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Father's Day... by the numbers
2012
Father’s Day is June 17.
Here are some selected facts on fathers in Canada.
(Last updated: June 8, 2012.)
For information on mothers, see the Media Room feature Mother’s Day... by the numbers (2012).
Fathers in Canada
8.1 million — The total number of fathers in Canada (including biological, adoptive and step fathers) in 2006.
3.7 million — The number of fathers in Canada with children under 18 living with them (including biological, adoptive and step fathers) in 2006.
Source: General Social Survey - Family, 2006 (Cycle 20).
Stay-at-home parents
In 2011, there were 2.7 million couples with at least one child under age 16 at home.
While the majority of these families were dual-earners, one in five (501,000) had one employed parent and one stay-at-home parent.
88% — The proportion of two-parent families in Canada where it was the woman who stayed home in 2011 (440,000 families).
12% — The proportion of two-parent families in Canada where it was the man who stayed home in 2011 (61,000 families).
| Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 1986 | 1996 | 2006 | 2011 | |
| % | |||||
Father earner, stay-at-home mother |
99 |
96 |
93 |
90 |
88 |
Mother earner, stay-at-home father |
1 |
4 |
7 |
10 |
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dual earners |
36 |
53 |
61 |
68 |
68 |
Single earners |
59 |
41 |
32 |
28 |
28 |
Source: Unpublished data from the Labour Force Survey.
Step parents
About 41,700 — The number of children aged 1 to 7 who lived with their biological mother and stepfather in 2010.
About 7,200 — The number of children aged 1 to 7 who lived with their biological father and stepmother in 2010.
Source: Survey of Young Canadians, 2010/2011.
Average age of fathers on the rise
41.6 — The average age of fathers in 2006.
39.8 — The average age of fathers in 1995.
29.1 — The average age of fathers at the time of their entry into fatherhood in 2006.
27.8 — The average age of fathers at the time of their entry into fatherhood in 1995.
The increase in the average age of fathers at the time of their entry into fatherhood follows the upward trend in the average age of women at the time of the birth of their first child.
Source: “Making fathers count,” Canadian Social Trends, Winter 2010 edition.
Parental leave (updated)
13% — The proportion of eligible fathers outside Quebec who claimed or planned to claim paid parental leave benefits for the birth or adoption of a child in 2010. This was up from 9% in 2004.
84% — The proportion of eligible fathers in Quebec who claimed or planned to claim paid paternity or parental leave benefits for the birth or adoption of a child in 2010. This was up from 22% in 2004.
14 — The average number of paid benefit weeks fathers outside Quebec claimed or planned to claim in 2010.
7 — The average number of paid benefit weeks fathers in Quebec claimed or planned to claim in 2010.
Source: Unpublished data from the Employment Insurance Coverage Survey.
See also: “Fathers' use of paid parental leave,” Perspectives on Labour and Income, June 2008; Navigating Family Transitions: Evidence from the General Social Survey.
Larger proportion of fathers living common-law
18% — The proportion of fathers in Canada who were living in a common-law union in 2006.
13% — The proportion of fathers in Canada who were living in a common-law union in 1995.
Source: “Making fathers count,” Canadian Social Trends, Winter 2010 edition.
Lone parents
20% — The proportion of lone-parent families headed by men in 2006.
80% — The proportion of lone-parent families headed by women in 2006.
1.4 million — The total number of lone-parent families in 2006.
Source: 2006 Census, Family Portrait: Continuity and Change in Canadian Families and Households in 2006: Findings.
Shared custody increasingly common
Fathers whose children lived with them part-time were more common than fathers whose children did not live with them.
11% — The proportion of fathers who had at least one child living part-time in their household in 2006.
5% — The proportion of fathers who did not have any of their children living in their household in 2006.
For comparison, in 1995, 8% of fathers had at least one child living under their roof part-time, and 7% did not have any children living with them.
Source: “Making fathers count,” Canadian Social Trends, Winter 2010 edition.
Adoptions
About 13,100 — The number of children aged 1 to 7 who lived with adoptive parents in 2010.
603,743 — The number of people in Canada who reported in 2006 that they had adopted children.
Source: Survey of Young Canadians, 2010/2011; General Social Survey - Family, 2006.
See also: Navigating Family Transitions: Evidence from the General Social Survey.
Time with the family
379 minutes — The amount of time men spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 2010.
345 minutes — The amount of time men spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 2005.
360 minutes — The amount of time men spent with their family members during a work day, on average, in 1986.
Source: General Social Survey - Time Use, 2010 (Cycle 24)
Helping with housework
81% — The participation rate of men in housework and related activities in 2010.
77% — The participation rate of men in housework and related activities in 2005.
Source: General Social Survey - Time Use, 2010 (Cycle 24)
See also: General Social Survey – 2010: Overview of the Time Use of Canadians
Keeping in touch
Dads who remain closely involved with their children in the first few months following separation have a much greater chance of remaining involved with their kids later on.
Source: “Study: Frequency of contact between separated fathers and their children,” The Daily, Monday, October 29, 2007.
For more information about this page or for help finding more data, contact Media Relations.
See features on many other subjects in Previous releases of By the numbers.
