Family Matters: To have kids or not to have kids: That is the question!

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Release date: February 14, 2023
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Infographic: Family Matters: To have kids or not to have kids: That is the question!
Description: Family Matters: To have kids or not to have kids: That is the question!

For over a decade, the number of children per woman in Canada has been on a general downward trend, falling from 1.69 in 2009 to 1.43 in 2021.


Number of children per woman, 2007 to 2021, Canada
Table summary
This table displays the results of Number of children per woman. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Number of children per woman in Canada (appearing as column headers).
Year Number of children per woman in Canada
2007 1.67
2008 1.70
2009 1.69
2010 1.65
2011 1.63
2012 1.63
2013 1.61
2014 1.61
2015 1.60
2016 1.59
2017 1.55
2018 1.51
2019 1.47
2020 1.41
2021 1.43

Average number of children desired, 2022, Canada
Table summary
This table displays the results of Average number of children desired. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Average number of children desired , calculated using Confidence interval – Lower bound, Weighted mean value and Confidence interval – Upper bound units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Year Average number of children desired
Confidence interval – Lower bound Weighted mean value Confidence interval – Upper bound
2022 1.44 1.50 1.56

In 2022, more than a third of people aged 15 to 49 wanted two children, while one-third did not intend to have any. Overall, the average desired number of children was 1.50.Note 1


Proportion (%) of people aged 15 to 49 by the desired number of children, 2022, Canada
Table summary
This table displays the results of Proportion (%) of people aged 15 to 49 by the desired number of children. The information is grouped by People who intended to have... (appearing as row headers), Proportion (%) (appearing as column headers).
People who intendedNote 2 to have... Proportion (%)
No children 34%
1 child 12%
2 children 36%
3 children 14%
4 children or more 6%

The average number of children desired was higher among older people. The differences between age groups could be related to generational factors or variations in financial security.


Average number of children desired by age group, 2022, Canada
Table summary
This table displays the results of Average number of children desired by age group. The information is grouped by Age group (appearing as row headers), Desired number of children, calculated using Confidence interval – Lower bound, Weighted mean value and Confidence interval – Upper bound units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Age group Desired number of children
Confidence interval – Lower bound Weighted mean value Confidence interval – Upper bound
15 to 24 years 1.19 1.35 1.50
25 to 34 years 1.42 1.51 1.61
35 to 49 years 1.51 1.58 1.65

Among people aged 15 to 49 in 2022, 614,000 (2%) had at least one adopted child.


Proportion (%) of people aged 15 to 49 with one or more children
Table summary
This table displays the results of Proportion (%) of people aged 15 to 49 with one or more children. The information is grouped by Children by relationship type (appearing as row headers), Proportion (%) (appearing as column headers).
Children by relationship type Proportion (%)
Biological children 61%
Stepchildren 9%
Adopted children 2%

The proportion of women aged 50 and older who have no biological children is on the rise.


Proportion (%) of women aged 50 and older with no biological children
Table summary
This table displays the results of Proportion (%) of women aged 50 and older with no biological children. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Proportion (%) (appearing as column headers).
Year Proportion (%)
1990 14.1%
2001 14.1%
2006 14.4%
2011 15.3%
2017 16.3%
2022 17.4%

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Social Survey – Well-being and Family Relationships, 2022, Canadian Social Survey – COVID-19 and Well-being, 2021, General Social Survey, 1990, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2017, table 13-10-0418-01 – Crude birth rate, age-specific fertility rates and total fertility rate (live births).

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2023

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