Fewer married people and more singles and common law relationships were found during the 2021 census throughout the central Island. (Dreamstime)

By Alex Rawnsley

CENSUS COUNT

Fewer marriages, more group living revealed in Nanaimo through latest Census data dump

Jul 14, 2022 | 12:22 PM

NANAIMO — The region’s relationship status appears to be changing to ‘it’s complicated.

The third data dump from Statistics Canada on the 2021 Census showed a noticeable skew for people in the Nanaimo region away from marriage.

Of homes surveyed on last May’s census day in the City of Nanaimo, 42.9 per cent were married which is down nearly two per cent from five years prior. A similar drop was noted in the Regional District, going from 49.2 per cent to 47.4 per cent.

Common law relationships however were more popular, rising roughly a percentage point in both the City and RDN while the percentage of people who were not married also increased by one per cent.

The shift in relationship makeup was also reflected in the various living situations across the central Island.

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Fewer private homes occupied by two, three or four people were noted, instead making way for more single-person living arrangements which were up around half a per cent.

The number of people living in a home with five or more people in it also rose to 6.06 per cent in Nanaimo, up from 5.57 in 2016. The RDN showed a slightly smaller increase.

Across Canada, 4.4 million people lived alone in 2021, up from 1.7 million in 1981. Roughly 15 per cent of all adults aged 15 and older lived alone in 2021, the highest share on record.

Despite the changes in living arrangements, the good news from the latest Census data came in the form of income.

The percentage of people living in a private home without income dropped across the board, from 3.14 per cent in Nanaimo in 2016 to 2.01 per cent last year.

Residents without income in the RDN also dropped from 2.88 per cent to 2.17.

Experts believe the numbers were at least in part influenced by COVID-19-related government benefits such as CERB.

Nationally, more than 20.7 million people received at least some financial support from the government, including 16.9 million who received top-ups from existing programs.

In total, 8.4 million received benefits specifically designed to respond to COVID-19, the agency reported.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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