The Canadian Marriage Rate

Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Or do they? The popular perception is that one out of every two marriages fails, and worse, we are constantly being bombarded with the divorce rate. I decided it was high time that someone took a look at the glass half full and boy was I surprised by what I found.

The marriage rate refers to the number of people getting married but why not extend the meaning to the number of marriages that live to tell the tale? I wanted to know about couples that made it last over the years and are still smiling at each other. Isn’t that a more compelling story?

Although the number of new marriages in Canada has been declining steadily over the years, two out of three Canadian marriages make it for a lifetime. That's 67%! How differently would we perceive marriage if everyone walked around saying that 67% of marriages survive? I’m starting to like my odds.

Generations X and Y have a whole new opportunity to put our stamp on marriage. We are getting married later, 28 for women and 30 for Men, and I hope that means we’re choosing more wisely and waiting until we’re really ready to make the commitment. What will marriage look like in 30 years from now? It’s up to us.