The Families, Households and Marital Status census results were released by Statistics Canada today providing insight in changes occuring across, and within Canada.

The 2011 census found that for Canada approximately 47% of families had younger children (under 24) at home, a drop of approximately 3 % since the 2006 census. This decline in the percent of families with young children reflects the declining fertility, and the bulge in Canada's age distribution aging into the late 40s and early 50s ages. See Canada, Age Distribution, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 Census Counts

Figure 1. Change in Percent in Families without children at home, Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2006 to 2011

A comparison of the number of families with children living at home by Province and Territory, in 2011, show that the east coast and the west coast share similarites.

The families with the fewest children at home (under 24 years of age) relative to the total number of families are found in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island, all with over 55% of families with no children under 24 at home.

Figure 2. Percent of Families with Children at home

The provinces and territories with above average percent of families with younger children at home were Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, Northwest Territories, with Nunavut having by far the most families with younger children at home,

Source: Statistics Canada. 2012. Families and Households Highlight Tables. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-312-XWE2011002. Ottawa. released September 19,2012 at http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/fam/?Lang=E

Visit the Statistics Canada website: http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/index-eng.cfm