A recently released report indicates that marriage and fertility rates in Canada are on the decline.
According to the report from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), the number of adults aged 45 and under who are single and have never been married has significantly increased since 2001. The decline in marriage rates directly impacts fertility, with more and more women delaying or forgoing childbirth, resulting in Canada hitting a historical low in its fertility rate.
Despite the increasing number of single adults, the study found that marriage has many benefits for both men and women, benefiting not only the spouses but also their offspring.
Report author Tim Sargent wrote, “Married individuals tend to have longer lifespans and stronger mental health and sense of happiness compared to unmarried individuals (even those in cohabiting relationships).”
Sargent mentioned that even taking into account government benefits and child support, children from two-parent households tend to have a much higher standard of living than those from single-parent households. Children raised by both parents often “fare much better” than those raised by single parents or stepparents.
“Despite these advantages, the number of people getting married or cohabiting in Canada is decreasing, and consequently, the number of children they are having is also declining,” he said.
The study found that the rate of married adults aged 20 and above has declined from 54% in 2001 to 47.4% in 2021. While cohabitation rates increased by 3%, it was not enough to offset the decline in marriage rates.
The proportion of all adult population who are either married or in cohabiting relationships also decreased, from 64.1% in 2001 to 60.8% in 2021. The report stated that this decrease cannot be attributed to divorce or widowhood but rather to the increasing number of single adults.
By 2021, over half of young people aged 25 to 29 were single and have never been married.
In older age groups, the proportion of individuals who have never been married also notably increased. The percentage of unmarried adults aged 35 to 39 rose from 17.2% to 23%, while for those aged 40 to 44, it increased from 12.9% to 18.5%.
As marriage and cohabitation rates decrease, fertility rates also decline.
Canada’s fertility rate is currently at its historical low, significantly lower than that of the United States and the United Kingdom, ranking as the third lowest in the Group of Seven countries. Canada’s fertility rate decreased from 1.6 births per woman in 2016 to 1.3 births per woman in 2022.
The report suggests that the increasing number of single individuals has implications for Canada’s fertility rate and overall fiscal situation, as the lower fertility rate will ultimately impact population growth and overall productivity.