Family matters: Being married or common-law in Canada

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Release date: May 1, 2019
More Information PDF version
Family matters: Being married or common-law in Canada
Description: Family matters: Being married or common-law in Canada

Family matters: Being married or common-law in Canada

In 2017, more than 7 in 10 adults in CanadaFootnote 1 aged 25 to 64 were married or common-law.

Married

  • 11 million people
  • 56% of adults aged 25 to 64
  • 18 years on average

Common-law

  • 3 million people
  • 15% of adults aged 25 to 64
  • 10 years on average

Average age at start of current marriage:

  • Women: 28
  • Men: 30

Average age at start of current common-law union:

  • Women: 31
  • Men: 32

Nearly 4 in 10 of those currently married had cohabited with their current spouse before marriage, on average for a period of 4 years.

Being married was more common among the foreign born:

  • Foreign born: 69%
  • Canadian Born: 51%

Living common-law was less likely among the foreign born:

  • Foreign born: 7%
  • Canadian Born: 18%

People in Quebec were by far the most likely to be living in a common-law relationship.

Percentage of 25-to 64-year-olds in a common-law union by region:
Percent
Atlantic Canada 15
Quebec 31
Ontario 10
Prairie provinces 9
British Columbia 11

Note: Data for same-sex couples could not be released from the GSS for marriage and common-law status separately. For more information on same-sex couples, refer to: Same-sex couples in Canada in 2016

Source: General Social Survey (Families), 2017.

More information

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2019

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Date modified: