Data sources, methods and definitions
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This paper uses data from the censuses of population and from the 2011 General Social Survey (GSS). Data are analyzed for the senior population 65 years of age in private households (except the data on seniors in collective dwellings) and, for some analyses, the future senior population of 55- to- 64-year olds. The 2011 Census counted 4.6 million seniors in private households, of whom 2.8 million were in a couple. An additional 4.3 million people were aged 55 to 64, of whom 3.2 million were in a couple. GSS data are based on a target population aged 15 and over living in the 10 provinces. In this study, a subpopulation aged 55 and over was selected, yielding a sample of just over 10,000 respondents. Data were collected from February to November 2011 with a focus on family aspects, including conjugal history. Interviews were conducted by telephone. Respondents were selected using a random-digit-dialing sampling method.
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