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Module 1

Children and Youth in Canada - The Context of their Lives

Children and youth make up a substantial portion of the Canadian population. They are a very diverse group – not only with regards to their culture, ethnicity, family structure, experiences – but also with regards to their living conditions and opportunities. There are numerous factors shaping the experiences of children and youth in Canada. In this module you will find population and demographic data describing who the children and youth are and where they live. As well, this module contains facts and figures presenting the diverse backgrounds of children and youth in Canada, their family life, economic security, education and health outcomes.

Section 1

The Children and Youth of Canada

Children and youth make up a significant part of the entire population and understanding their distribution and composition is important. This section presents the changing demographics of Canada’s children and youth including the growing Aboriginal population.

1.1 The Number of Children and Youth in Canada

1.1.1
Number of children and youth from birth to 24 years, by age group, Canada, 2000 and 2010
1.1.2
Proportion of the total population who were children and youth from birth to 24 years, by age group, Canada, 2000 and 2010
1.1.3
Children and youth from birth to age 24, as a proportion of the total population, by province and territory, 2010
1.1.4
Population pyramid, by age and sex, Canada, 2010

1.2 Aboriginal Children and Youth in Canada

1.2.5
Population reporting Aboriginal identity, by province and territory, 2006
1.2.6
Canada's Aboriginal population, by Aboriginal identity, 2006, Total = 1,172,795
1.2.7
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations by age group, as a proportion of their total populations, Canada, 2006
1.2.8
Population reporting First Nations identity, by province and territory, 2006
1.2.9
Population reporting Métis identity, by province and territory, 2006
1.2.10
Distribution of the Inuit population, by region, Canada, 2006, Total = 50,485
1.2.11
Number of children and youth 0 to 24 years reporting an Aboriginal identity, by province and territory, 2006
1.2.12
Percentage of the total population of children and youth 0 to 24 years reporting an Aboriginal identity, by province and territory, 2006
1.2.13
Distribution of children and youth reporting Aboriginal identity, by age group, Canada, 2006, Total = 560,895

1.3 Urban and Rural Composition

1.3.14
Percentage of the population living in urban centres, Canada, provinces and territories, 2006
1.3.15
Children and youth under 25 in select large urban areas, and as a proportion of the total population in each urban area, Canada, 2006

1.4 Language

1.4.16
Proportion of the Canadian population (all ages), by language spoken most often at home, 2006
1.4.17
Proportion of Canadian children under 25 years, by language spoken most often at home, 2006
1.4.18
Proportion of First Nations children and youth 2 to 24 years with an Aboriginal mother tongue, by Status and residence, on- vs. off-reserve, Canada, 2006
1.4.19
Proportion of Canadian children and youth under 25 years speaking only a non-official language most often at home, by province and territory, 2006
1.4.20
Top 10 non-official languages spoken at home by children and youth under age 25 years, Canada, 2006
1.4.21
Top three non-official languages spoken at home, children and youth 0 to 24, Canada, provinces and territories, 2006

1.5 Families Immigrating to Canada

1.5.22
Number of recent immigrants coming to Canada, by leading countries of origin, 2001 to 2006
1.5.23
Annual number of immigrants projected (2035/36) according to low, medium and high immigration, Canada, provinces and territories (thousands)
1.5.24
Proportion of children and youth under 25 years who have immigrated to Canada, by province and territory, 2006
1.5.25
Distribution of permanent Canadian residents under age 25, by region of origin, 2010, Total = 97,702
1.5.26
Number of permanent residents under age 25, by immigration class, and proportion of permanent residents in each immigration class, Canada, 2010
1.5.27
Total entries of children and youth under 25 who were refugee claimants, Canada, 2001 to 2010

1.6 Children and Families from Visible Minority groups

1.6.28
Visible minority population under age 25, by leading country of origin, Canada, 2006
1.6.29
Proportion of children and youth under 25 years who are a member of a visible minority group, by province and territory, 2006

1.7 Religion

1.7.30
Population of Canada, by religious affiliation, 2001
Section 2

Family Life

Family life in Canada is diverse. While the majority of children and youth live with two-parents, the structure of the family unit has changed over time. Family life and employment of family members has an impact on housing, food security and basic determinants of healthy child development. This section presents data on the structure of the family, an overview of living arrangements and the impact of work on family life.

2.1 Family Structure

2.1.1
Distribution of census families by family structure
2.1.2
Proportion of families with children living at home by family structure
2.1.3
Distribution of census families with children, by family structure
2.1.4
Distribution of children under 15 years by family structure
2.1.5
Number of children living at home per family by family structure
2.1.6
Distribution of couples by conjugal status
2.1.7
Number of lone-parent families by parent's gender
2.1.8
Distribution of fathers by family structure
2.1.9
Living arrangements of children under age six, by Aboriginal status
2.1.10
Persons involved in raising Aboriginal children under 6 years of age
2.1.11
Average family size by family structure

2.2 Work and Family

2.2.12
Unemployment rate
2.2.13
Unemployment rate, by age group
2.2.14
Employment status of labour force, age 15 to 24 years
2.2.15
Employment and unemployment rates, age 15 to 24 years, by Aboriginal identity, by province
2.2.16
Youth employment and unemployment rate, age 15 to 24 years, by Aboriginal identity
2.2.17
Employment rate of women with children by family status
2.2.18
Employment rate of mothers with youngest child under 16
2.2.19
Weekly hours of paid work among mothers and fathers living in couples with children
2.2.20
Weekly paid hours of mothers and fathers living in couples with children
2.2.21
Percent of employees working 50+hours/week and 35-39 hours/week
2.2.22
Percentage of Canadians aged 25 to 29 who have a university degree by parents' education
2.2.23
Percentage of Canadians aged 25 to 39 who have a university degree by parents' education
Section 3

Health Outcomes

Most children and youth in Canada live healthy lives, but some children and youth experience negative health outcomes. This section highlights causes of death, hospitalizations, injuries, disability, mental health, environmental health and lifestyle impacts; all areas pertaining to the health outcomes of Canadian children and youth.

3.1 Hospitalizations

3.1.1
Hospitalization rates for all causes, by age group and gender
3.1.2
Hospitalization rates for all causes, children 0 to 19 years, by gender
3.1.3
Hospitalization rates for all causes, children 0 to 19 years, by province and territory

3.2 Death

3.2.4
Death rates for all causes, by age group and gender
3.2.5
Death rates for all causes, children 0 to 19 years, by gender
3.2.6
Death rates for all causes, children 0 to 19 years, by province and territory

3.3 Unintentional Injury

3.3.7
Unintentional injury death rates, by age group and gender
3.3.8
Unintentional injury death rates, children 0 to 19 years, by gender

3.4 Disability

3.4.9
Youth 12 to 19 years who reported being limited in select activities
3.4.10
Children under 15 years with disabilities

3.5 Infant death

3.5.11
Infant death rates

3.6 Self-perceived Health

3.6.12
Children 12 to 19 years who perceived their health to be "very good" or "excellent"
3.6.13
Self-perceived health status of children 6 to 9 years, by gender
3.6.14
Parental rating of child's health as "very good" or "excellent", children 0 to 7 years

3.7 Environmental Health

3.7.15
Exposure to secondhand smoke at home, 12 to 19 years of age
3.7.16
Children 12 to 19 years who have been diagnosed by a health professional as having asthma

3.8 Mental Health

3.8.18
High depressive symptoms among parents of children 6 to 9 years, by gender
3.8.19
Children 2 to 5 years reported to have high symptoms of an emotional disorder
3.8.20
Suicide rates, youth 15 to 19 years of age, by gender

3.9 Healthy Active Living

3.9.21
Average daily step counts, by gender and age group
3.9.22
Youth 12 to 17 years who reported being overweight and obese, by gender
Section 4

Economic Inequities

This section presents an overview of the familial economic and employment situation across Canada. The percentage of Canadian children and youth living in poverty has decreased in recent decades, yet there are still many living in low-income households.

4.1 Poverty

4.1.1
Trends in child poverty, 1990–2010
4.1.2
Children in low income families, 2010

4.2 Income

4.2.1
Trend in median market income, 1990-2010
4.2.2
Median after-tax income, 2010
4.2.3
Trend in median after-tax income, 1990–2010
4.2.4
Median after-tax income, 2010
4.2.5
Average after-tax income, 1980–2010
4.2.6
Average after-tax income, 2010

4.3 Work

4.3.1
Unemployment rate, 1990–2011
4.3.2
Unemployment rate, 1990–2011
4.3.3
Unemployment rate, 2011
4.3.4
Employment rate, 1990–2010
4.3.5
Employment rate, 2011
4.3.6
Employment rate for women, 1990–2010
4.3.7
Employment rate, aged 15 to 24 years, Canada and provinces, 2011
4.3.8
Employment rate, 1976–2011

4.4 Household Expenditures

4.4.1
Percent of expenditures, 2010
4.4.2
Estimated cost of raising a child, 2011
4.4.3
Income and debt per household, 1990–2011

4.5 Food Security

4.5.1
Food bank users, 2011
4.5.2
Household food insecurity, 2007–08
Section 5

International Comparisons

It is important to look at how Canadian children and youth are doing compared to children and youth in other countries around the world. Comparisons help determine what Canada needs to do better regarding children’s health and well-being.

5.1 Economic Security

5.1.1
Child poverty, children 0 to 17 years of age, economically advanced countries, 2009
5.1.2
Public spending on family benefits in cash, services, and tax measures, in per cent GDP, 2007
5.1.3
World income inequality, Canada and select countries, late-2000s
5.1.4
Income inequality*, Canada and select countries, mid-90s and late-2000s

5.2 Gender Inequities

5.2.1
Gender Inequality Index*, G8† and select countries, 2011
5.2.2
Gender Inequality Index*, Canada and select countries, 1995, 2005, and 2011

5.3 Deaths

5.3.1
Death rates, children under 5 years of age*, G8† and selected countries, 2009
5.3.2
Deaths rates, 1980 to 2009
5.3.3
Maternal death rates, 2008
5.3.4
Infant death rates, 2012
5.3.5
Infant death rates, 1980–2011

5.4 Reproductive Health

5.4.1
Adolescent fertility rates, 2010
5.4.2
Adolescent fertility rates, 2000 to 2020

5.5 Health Issues

5.5.1
Children 5 to 17 years who are overweight (including obese)
5.5.2
International suicide rates of youth 15 to 24 years of age, Canada and other OECD countries
5.5.3
Children aged 11, 13, and 15 years doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily

5.6 Education

5.6.1
Percent of students at level 4 or above for combined reading sources, 2009

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