Family matters: Being separated or divorced and aged 55 or older

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Release date: June 12, 2019
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Family matters: Being separated or divorced and aged 55 or older
Description: Family matters: Being separated or divorced and aged 55 or older

Family matters: Being separated or divorced and aged 55 or older

Of the 11 million people aged 55 and older in Canada in 2017Footnote 1:

  • 1.1 million were currently separated or divorced from a marriage (10%)
  • 500,500 were currently separated from a common-law relationship (5%)

Among those separated or divorced:

  • 6 in 10 from first unionFootnote 2
  • 4 in 10 from second or subsequent union

Average age at last separation or divorce

  • Men: 47 years
  • Women: 45 years
Age group at last separation or divorceFootnote 3
  Men Women
34 and younger 16% 20%
35 to 44 years 28% 29%
45 to 54 years 29% 33%
55 years and older 26% 18%
Total 100% 100%

Average duration of:

  • last marriage: 19 years
  • last common-law union: 7 years

Women are more likely than men to be separated or divorced from a marriage

Previously married

Percentage of persons 55 and older separated or divorced from a marriage, by age group
  Men Women
55 to 59 years 9% 12%
60 to 64 years 7% 12%
65 to 69 years 10% 13%
70 to74 years 8% 15%
75 years and older 6% 11%

Previously common-law

Percentage of persons 55 and older separated from a common-law union, by age group
  Men Women
55 to 59 years 8% 6%
60 to 64 years 6% 7%
65 to 69 years 6% 4%
70 to74 years 2% 4%
75 years and older 1% 1%

Who is most likely to be separated or divorced and aged 55 and olderFootnote 3?

Percentage of persons 55 and older separated or divorced from a marriage, by birth place
  Percentage
Canadian born 15%
Foreign born 12%
Percentage of persons 55 and older separated or divorced from a marriage, by sex
  Percentage
Women 16%
Men 13%
Percentage of persons 55 and older separated or divorced from a marriage, by region of residence
  Percentage
Residents of Quebec 17%
British Columbia 15%
Ontario 14%
Prairie provinces 14%
Atlantic Canada 13%

Source: General Social Survey (Families), 2017.

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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

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

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

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