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New census data shows single parent families on the rise in NB

Aug 3, 2017 | 2:00 PM

The percentage of two parent families with children continues to drop, while single parent families have risen in North Battleford, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

Stats Canada has released more information yesterday from the 2016 census regarding household, marital, status, families and language.

Two parent families with children in N.B. has dropped one per cent over the last three censuses and now sits at 20.6 per cent. One parent families with children are on the rise at a slightly slower rate, rising from 11.8 per cent in 2006 to 12.6 per cent in 2016.

According to the findings, 52.4 percent of the total population in the area of 15-years-old and over were either married (43.6 per cent) or living with a common-law partner (8.8 per cent). Marriage is still the more popular choice for couples in the city, especially when compared the rest of the province, where 16.3 per cent of couples indentify as common-law, which is still lower than the Canadian average of 21.3 per cent. However, almost 30 per cent of people identified as being single in N.B.

According to the statistics, males seem to be less likely to stick around the city after divorce, as 310 men identified as divorced in the city, while the number of divorced women rose to 510 amongst females. The biggest separation came in those who identify as widowed; where 725 women took that stance, compared 160 males.

The census added 300 people speak an Aboriginal language in the city, even though 4,160 residents identified as Aboriginal on the census. Another 285 said they spoke a Cree language.  

 

greg.higgins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @realgreghiggins