Fresh numbers from the 2016 census show that more Canadians than ever are living alone, making the loner lifestyle the most common living arrangement for the first time in the country’s history.

Statistics Canada says just over 28 per cent of all households included just one person in 2016, supplanting couples with children as the dominant household setup, with just 26.5 per cent.

The census also says Canadian couples without kids grew in number at a faster pace than did couples with at least one child, leaving that demographic at 51.1 per cent of the population, the lowest level ever recorded.

The agency cites a number of social and economic factors, in particular an aging population that includes more empty nesters and widows, as well as higher divorce and separation rates.

Economic factors are also likely playing a significant role in another spike in the number of young adults living with their parents.

The numbers show that one in three young adults aged 20 to 34 was living with at least one parent in 2016, an increase of almost five percentage points between 2001 and 2016. During that same period, the percentage of young people living with families of their own declined to 41.9 per cent from 49.1 per cent.

Also released by Statistics Canada was data on languages. And more people than ever say they can speak both official languages.

The bilingualism rate in Canada hit 18 per cent last year, with two-thirds of the growth in the bilingual population emanating from Quebec, even though bilingualism increased in most provinces and territories.

More than 7.7 million people reported a mother tongue that was neither English nor French, with the Filipino language of Tagalog again leading the fastest-growing languages, along with Arabic, Farsi, Hindi and Urdu.

By far, more people reported speaking Mandarin and Cantonese than any other immigrant language, an increase due largely to the fact that 2016 was the first time the census asked for specific details about Chinese languages.

Statistics Canada also captured some 70 Indigenous languages, with high retention rates for eight main Aboriginal tongues spoken at home: Inuktitut, Atikamekw, Montagnais, Dene, Oji-Cree, Cree, Mi’kmaq, and Ojibway.

The census also identified growth in Indigenous languages beyond those raised with them. Nearly 229,000 people reported speaking such languages at home, even though only 213,230 people reported having an Indigenous mother tongue.

TIMMINS DATA
When it comes to living situations, most Timmins households include two people at 36.6 per cent. That comes in over the 28.8 per cent of households with just one person in it.

It also indicates that more local couples living together have no children. It’s a slim margin in that respect though, at 52.6 per cent to 47.4 per cent.

CLICK HERE to see the local data on living arrangements.

The data also tells us that more Timmins residents have learned both official languages.

In fact, just over 50 per cent can speak both English and French, while just 47.1 per cent speak English only.

CLICK HERE to see the local data on languages.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

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