Social Survey. Over the past 30 years, common-law unions have become more and more popular, especially in Quebec and among younger women in other provinces.

Although younger women are more likely to start their conjugal life by living common law, most will eventually marry. First common-law unions are twice as likely to end in separation as first marriages. What is more, a growing proportion of women have experienced at least two unions, and the likelihood of choosing a common-law relationship over marriage for the second union is also increasing. The analysis shows that the trends observed in the formation and break-up of unions apply equally to men and women. Since men are on average older than women when they start their conjugal life, they tend to experience the events at an older age.

The new product entitled "2001 Census Standard Products Stubsets" provides detailed information about all census variables, by category. It is released on the Internet only.

This series includes six general reference products: Preview of Products and Services, Census Dictionary, Catalogue, Standard Products Stubsets, Census Handbook and Technical Reports.

Current trends in marriage and fertility patterns suggest that young Canadian women are delaying family formation and concentrating on developing their careers. Using data from the 1998 Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, this study provides Canadian evidence on the effect of marital status and parenthood status on the wage rates of Canadian women. As well, this paper attempts to determine whether decisions regarding the timing of family formation influence the wages of women and whether these decisions have a permanent or temporary impact on earnings. The main results of the paper are as follows.

After controlling for differences in work history, labour force qualifications and selected job characteristics, the cross sectional analysis suggests that there is no association between marital status and wages while the evidence on the relationship between wages and motherhood is mixed.

When controls for years with children were included, there is a positive association of motherhood with wages that persists in the early years of motherhood but declines as the number of years with children lengthens. These results support the specialization, selection, differential treatment by employers and the work effort explanations for differences in the wages of mothers relative to other women. There is no such finding for married women and the duration of marriage.

It is a well-documented fact that the acquisition of job-related skills and significant wage growth is concentrated at the start of workers' careers - which generally coincides with decisions regarding marriage and children. If this is the case, then the timing of marriage and children may be considered proxies for omitted, unobserved characteristics, related to human capital skills, differentiated work history or labour force attachment. Conforming to theoretical expectations when the timing of children is taken into account, women that postpone having children earn at least 6.0% more than women who have children early. There is no significant association between the timing of marriage and wages.

The observed relationship between women's wages and their decision to delay having children tends to persist after the birth of their first child but tends to decline over time. Thus, augmented family responsibilities will tend to reduce any initial wage differentials based on delays of assuming these responsibilities.

From February to December 2001, cycle 15 of the General Social Survey (GSS) collected data about the family. Data were gathered from 24,310 persons aged 15 and older and living in a private household in one of 10 Canadian provinces. The cycle focused on information about the respondent's family: family origins; marital history; common-law unions; fertility intentions; biological, adopted and stepchildren; and departure from the parental home. The GSS also gathered data on the respondent's domestic situation at the time of the survey.

This topic provides information on families and households in Canada. The 2001 Census data show that the diversification of family and household settings continues, and that the trends have an impact on all Canadians, including children, young adults and seniors. Several indicators are used to highlight provincial and territorial differences.

This series includes a number of comprehensive articles that supplement the day-of-release information launched through The Daily. These catalogued articles provide an analytical perspective on the 2001 Census release topics. The number and length of these articles vary for each census release and are based on the 21 census release topics disseminated over 8 major release dates.

More focused articles were disseminated as major releases in The Dailyin the weeks following the official release of the data. Other more specialized articles were also announced in The Daily. The articles in the 2001 Census Analysis Series are available free of charge via the Internet.

The increasing popularity of common-law unions is transforming family life in Canada, according to new data from the 2001 General Social Survey. Over the past 30 years, common-law unions have become more and more popular, especially in Quebec and among younger women in other provinces.

Although younger women are more likely to start their conjugal life by living common law, most will eventually marry. First common-law unions are twice as likely to end in separation as first marriages. What is more, a growing proportion of women have experienced at least two unions, and the likelihood of choosing a common-law relationship over marriage for the second union is also increasing. The analysis shows that the trends observed in the formation and break-up of unions apply equally to men and women. Since men are on average older than women when they start their conjugal life, they tend to experience the events at an older age.

Current trends in marriage and fertility patterns suggest that young Canadian women are delaying family formation and concentrating on developing their careers. Using data from the 1998 Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, this study provides Canadian evidence on the effect of marital status and parenthood status on the wage rates of Canadian women. As well, this paper attempts to determine whether decisions regarding the timing of family formation influence the wages of women and whether these decisions have a permanent or temporary impact on earnings. The main results of the paper are as follows.

After controlling for differences in work history, labour force qualifications and selected job characteristics, the cross sectional analysis suggests that there is no association between marital status and wages while the evidence on the relationship between wages and motherhood is mixed.

When controls for years with children were included, there is a positive association of motherhood with wages that persists in the early years of motherhood but declines as the number of years with children lengthens. These results support the specialization, selection, differential treatment by employers and the work effort explanations for differences in the wages of mothers relative to other women. There is no such finding for married women and the duration of marriage.

It is a well-documented fact that the acquisition of job-related skills and significant wage growth is concentrated at the start of workers' careers - which generally coincides with decisions regarding marriage and children. If this is the case, then the timing of marriage and children may be considered proxies for omitted, unobserved characteristics, related to human capital skills, differentiated work history or labour force attachment. Conforming to theoretical expectations when the timing of children is taken into account, women that postpone having children earn at least 6.0% more than women who have children early. There is no significant association between the timing of marriage and wages.

The observed relationship between women's wages and their decision to delay having children tends to persist after the birth of their first child but tends to decline over time. Thus, augmented family responsibilities will tend to reduce any initial wage differentials based on delays of assuming these responsibilities.

The new product entitled "2001 Census Standard Products Stubsets" provides detailed information about all census variables, by category. It is released on the Internet only.

This series includes six general reference products: Preview of Products and Services, Census Dictionary, Catalogue, Standard Products Stubsets, Census Handbook and Technical Reports.