Traditional families in decline--Statcan. (Children & Families).

OTTAWA -- The proportion of "traditional" families continues to decline, according to a report by Statistics Canada, Profile of Canadian families and households. Diversification of families and households continues.

* Same-sex common-law couples: Male couples outnumber female couples. The proportion of common-law relationships in Quebec reaches similar level as in Sweden;

* Canadian household size declining and living alone on the rise;

* More seniors are living with a spouse, more living alone and fewer living in health care institutions;

* More children living with common-law parents;

* More young adults living with their parent(s);

* Prevalence of one-person households highest in Quebec and in the West;

* About half of all young adults in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario live with their parent(s);

* More Seniors aged 85 and over are living alone in Manitoba and Saskatchewan;

* more are living in health care institutions in Quebec;

* Private households increase in metropolitan areas, even when the population declines;

* Couples with children decrease in metropolitan areas whose population is down;

In the majority of metropolitan areas, couples with children are concentrated in areas between the centre and the outskirts. Municipalities with the highest proportions of couples with children are in metropolitan areas.