Family Matters

December 6, 2021, 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Two hands, belonging to people of different ages, reach out, holding each other.

For months, Canadians have adapted their social behaviours in response to the infectious nature of COVID-19. A survey conducted in June 2020 revealed that 91% of participants aged 25 to 64 reported being somewhat to extremely concerned about staying connected with family or friends during the pandemic.

In 2017, 19.6 million Canadians aged 25 to 64 years (81%) had at least one living biological or adoptive parent, of which 60% saw their mother regularly and 54% saw their father regularly. But the isolating reality of the COVID-19 pandemic has fostered feelings of loneliness or isolation for almost 38% of Canadians. With winter just around the corner, we are reminded of the warmth that our loved ones bring. As most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, one may expect that the proportion of Canadians visiting their parents this holiday season could return to pre-pandemic levels.

For further reading

Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian families and children (The Daily) (statcan.gc.ca)

Family matters: Family ties: How often do adult children see their parents? (infographic) (statcan.gc.ca)

Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health, September to December 2020 (The Daily) (statcan.gc.ca)

Contact information

For more information contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136514-283-8300infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).