2006 Census Topic-based tabulations
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After-tax Family Income Groups (23), Economic Family Structure (9) and Economic Family Size (5) for the Economic Families in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2005 - 20% Sample Data
About this variable: Economic family size (5)
Definition
No definition is available for this variable.
Values
- Total - Economic family size Footnote 1
- Two persons
- Three persons
- Four persons
- Five or more persons
Footnotes
- Footnote 1
-
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.
For 2006, married spouses may be of opposite or same sex.
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.