Religious observance, marriage and family

1995

Canadians who attend religious services every week report having happier, less stressful lives and happier relationships with their partners than those who do not attend services at all. Weekly attenders of religious services also placed greater importance on marriage and family than those who did not attend. While religion may be a source of conflict in some relationships, it seems that regular attendance at religious services is related to happier marriages. The odds of having a very happy marital relationship were 1.5 times greater for people who attended religious services weekly than for those who did not attend at all (after accounting for differences in age, education, income, religion, province, employment status and the decade when the marriage began).

Accounting for similar socio-demographic factors, the odds of a marriage dissolving for those attending religious services every week were less than half of those who never attended. For example, among people who married in the 1970s, 16% of the marriages of those who attended religious services weekly did not last 15 years compared with 34% of non-attenders' marriages.

Those who attend religious services weekly were more likely to want to keep the family together

About 57% of people who attended religious services weekly reported that they would stay married for the sake of the children compared with 36% of those who did not attend religious services.

Weekly attenders were less likely to view lack of love and respect, and a partner's drinking too much as sufficient grounds for divorce. However, religious people were just as unwilling to forgive a spouse's unfaithful behaviour as those who did not attend religious services.

Note to readers

This release is based on an article in Canadian social trends, available today.

The article uses data from the 1995 General Social Survey (GSS) to examine the relationship between attendance at religious services and people's health, well-being and attitudes toward marriage and family and people's marital longevity. The 1995 GSS collected data about family history and social support, as well as attitudes toward such issues as work and family. The survey interviewed about 10,000 people aged 15 and over living in private households in the 10 provinces, representing over 23 million people. Other data from the 1995 GSS have already been released.

Respondents rated factors important to their happiness using a four-point scale, with zero meaning not at all important and three meaning very important. Similarly, attitudes toward men's and women's roles in the family and at work were measured using a five-point scale from strongly disagree (0) to strongly agree (4). Average scores of responses for these scales were calculated for various sub-groups of the adult population (e.g., men, women, those who attend religious services every week). When comparing scores between sub-groups, a group having a higher score than another group places more importance on a factor contributing to happiness or has stronger agreement with a statement on male or female roles.

Table: Percent who agree that the following are sufficient reasons to split
up a marriage or common-law relationship
1995
______________________________________________________________________________
Reasons                         Attended            Never    
                               religious         attended    
                                services        religious    
                                  weekly         services    
                                                last year    
______________________________________________________________________________

                            (% of population age 15 and      
                                       over)                 
                           ______________________________    
                                                             
Abusive behaviour                     92               96    
Unfaithful behaviour                  86(1)            88(1) 
Lack of love and       
  respect                             76               92    
Partner drinks too much               68               75    

______________________________________________________________________________


(1)  Difference not statistically significant.

Marriage and family are more important to weekly attenders

Being married and having children was more important to those who attended religious services every week than non-attenders. On a four-point scale measuring the importance of marriage, weekly attenders scored 2.4 versus 1.8 for non-attenders. Similarly, measuring the importance of having at least one child, weekly attenders scored 2.3 versus 2.0 for non-attenders.

Those who attended religious services every week were more likely to agree with the statement that "a job is alright but what women really want is a home and children" than those who never attended. On a five-point scale measuring the level of agreement with this statement, weekly attenders scored 2.3 while non-attenders scored 1.9.

On other issues, however, the attitudes of weekly attenders and non-attenders were alike. Both had similar opinions that men and women should contribute to the household income and both groups generally agreed that men should share in raising the children. Both also viewed having a lasting relationship as important to their happiness.

Some of the difference between attenders and non-attenders was due to age differences between the two groups. Young people have different values than older individuals and were less likely to attend religious services regularly. Nevertheless, most differences remained statistically significant after accounting for age.

The Autumn 1998 issue of Canadian social trends (11-008-XPE, $11/$36) is now available. See How to order publications.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Warren Clark (613-951-2560), Housing, Family and Social Statistics Division.

Employer-sponsored pension plans

First quarter 1998

The market value of assets in trusteed pension funds, a key source of retirement income for many Canadians, surpassed the half-trillion dollar mark during the first three months of 1998, riding the strength of financial markets. Total assets grew an impressive 8.1% in the first quarter, pushing this form of household wealth to $506 billion. This represents an average value of just over $130,000 for each of the 3.8 million members covered by these funds.

The net income (revenues minus expenditures) of trusteed pension funds for the first quarter of 1998 amounted to $11.6 billion, about 2.5 times larger than the benefit payments of $4.5 billion.

The quarterly and year-over-year gains in assets were the best in at least five years, largely due to robust stock markets. The TSE composite index grew by 12.8% during the first three months of 1998. At the end of the first quarter, total fund assets were worth 25% more than the price paid for them, representing the largest difference recorded in the past five years. Stocks in particular did very well and were worth 44% more than their purchase price.

As of March 31, 1998, stocks accounted for 45% of the portfolio of trusteed pension funds, and have been a major factor in asset growth for some time. Traditionally, pension funds have been heavily invested in fixed-income holdings, such as bonds. However, corporate stocks have assumed an increasing proportion of the investment portfolio of trusteed pension funds, both because fund managers have been choosing equities over other investment options and because stock prices have been increasing steadily.

Increased investment in stocks has resulted in profits from the sale of securities replacing other forms of investment income as the primary source of revenue for these funds. In the first quarter of 1998, 49% of total revenues came from the sale of stocks, 29% came from other forms of investment income and 17% came from employer and employee contributions - once the major source of revenue for the funds.

Investment in foreign holdings accounted for $94 billion of total asset value, a 12% increase over the quarter. Nearly all of it (90%) was invested in equities.

Available on CANSIM: matrix 5749.

The first quarter of 1998 issue of Quarterly estimates of trusteed pension funds (74-001-XPB, $19/$62) will be available mid-October. See How to order publications.

For more information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality in this release, contact Client Services (613-951-7355), Income Statistics Division.

Microdata files: Incomes of households, families and individuals

1996

Four microdata files containing 1996 income data for households, economic families, census families and individuals are now available. A key file that allows the user to link any of the four files to perform further analysis is also available. Each file costs $2,000.

In addition to income by source data (e.g., earnings, investment income, government transfer payments), the files contain personal, family and labour-related characteristics such as age, sex, education, family relationship, occupation and labour force status. The household file includes additional information on housing characteristics and household facilities and equipment.

The 1996 income data were collected as part of the 1997 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). The housing, facilities and equipment data were collected by the 1997 Household Facilities and Equipment Survey (HFE). The SCF and HFE surveys were conducted in the spring of 1997 as supplements to the Labour Force Survey.

The household file contains approximately 34,000 records; the economic family file, about 36,000 records; the census family file, about 37,000 records; the individual file, 69,000 records; and the key file, about 88,000 records.

These files have been carefully reviewed to ensure that they do not contain information that might allow identification of specific households, families or individuals.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Client Services (1 888 297-7355 or 613-951-7355; fax: 613-951-3012; income@statcan.gc.ca ), Income Statistics Division.

Shipments of rolled steel

July 1998

Rolled steel shipments totalled 1 087 635 tonnes in July, down 6.9% from 1 168 392 tonnes in June and down 5.5% from 1 151 177 tonnes in July 1997.

Year-to-date shipments at the end of July totalled 8 380 733 tonnes, down 0.5% from 8 419 498 tonnes in July 1997.

Available on CANSIM: matrices 58 and 122 (series 22-25).

The July 1998 issue of Primary iron and steel (41-001-XPB, $7/$62) will be available shortly. See How to order publications.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Andy Shinnan (613-951-3515; shinand@statcan.gc.ca), Manufacturing, Construction and Energy Division.

Oils and fats

July 1998

Production of all types of deodorized oils in July totalled 91 292 tonnes, down 2.5% from 93 646 tonnes in June 1998. At the end of July, year-to-date production totalled 709 287 tonnes, a 0.7% increase from 704 247 tonnes during July 1997.

The domestic sales of deodorized margarine oil totalled 9 156 tonnes, deodorized shortening oil totalled 27 397 tonnes, and deodorized salad oil totalled 29 680 tonnes in July.

Available on CANSIM: matrix 185.

The July 1998 issue of Oils and fats (32-006-XPB, $7/$62) will be available shortly. See How to order publications.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Peter Zylstra (613-951-3511; zylspet@statcan.gc.ca), Manufacturing, Construction and Energy Division.

Dairy statistics

July and August 1998 (preliminary)

Dairy statistics for July and August are now available.

These data will be included in the July-September 1998 issue of The dairy review (23-001QXPB, $36/$119) which will be released in November. See How to order publications.

Available on CANSIM: matrices 3428, 5632-5638, 5650-5661, 5664-5667 and 5673.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Anna Michalowska (1 800 465-1991; fax: 613-951-3868), Agriculture Division.

Airport activity statistics

Fourth quarter 1997 (preliminary)

Airport activity data are now available.

The September issue of the Aviation statistics: Service bulletin (51-004-XIB, $8/$82) will be available shortly. See How to order publications.

For further information, or for enquiries on the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Rolf Hakka (613-951-0068), Aviation Statistics Centre, Transportation Division.