Earnings and Incomes of Canadians Over the Past Quarter Century, 2006 Census: Incomes of families

Income gap shrinking slightly between lone-parent mothers and fathers

In 2006, the number of lone-parent families headed by women increased by 84.7% from 25 years earlier, to reach the one-million mark for the first time.

The 2006 Census also showed that 248,900 lone-parent families were headed by men, more than double (+110%) the number in 1981.

Census data showed that the income gap between these two types of families narrowed slightly during the past 25 years.

The median income for lone-parent mothers in 2005 amounted to $36,765, still the lowest of all the major economic family types. However, this was 26.4% higher than it was in 1980.

In contrast, the median income for lone-parent fathers declined 4.1% during this 25-year period, to $51,974 in 2005, narrowing the gap with their female counterparts.

On the other hand, the gap in median incomes between couples with children and male lone‑parent families increased substantially. For every $100 in income received by couples with children in 1980, male lone-parent families received $79. By 2005, this sum had declined to $62.

Among lone-parent families headed by women, the gap was larger and had shifted only slightly over the past 25 years. For every $100 in income received by couples with children in 1980, female lone-parent families got only $43; by 2005, they were receiving $44.

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