Marital Status

This chart provides the Marital Status of the Area.

Definition

Marital status refers to whether or not a person aged 15 or over is living in a common-law union as well as the legal marital status of those who are not living in a common-law union.

Person refers to an individual and is the unit of analysis for most social statistics programmes.

Derivation

Marital status may be collected directly or it may be derived from information about the person’s legal marital status and his or her common law status.
Classification of marital status

Classification

When the Classification of marital status is used, the exclusion of living common law may be conveyed in a footnote.

1. Married (and not separated)
This category includes persons whose opposite- or same-sex spouse is living, unless the couple is separated or a divorce has been obtained. Also included are persons in civil unions.

2. Living common law
This category includes persons who are living with a person of the opposite sex or of the same sex as a couple but who are not legally married to that person. It includes situations where the members of such a couple are living apart temporarily because of illness, work or school.

3. Widowed (not living common law)
This category includes persons who have lost their legally-married spouse through death and who have not remarried. Those who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

4. Separated (not living common law)
This category includes persons currently legally married but who are no longer living with their spouse (for any reason other than illness, work or school) and have not obtained a divorce. Those who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

5. Divorced (not living common law)
This category includes persons who have obtained a legal divorce and have not remarried. Those who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

6. Single (not living common law)
This category includes persons who have never married (including all persons less than 15 years of age). It also includes persons whose marriage has been legally annulled who were single before the annulled marriage and who have not remarried. Those who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

Source
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/definitions/marital1-matrimonial1-eng.htm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/definitions/marital-matrimonial04-eng.htm