
There were just over 2 million widows and widowers (married and common law) living in Canada as of July 1, 2022, up 2.7% from a year earlier and 19.1% more than a decade earlier. The upcoming International Widows’ Day aims to raise awareness about the challenges widows face, especially in regard to poverty in emerging markets and developing economies. Becoming a widow in Canada also comes at a financial price and can lead to the person falling into low income.
Over three times as many widows as widowers
As has been the case for many years, widows (1.6 million) outnumbered widowers (472,170) by a wide margin in 2022. Nevertheless, the number of widowers (+33.3%) grew at a much faster pace than widows (+19.5%) from 2012 to 2022.
Over half of the widows (58.5%) in Canada were aged 75 and older in 2022, with the largest share aged 75 to 79 (344,220 people) and 80 to 84 (331,081).
Of note, there were more widows in Canada aged 100 and older (11,384) in 2022 than there were widows aged 29 and younger (9,820).
Financial safeguards in place for widows and widowers in Canada
Married Canadians and those in common-law relationships may be eligible to receive a death benefit or a survivor’s pension after the loss of a partner.
The amount of pension you receive as a surviving spouse or common-law partner depends on whether you are younger or older than age 65, as well as how much, and for how long, the deceased contributor paid into the Canada Pension Plan.
The financial impact of becoming a widow or widower is most pronounced for those who lose a loved one before the age of 65
For both men and women, the financial impact of becoming a widow or widower is most pronounced for those who lose a loved one before the age of 65.
In 2021, for example, 4,015 women under 55 years of age became widows, according to the Longitudinal Administrative Databank. These women saw their average adjusted after-tax family income fall from $64,700 the year before they became a widow, to $49,600 a year after losing their partner. As a result, the share of women in this age group living in low income rose from 7.7% in the year prior to becoming a widow to 21.9% in the year after losing their partner.
Average adjusted after-tax family income is equal to market income plus government transfers and refundable tax credits, minus federal and provincial income taxes. This income is adjusted for family size by dividing the family’s after-tax income by the square root of the family size and adjusted for inflation. This income reflects the financial resources available to the widow or widower to meet their needs (see Note to readers).
Conversely, women aged 65 to 84 who become widowed at some point during this period generally see their income increase. In 2021, for example, 19,410 women aged 65 to 74 became a widow. These women saw their average adjusted after-tax income rise from $55,500 the year before they became a widow to $62,100 a year after losing their partner. Despite the increase in income, the share of women in this age group living in low income rose from 6.2% in the year prior to becoming a widow to 13.6% in the year after losing their partner.
Widowers under the age of 65 also generally experience a drop in average adjusted after-tax income the year after losing their partner. In 2021 for example, 1,310 men under 55 years of age became widowers. These men saw their average adjusted after-tax income fall from $60,100 in the year before they became a widower to $55,000 in the year after losing their partner. As a result, the share of men in this age group living in low income rose from 7.6% in the year prior to becoming a widower to 17.9% in the year after losing their partner.
If a man becomes widowed after reaching the age of 65, however, his after-tax income typically rises. For example, in 2021, 7,110 men aged 65 to 74 became widowers. These men saw their average adjusted after-tax income rise from $60,200 in the year before they became a widower to $64,900 in the year after losing their partner. Nevertheless, the share of men in this age group living in low income rose from 5.5% in the year prior to becoming a widower to 13.1% in the year after losing their partner.
Widows and widowers are among the most satisfied with their family relationships
While becoming widowed by definition means the loss of a life partner, it does not necessarily mean losing connection with your family. Indeed, widows and widowers reported the highest levels of satisfaction with family relationships (81.9%) in the fourth quarter of 2024, comparable to satisfaction levels reported by married Canadians (81.3%), and well above those who were living common law (71.3%), single (69.2%), or separated or divorced (62.3%).
Note to readers
For this release, a tax filer in the widow category must file a tax form for three consecutive years and have been in a relationship at the end of 2020; have a spouse who passed away during 2021 and be single at the end of the year; and be single at the end of 2022. Data in this release are adjusted for inflation in 2022 dollars.
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Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).