Several European countries, Australia, and the United States have published percentages of same‑sex couples in their countries for the last several years. The average age of these individuals was 46.4 years, which is 5 years less than that of individuals in opposite‑sex couples (51.6 years). In 2016, the 145,765 individuals in a same‑sex marriage or common‑law partnership represented 0.5% of all adults aged 15 and older living in private households in Canada. For example, 55.5% of same‑sex couples were male and 44.5% were female in 2001. This difference has gradually narrowed with each census. There were slightly more male (51.9%) than female (48.1%) same‑sex couples in Canada in 2016. In 2016, same‑sex couples represented 0.9% of all couples in Canada (see Text box 1 for international comparisons). Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2001, 2006, 20. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Married and Common‑law, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 1. In comparison, the number of opposite‑sex couples increased by 9.6% from 2006 to 2016. Over the 10 years from 2006 to 2016, it increased by 60.7%. From 2011 to 2016, the number of same‑sex couples rose by 12.9%, to 72,880 couples. Since 2001, the number of same‑sex couples in Canada has grown considerably. Nearly 1% of all couples in Canada are same‑sex couples The rich set of socioeconomic characteristics collected by the Census of Population can be used by policy makers, employers, health care service providers, and others to evaluate and meet the needs of all couples and their children in Canada. In 2005, marriage became legal for same‑sex couples across Canada, Note 1 and in the following censuses, in 2006, 20, both married and common‑law same‑sex couples were enumerated.Ĭensus data about the number of same‑sex couples in Canada and their characteristics-such as whether they are married or living common law, whether they are raising children or not, and where they live-can shed light on an aspect of inclusiveness in Canadian society. In 2001, the census first counted same‑sex couples living together in common‑law unions. The Census of Population provides important information on small population groups with diverse characteristics. The Daily as reported on August 2, 2017.Several changes were later made to the blood donation regime until deferral periods for donations by gay men were lowered from a lifetime ban to three months in 2019. The policy began in 1992 as an outright ban on gay men donating blood following a tainted blood scandal. The agency says asking about sexual behavior rather than sexual orientation will allow it to more reliably assess the risk of infections such as HIV.Ĭatherine Lewis, a spokeswoman for Canadian Blood Services, said the criteria change is “science-informed“ and allows the agency to be more inclusive about who can donate while still ensuring a safe blood supply. If they have, they will need to wait three months after such activity before donating blood. Those who say yes will be asked if they have engaged in higher-sisk sex. 30, potential donors will be asked if they have had new or multiple sexual partners in the last previous months, no matter their gender or sexual orientation. The blood service asked Health Canada to allow it to scrap questions about gender or sexuality, and instead base screening on higher-risk sexual behavior such as anal sex.
Health Canada approved the request by Canadian Blood Services to end the policy that restricts homosexuals from donating blood for three months after engaging in gay sex. Trudeau said his government spent C$5 million dollars (US$3.9 million) on research into the safety aspects of changing the blood donation rules and multiple scientific reports showed “our blood supply will continue to be safe.” Trudeau said at a news conference the ban should have ended 10 to 15 years ago, but research proving it would not affect the safety of the blood supply had not been done by previous governments. OTTAWA (AP) - Health Canada on Thursday lifted restrictions on gay men donating blood, a move Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said was “good news for all Canadians” but had taken too long.