Commuter marriages

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People who are married or living common law but who also live apart could be deemed to be in a commuter marriage. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of people in a commuter marriage increased from 131,000 in 2001 (0.6% of the population age 20 and over) to 240,000 in 2011 (0.9% of the population age 20 and over). Other research has shown that the rise in this type of couple was largely due to the increase in dual-working couples.Note1

According to the GSS, 28% of the roughly 240,000 married people and those living common law who were living apart were in this situation because their partner had not immigrated to Canada. Work circumstances were also a factor (22%). Among these, the vast majority said that they intended to live with their partner again within the next year.

The partner’s health was sometimes cited as a reason by people who were married or living common law and living apart from their partner—8% said they were separated because their partner was in a nursing home and another 8% said it was because their partner was in a medical care facility.

Note

  1. See Forsyth and Gramling (1998).
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