Table 3.2
Average time spent per day on various activities, for the population and participants aged 15 and over, by age group, Canada, 1998

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Age group and activity group Population Participants Participation rate
hours and minutes percentage
15 to 24
Total work1 07:12 07:30 96
Paid work and related activities 02:46 07:32 37
Unpaid work2 01:52 02:18 81
Personal care activities 10:25 10:25 100
Free time activities 06:23 06:35 97
1. Paid work and related activities 02:46 07:32 37
Paid work 02:28 07:03 35
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:18 00:53 33
2. Household work and related activities 01:40 02:06 80
Cooking/washing up 00:23 00:37 62
Housekeeping 00:18 01:21 23
Maintenance and repair 00:04E 01:49 4E
Other household work 00:07 00:52 14
Shopping for goods and services 00:35 01:46 33
Child care 00:13 02:28 9
3. Civic and voluntary 00:12 01:42 12
4. Education and related activities 02:33 06:45 38
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 10:25 10:25 100
Night sleep 08:31 08:31 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 00:50 00:58 86
Other personal activities 01:04 01:07 96
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 02:41 03:33 76
Restaurant meals 00:18 01:24 22
Socializing (in homes) 01:50 02:52 64
Other socializing 00:32 02:51 19
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 02:16 02:48 81
Watching television 01:57 02:38 74
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:10 01:05 15
Other passive leisure 00:09 01:14 12
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:15 03:05 8
9. Active leisure 01:11 02:44 43
Active sports 00:39 02:24 27
Computer use 00:07 02:01 6
Video games 00:09E 02:11 7E
Other active leisure 00:15 02:08 12
25 to 34
Total work1 09:08 09:15 99
Paid work and related activities 05:01 08:33 59
Unpaid work2 03:43 04:03 92
Personal care activities 09:55 09:55 100
Free time activities 04:57 05:10 96
1. Paid work and related activities 05:01 08:33 59
Paid work 04:31 07:53 57
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:30 00:56 53
2. Household work and related activities 03:30 03:51 91
Cooking/washing up 00:42 00:57 74
Housekeeping 00:36 01:34 39
Maintenance and repair 00:10 02:40 6
Other household work 00:17 01:07 25
Shopping for goods and services 00:46 01:46 44
Child care 00:58 02:32 38
3. Civic and voluntary 00:14 01:32 15
4. Education and related activities 00:23 05:27 7
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 09:55 09:55 100
Night sleep 07:55 07:56 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 00:58 01:05 89
Other personal activities 01:02 01:06 95
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 01:53 03:00 63
Restaurant meals 00:17 01:31 19
Socializing (in homes) 01:13 02:23 51
Other socializing 00:23 03:11 12
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 02:04 02:32 81
Watching television 01:46 02:25 73
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:14 01:07 21
Other passive leisure 00:03 00:53 6
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:10 02:28 7
9. Active leisure 00:51 02:19 37
Active sports 00:28 02:06 22
Computer use 00:07 01:53 6
Video games 00:02 01:30 3
Other active leisure 00:13 02:01 11
35 to 44
Total work1 09:21 09:25 99
Paid work and related activities 04:59 08:37 58
Unpaid work2 04:13 04:28 95
Personal care activities 10:00 10:00 100
Free time activities 04:39 04:49 97
1. Paid work and related activities 04:59 08:37 58
Paid work 04:29 07:56 57
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:30 00:57 52
2. Household work and related activities 03:54 04:10 93
Cooking/washing up 00:54 01:08 79
Housekeeping 00:46 01:39 46
Maintenance and repair 00:12 02:23 8
Other household work 00:24 01:13 33
Shopping for goods and services 00:49 01:51 45
Child care 00:49 01:55 42
3. Civic and voluntary 00:20 01:38 20
4. Education and related activities 00:09 04:24 4
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 10:00 10:00 100
Night sleep 07:53 07:53 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 01:04 01:09 93
Other personal activities 01:03 01:07 95
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 01:36 02:32 63
Restaurant meals 00:15 01:29 17
Socializing (in homes) 01:07 02:06 53
Other socializing 00:13 02:11 10
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 02:06 02:31 84
Watching television 01:44 02:20 74
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:18 01:01 29
Other passive leisure 00:04 01:07 7
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:09 02:20 6
9. Active leisure 00:48 02:21 34
Active sports 00:27 02:09 21
Computer use 00:04 01:37 4
Video games 00:02E 01:25 2E
Other active leisure 00:15 02:10 11
45 to 54
Total work1 08:39 08:44 99
Paid work and related activities 04:49 08:36 56
Unpaid work2 03:44 04:00 93
Personal care activities 10:14 10:14 100
Free time activities 05:06 05:14 97
1. Paid work and related activities 04:49 08:36 56
Paid work 04:20 07:50 55
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:30 01:00 49
2. Household work and related activities 03:18 03:36 92
Cooking/washing up 00:49 01:03 77
Housekeeping 00:50 01:52 44
Maintenance and repair 00:10 02:32 7
Other household work 00:28 01:13 37
Shopping for goods and services 00:50 01:50 46
Child care 00:12 01:46 11
3. Civic and voluntary 00:26 02:02 21
4. Education and related activities 00:06E 04:58E 2E
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 10:14 10:14 100
Night sleep 07:48 07:49 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 01:07 01:12 93
Other personal activities 01:18 01:21 97
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 01:36 02:32 63
Restaurant meals 00:19 01:46 18
Socializing (in homes) 01:05 02:05 52
Other socializing 00:12 02:19 9
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 02:33 02:58 86
Watching television 02:01 02:39 76
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:28 01:11 39
Other passive leisure 00:04 00:53 8
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:10 02:44 6
9. Active leisure 00:47 02:07 37
Active sports 00:24 01:46 23
Computer use 00:05E 01:47 4E
Video games 00:01E 01:18E 2E
Other active leisure 00:17 02:05 13
55 to 64
Total work1 06:42 06:50 98
Paid work and related activities 02:36 08:17 31
Unpaid work2 04:04 04:23 93
Personal care activities 10:44 10:44 100
Free time activities 06:33 06:39 98
1. Paid work and related activities 02:36 08:17 31
Paid work 02:21 07:36 31
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:15 01:00 25
2. Household work and related activities 03:32 03:52 91
Cooking/washing up 00:55 01:12 77
Housekeeping 00:49 01:54 43
Maintenance and repair 00:14 02:48 8
Other household work 00:37 01:40 37
Shopping for goods and services 00:54 02:04 44
Child care F x x
3. Civic and voluntary 00:32 02:30 21
4. Education and related activities 00:02E x x
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 10:44 10:44 100
Night sleep 08:00 08:01 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 01:15 01:20 94
Other personal activities 01:28 01:33 95
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 02:00 03:01 66
Restaurant meals 00:20 01:46 18
Socializing (in homes) 01:23 02:31 55
Other socializing 00:18 02:29 12
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 03:17 03:39 90
Watching television 02:33 03:11 80
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:38 01:26 44
Other passive leisure 00:06 00:59 11
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:09E 03:27 4E
9. Active leisure 01:07 02:35 43
Active sports 00:28 01:57 24
Computer use 00:05E 01:56E 4E
Video games F 02:04E F
Other active leisure 00:33 02:35 21
65 to 74
Total work1 04:42 04:57 95
Paid work and related activities 00:29 05:51 8
Unpaid work2 04:12 04:28 94
Personal care activities 11:23 11:23 100
Free time activities 07:54 07:56 100
1. Paid work and related activities 00:29 05:51 8
Paid work 00:27 05:37 8
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) 00:03E 00:51 6E
2. Household work and related activities 03:37 03:54 93
Cooking/washing up 00:57 01:14 77
Housekeeping 00:52 01:45 49
Maintenance and repair 00:09 02:20 6
Other household work 00:39 01:38 39
Shopping for goods and services 01:00 02:00 50
Child care F x x
3. Civic and voluntary 00:35 02:26 24
4. Education and related activities F x x
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 11:23 11:23 100
Night sleep 08:16 08:16 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 01:24 01:29 95
Other personal activities 01:44 01:49 95
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 01:53 02:46 68
Restaurant meals 00:17 01:32 19
Socializing (in homes) 01:19 02:19 57
Other socializing 00:18 02:21 12
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 04:34 04:51 94
Watching television 03:30 03:57 89
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 00:53 01:44 50
Other passive leisure 00:11 01:24 13
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events 00:05E 02:10E 4E
9. Active leisure 01:22 02:38 52
Active sports 00:29 01:42 29
Computer use 00:03E 02:18E 2E
Video games F x x
Other active leisure 00:49 02:47 29
75 and over
Total work1 03:40 03:54 94
Paid work and related activities 00:05E 03:11E 3E
Unpaid work2 03:35 03:49 94
Personal care activities 12:20 12:20 100
Free time activities 07:58 08:00 100
1. Paid work and related activities 00:05E 03:11E 3E
Paid work 00:05E 03:48E 2E
Activities related to paid work (includes commuting) F x x
2. Household work and related activities 03:14 03:31 92
Cooking/washing up 01:02 01:18 80
Housekeeping 00:48 01:41 48
Maintenance and repair 00:08E 03:12E 4E
Other household work 00:34 01:41 34
Shopping for goods and services 00:42 01:54 37
Child care 00:00 x x
3. Civic and voluntary 00:20 01:51 18
4. Education and related activities F x x
5. Sleep, meals and other personal activities 12:20 12:20 100
Night sleep 08:38 08:38 100
Meals (excl. restaurant meals) 01:29 01:34 95
Other personal activities 02:14 02:19 96
6. Socializing including restaurant meals 01:50 02:41 68
Restaurant meals 00:13 01:34 14
Socializing (in homes) 01:20 02:18 58
Other socializing 00:17 02:34 11
7. Television, reading and other passive leisure 05:12 05:23 97
Watching television 03:53 04:14 92
Reading books, magazines, newspapers 01:06 02:00 55
Other passive leisure 00:13 01:35 14
8. Sports, movies and other entertainment events F 01:59E F
9. Active leisure 00:54 01:55 47
Active sports 00:17 01:14 23
Computer use F x x
Video games F x x
Other active leisure 00:35 02:00 29
E use with caution
F too unreliable to publish
x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
1. Includes activity groups 1 to 4.
2. Includes activity groups 2 to 3.
Note: Average time spent is the average over a 7-day week.
Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 1998.
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