British Columbia has the second-lowest proportion of dual-income families, according to a Statistics Canada report released May 30.
Saskatchewan and Quebec have the highest proportions of families with children in which both spouses work, while Alberta has the lowest.
Forty years ago, the number of families with just one breadwinner — likely the father — was the norm. Today, dual-income families represent nearly 70% of families.
The number of women entering the workforce is the key driver behind this change: in 1976, 47% of women worked, while by 2015 that percentage had risen to 69%. Women are also more likely to be working in full-time rather than part-time jobs now than they were 40 years ago.
Statistics Canada found that when economic recessions happen, the number of families where both spouses work dips; for instance, between 1981 and 1982, the number of dual income families declined 4%.
@jenstden
