2006 Census Topic-based tabulations
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Family Income (7) and Economic Family Structure (4) for the Economic Families in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 2005 - 20% Sample Data
About this variable: Economic family structure (4)
Definition
No definition is available for this variable.
Values
- Total - All economic families Footnote 1
- Couple families Footnote 2
- Lone parent families Footnote 3
- Female lone-parent families
Footnotes
- Footnote 1
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Economic family - Refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption.
The economic family concept requires only that family members be related by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption. By contrast, the census family concept requires that family members be either a male or female spouse, a male or female common-law partner, a male or female lone parent, or a child with a parent present. The concept of economic family may therefore refer to a larger group of persons than does the census family concept. For example, a widowed mother living with her married son and daughter-in-law would be treated as a non-family person under the definition of a census family. That same person would, however, be counted as a member of an economic family along with her son and daughter-in-law. Two or more related census families living together also constitute one economic family as, for example, a man and his wife living with their married son and daughter-in-law. Two or more brothers or sisters living together, apart from their parents, will form an economic family, but not a census family, since they do not meet the requirements for the latter. All census family persons are economic family persons. For 2006, foster children are considered economic family members.
The economic family and its associated classifications and variables are derived according to the responses to the questions on sex, date of birth, marital status, common law status, and relationship to Person 1. In addition, consideration is given to the order in which household members are listed on the questionnaire.
As of 1971, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.
Prior to 2001, economic families were defined in Hutterite collective households as well.
Note that as of 2001, same-sex partners are considered to be common-law partners. Thus they are considered related and members of the same economic family.
Economic family structure - Refers to the classification of economic families into those of couple families, lone-parent families and other economic families.
Couple families are those in which a member of either a married or common-law couple is the economic family reference person.
Lone-parent families are those in which either a male or female lone parent is the economic family reference person.
All other economic families are those in which the economic family reference person is a person not in a census family. - Footnote 2
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Includes husband-wife, opposite-sex and same-sex married and common-law couple families.
- Footnote 3
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Refers to economic families where either a male or female lone parent is the economic family reference person.