The Disappearance of the Family

The 2016 Canadian census brought attention to dramatic changes that had been occurring in Canadian households up to that time. Previous census reports had already shown that the “nuclear” family—one father, one mother, and two or more children—was being replaced by a variety of supposed alternatives. The real surprise in the 2016 census was the family structure that had become the most common in Canada:

For the first time in the country’s history, the number of one-person households has surpassed all other types of living situations. They accounted for more than 28.2 per cent of all households last year, more than the percentage of couples with children, couples without children, single parent families, multiple family households and all other combinations of people living together (“Census 2016: More Canadians than ever are living alone, and other takeaways,” The Globe and Mail, August 2, 2017).

That was eight years ago. Since then, more adults are choosing alternatives such as living with their parents, living alone, or living unmarried with roommates. “While more than two-thirds (68 percent) of people aged 25 to 29 were in a couple in 1981, this was the case for just under two-fifths (39 percent) of people in this age group in 2021” (“How and Why There are So Many Singles in Canada,” PsychologyToday.com, June 10, 2023).

As of 2021, 15 percent of the population grouping of ages 15 years and older live alone, a total of 4.4 million, up from 1.7 million in 1982 (“Living Solo,” Statistics Canada, StatCan.gc.ca, September 29, 2022). One must ask the question of why so many are choosing to “go it alone” rather than experience life with a spouse. There are many reasons for this increase, but the reality of a public shift in opinion about marriage cannot be ignored.

A survey conducted by pollster Angus Reid showed that 53 percent of Canadians agreed with the statement “Marriage is simply not necessary.” This belief was held by 60 percent of men aged 18–34. It should come as no surprise that this change in attitude toward marriage mirrors a change in attitude toward religion. Among married Canadians aged 18–34, fewer than half were married in a religious ceremony, with 53 percent opting for a civil ceremony instead (“‘I don’t’: Four-in-ten Canadian adults have never married, and aren’t sure they want to,” AngusReid.org, May 7, 2018).

Falling Fertility

In most Western nations, changing public attitudes regarding marriage, child-rearing, and family in general are having lasting effects. Canada is not alone in seeing sharp declines in the number of traditional families. And one of the obvious detrimental results of fewer couples and fewer marriages is that Canada is facing a disturbing trend of fewer babies.

The MacDonald-Laurier Institute, a public policy think tank based in Ottawa, adds a worrying number to these findings. Canada’s fertility rate has dropped from 1.6 in 2016 to 1.3 in 2022 (“Canada’s Family Erosion,” MLI, MacDonaldLaurier.ca, May 7, 2024). A drop of 0.3 may not sound significant, but it is taking a very small number and making it even smaller. A fertility rate of 2.1 babies per woman aged 15–49 is known to be the benchmark to maintain a population. Currently, Canada’s fertility rate is only two-thirds of what is needed to maintain its population—and the 1.3 fertility rate represents a nearly 20 percent decline in just six years.

In 2021, Statistics Canada described some of the problems associated with this drop in fertility rate: “If the country’s fertility continues to decline further in the coming years, Canada could join the countries with the ‘lowest-low’ fertility rates (1.3 or less children per woman)—a situation associated with rapid population aging and increased stress on the labour market, public health care and pension system” (“Fewer babies born as Canada’s fertility rate hits a record low in 2020,” StatCan.gc.ca, May 16, 2022).

While the decision to marry and have children is deeply personal, and there are many legitimate reasons why one may choose to remain single, the overall trend of fewer Canadians choosing marriage—and fewer Canadians choosing to have children—is having an impact on society. MacLean’s magazine highlighted the reality:

Marriage may not matter as much as it once did to young couples. But it matters a lot to society at large. Married couples are a foundation of the economy. They earn, save and spend more than their unmarried counterparts. They are happier. And a mountain of evidence shows stable two-parent families are good for kids. Children who grow up in a married family are far more likely to succeed in school, find employment and avoid problems later in life than those raised in other situations, however loving (“You can’t mandate marriage, even if it’s good for society,” Macleans.ca, October 11, 2011).

Our Fullest Potential

Beyond what MacLean’s reports, and beyond statistics provided by Statistics Canada or the Angus Reid Institute, the reality we need to understand is that—right from creation—men and women were built to reach their full potential within a family structure.

The second chapter of Genesis contains the well-known account of God using Adam’s rib to create Eve. Its language makes clear that Adam was longing for companionship. “But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2:20).

Adam’s reaction when God brought Eve to him seems to have been one of pure elation: “This is now bone of my bones,” he exclaimed, “and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23). He may even have recognized the broader importance of their relationship—the creation of the first human family.

What value has God placed on the family? He saw fit to ensure that two of the Ten Commandments, which are the most basic and fundamental expressions of godly morality, are directed at maintaining the family unit. The Fifth Commandment reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you,” and the Seventh Commandment concisely declares, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:12, 14).

Perhaps you did not have the benefit of growing up with a positive parental example and aren’t quite sure what that looks like. If so, your loving Creator has not left you without help. The Bible contains a wealth of information describing principles that can help you be a better father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, or daughter—and it can help you in preparing for a future family.

In recent decades, the family unit has come under attack. Though many find themselves in less-than-ideal situations beyond their control, family does matter. It is the bedrock of society and the foundation of successful community. A healthy family is—and has always been—the best environment for raising children and shaping future generations.

Understanding the vital role of family is also key to understanding the way of life God reveals in the Bible. The two support each other in profound ways, and the family unit also teaches us much about God’s overall plan. To learn more about this vital connection, you can request your own free copies of What Is the Meaning of Life? and Successful Parenting: God’s Way from the Regional Office nearest you, or you can read them right here at TomorrowsWorld.org.