Stats Can: Over 12 million single people in Canada this Valentine's Day

Feb 14 2019, 12:38 am

Ahh, February 14.

It’s a day both loved and disliked by many, while a good handful of people really just don’t give a sh*t.

With the day of love less than 24-hours away, you may find you still need to pick up some last minute chocolate and roses (and if this is the case, good luck with that).

Or maybe you’re planning on staying in and drinking a bottle multiple of bottles of wine with your singles friends, just know that there are others out there in the same boat.

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Luckily for us, Statistics Canada has put together some facts and figures about the rest of Canada, and it turns out we’re not alone in being alone – at least not in the grand scheme of things.

Over 12 million single people in Canada

Pulling data from the 2016 census, Statistics Canada found that there were 12,418,440 single people aged 15 and over living in Canada.

The number of single women somewhat outnumbered the single men, at 6.6 million to 5.8 million, respectively.

Stats Canada also revealed that the number of same-sex married couples accounted for 0.9% of all couples in 2016, with a little more than 145,000 people being engaged in a same-sex marriage or common-law partnership.

So, seeing as the overall population of Canada is around 36 million, this means that 1/3 of the country could be skipping the wining and dining this Wednesday evening.

The cost of those go-to gifts

Stats Canada found that $7.2 billion was spent in Canada on wine alone between 2016 and 2017, which translates into 505.4 million litres of red and white.

Throw in a sparkly/sexy gift, and the bill is looking even steeper: $4.1 billion was spent on jewelry and watches in Canada in 2017, $2.1 billion on women’s lingerie, sleepwear, and intimates, and $5.1 billion on cosmetics and fragrances.

If you instead went for a simple bouquet of roses, you’re not alone in that, either, as Stats Canada found that 4.4 million roses were grown in Canada in 2017, with another 12.4 million being imported from other countries.

As for those with a sweet tooth, the average Canadian household spent $208 on chocolate and candies in 2017. In Ontario alone, $811 million was spent on chocolate and chocolate confectionery in 2015.

So, whether you’re celebrating/getting through this Valentine’s Day with a lover, a friend, a trusty pet, or your very own wonderful self – and there’s nothing wrong with that – keep in mind that there are others around this fine country who are likely experiencing a very similar February 14.

Ainsley SmithAinsley Smith

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