Francophones in Ontario

Statistical Profile – Francophone Seniors in Ontario

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

In 1996, the Office of Francophone Affairs published a series of statistical profiles on Francophones in Ontario, based on the findings of Statistics Canada's 1991 Census.

The Office of Francophone Affairs has decided to publish an update, using data from the 1996 Census. This update provides a statistical overview of Ontario's Francophones who are 65 and over. The Office publishes three other updates: Francophones in Ontario (a more general overview), Francophone Women and Francophone Youth.

Generally speaking, statistical data on Ontario's Francophone population has not changed dramatically between 1991 and 1996, and is in line with existing demographic projections.

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METHODOLOGY

This profile of Francophone seniors in Ontario is based on the findings of Statistics Canada's 1996 Census. Occasionally, the report refers to data taken from the 1991 Census.

The study concerns Francophones 65 and over. The Office of Francophone Affairs defines Ontario Francophones on the basis of their response to the question on mother tongue: What is the language first learned at home in childhood and still understood? For the purpose of this profile, "Francophone" comprises those who gave French as their sole mother tongue or as one of their mother tongues (single or multiple response).

The study considers a number of variables, including demographic characteristics, retention of mother tongue, level of schooling, labour force participation and income. To highlight the differences between these two groups, Francophones in the 65 and over age group were compared to the same age group in the general Ontario population.

The 1996 Census used two forms. The short form (Profile 2A) was distributed to the entire population (100%) and includes one question on mother tongue. The long form (Profile 2B) was distributed to a cross-section of 20% of the population, and includes more detailed questions concerning level of schooling, income, labour force participation, etc. The data in this profile is taken only from the long form (Profile 2B).

Note: Data is taken from the Statistics Canada long form (Profile 2B) and differs slightly from the data from the short form (Profile 2A) as used in the general publication Francophones in Ontario.

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DEMOGRAPHY

REPRESENTATION

In 1996, there were 67,830 Francophones 65 and over in Ontario, or 5.4% of Ontario's population in this age group.

The proportion of seniors who are Francophones is higher in Northeastern and Eastern Ontario, where they represent 25.1% and 14.9% of the 65 and over age group. Elsewhere in the province, they account for 2-5% of the senior population. Except in Southwestern and Northwestern Ontario, the percentage of Francophones in the senior population reflects the percentage of Francophones in the general population.

Overall, seniors represent 13% of the Francophone population, compared to 11.7% of the Ontario population in general. In 1991, they represented 11.4% of the Francophone population, and 11% of Ontario's population as a whole, a clear indication that the Francophone population is aging.

Francophones 65 and over are notably over-represented in Southwestern Ontario, where they account for 22.5% of the population of this language group. Seniors in general represent 13% of the region's overall population. They are also over-represented in Northwestern Ontario (15.8% compared to 11.6%) and Central Ontario (12.8% compared to 11.4%). In Northeastern and Eastern Ontario, the percentage is similar to that of seniors overall. Northwestern and Southwestern Ontario have seen the highest increase in the percentage of seniors in the Francophone population. In Northwestern Ontario, the percentage rose from 11.1% to 15.8% between 1991 and 1996, and in Southwestern Ontario, it rose from 19.2% to 22.5%.

The percentage of seniors in Francophone communities ranges considerably, from 7% in some communities in Central Ontario to more than 25% in some communities in Southwestern Ontario.

In 1996, Ontario was home to 39,825 Francophone women 65 and over, or 58.7% of the Francophone population in this age group. This percentage is considerably higher than the percentage of women in the Francophone population in general (52.4%) and than the percentage of women seniors in the province's population as a whole (56.8%).

With the exception of Northwestern Ontario, Francophone women are over-represented among seniors in all regions, reaching a high of 61.1% in Eastern Ontario. In Northwestern Ontario, they represent 41.8%, compared to 55.4% for the total population in the 65 and over age group.

This percentage is even higher among seniors aged 75 and over than those aged 65-74; i.e., 65.5% compared to 55% in the 65-74 age group. This trend also holds true in the general population, where women represent 61.2% of the 75 and over group and 54.2% of the 65-74 group.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION

Like Ontario's Francophone population in general, there are proportionately more Francophone seniors in Eastern and Northeastern Ontario than in the other regions. Eastern and Northeastern Ontario are home to 38.5% and 25.7% of Francophones in the 65 and over age group, compared to 11% and 2.2% for Southwestern and Northwestern Ontario. Central Ontario regroups 22.5% of the Francophone senior population, while there is a much higher percentage of seniors in general in this region (63.4%).

Between 1991 and 1996, the percentage of Francophones 65 and over in Eastern Ontario decreased from 40.3% to 38.5%, unlike in Central Ontario, where it increased from 21.5% to 22.5%. In the other regions, the percentages varied by less than 1% between 1991 and 1996.

CONCENTRATION IN RURAL AREAS

A higher percentage of Francophones 65 and over live in rural areas (17.9%) compared to Ontario's population in the 65 and over age group as a whole (16.3%), but regional comparisons indicate that, with the exception of Northwestern Ontario, the percentage of Francophone seniors in rural areas is lower than the general population 65 and over in each region. The widest gap between Francophones and the general population occurs in Eastern Ontario, where 17.2% of Francophones 65 and over live in rural areas, compared to 26.3% of the general population aged 65 and over. In Northeastern, Northwestern and Southwestern Ontario, close to one out of four Francophones 65 and over live in a rural area.

The differences at the provincial level reflect the fact that more Francophones live in Eastern and Northeastern Ontario, which are more rural than Central Ontario which is home to nearly two-thirds of Ontario's population in the 65 and over age group. However, the percentage of Francophones 65 and over in rural areas has increased slightly (from 17.4% to 17.9% between 1991 and 1996) and decreased in the total population aged 65 and over (from 17% in 1991 to 16.3% in 1996).

FAMILY STATUS

Seniors are more likely to live in a non-family household than the general population aged 15 and over. A non-family household includes people living alone or with relatives or non-relatives who do not constitute a family according to the Census1.

The gap between the general population and the population aged 65 and over is much wider among women than men: 48.4% of Francophone women 65 and over live in a non-family household, more than twice the percentage of Francophone women aged 15 and over (19.8%). The gap is narrower for Francophone men: 22.5% of the 65 and over age group live in a non-family household, compared to 17.3% of Francophone men aged 15 and over.

In every region except Northwestern Ontario, the percentage of senior women in non-family households is more than twice the percentage of senior men, among both Francophones and the general population. This trend is also observed in the general population aged 65 and over.

The percentage of Francophones 65 and over in a non-family household increased slightly between 1991 and 1996; 47.2% in 1991, compared to 48.4% in 1996 for Francophone women, and 20.8% in 1991, compared to 22.5% in 1996 for Francophone men.

1. This definition excludes households of at least one person living with a spouse or partner and households of at least one person living with one or more unmarried children (see glossary).

MARITAL STATUS

Single

The proportion of Francophones of both genders aged 65 and over who are single is higher than in the general population. Seven percent of Francophone women and 7.4% of Francophone men 65 and over are single, compared to 4.9% of women and 4.6% of men in the same age group in the general population.

Married

The proportion of Francophone seniors who are married is lower than in the senior population in general, and the proportion of married men is noticeably higher than the proportion of married women. In the 65 and over age group, 39.6% of Francophone women and 44.3% of women in the general population are married, whereas 71.5% of Francophone men and 77.4% of men in the general population are married.

Separated/Divorced

The proportion of separated or divorced seniors ranges between 6% and 8%, and is lower than in the general population aged 15 and over. Widowed

In the 65 and over age group, more than three times as many women are widowed as men; 47.4% of Francophone women and 44.7% of women in the general population 65 and over are widowed, compared to 12.7% of Francophone men and 12.1% of men in the general population.

The proportion of widows and widowers increases with age. Nearly two-thirds of women 75 and over are widowed, compared to 36.8% of Francophone women aged 65-74 and 32.3% of women in the general population aged 65-74. Twenty percent of men 75 and over are widowed, compared to less than 10% of men aged 65-74 (9.5% of Francophones and 8% of men in the general population).

The data on marital status indicates that most senior women do not have a partner because they are widowed, divorced, separated or single, and that nearly one out of four men aged 65 and over fall into this category.

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LANGUAGE RETENTION

Retention of mother tongue is assessed on the basis of the language spoken at home for persons whose mother tongue is French. Across the province, 58.9% of Francophones use French at home.

Francophones 65 and over have a higher language retention rate than adults aged 25-64 (57.4% compared to 52.7%). As was true in the Francophone population as a whole, language retention decreased among Francophones 65 and over from 60% in 1991 to 57.4% in 1996.

Like the Francophone population as a whole, Francophones 65 and over have a higher language retention rate in Eastern and Northeastern Ontario (72.1%), which have a larger concentration of Francophones. Retention rates are noticeably lower in Southwestern Ontario (28%), Northwestern Ontario (34%) and Central Ontario (32%).

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EDUCATION

Generally speaking, Francophone seniors have a lower level of schooling than the general population in this age group. They are over-represented in the less-than-Grade 9 education category and under-represented in the more-than-Grade 9 education categories.

LESS THAN GRADE 9

The percentage of Francophones 65 and over with less than a Grade 9 education is 49.2%, compared to 31.9% of Ontario's general population aged 65 and over. Francophones 65 and over in this category are over-represented in all regions. The percentage of Francophone seniors who have not completed Grade 9 is especially high in Northeastern Ontario, applying to nearly two-thirds of the Francophone population in this age group (64.5%).

Among Francophones 65 and over, fewer women than men have not completed Grade 9 (47.9% versus 51.2%), whereas the opposite holds true in the senior population in general (32.3% of women compared to 31.3% of men).

Between 1991 and 1996, the percentage of Francophone seniors who had not completed Grade 9 decreased slightly from 51.9% to 49.2%, as it did in the senior population in general, decreasing from 33.8% to 31.9% between 1991 and 1996.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

In the 65 and over age group in all regions, the proportion of Francophones with at least a high school diploma is notably lower than for the general population (31.2% compared to 41.8%). This is true in all regions of the province. Among Francophones 65 and over, slightly fewer women than men have at least a high school diploma (30.8% compared to 31.7%).

Between 1991 and 1996, the percentage of Francophone seniors with at least a high school diploma rose slightly (from 28.4% to 31.2%), as it did in the senior population in general (from 39.6% to 41.8%).

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

In all regions, a smaller proportion of Francophones 65 and over have a university degree than in the senior population in general (4.8% compared to 6.7%). The highest proportion of Francophones with a university degree is found in Eastern Ontario (7.1%); the lowest proportion is in Northeastern Ontario (1.9%).

In both the Francophone and general populations, proportionately fewer senior women than senior men have a university degree. The percentage of Francophones 65 and over with a university degree increased from 3.9% to 4.8% between 1991 and 1996. In Ontario's senior population as a whole, the percentage increased from 5.8% to 6.7%.

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LABOUR FORCE

PARTICIPATION

The rate of labour force participation is the percentage of the total active population, or the population that is employed or looking for work, compared to the population aged 15 and over.

The labour force participation rate of Francophones of both genders aged 65 and over is lower than that of the senior population in general. This trend is observed in all regions except Northwestern Ontario. The participation rate of Francophone seniors is highest in Southwestern Ontario (9.2%) and lowest in Northeastern Ontario (4.6%).

In the 65 and over age group, women's participation rate is lower than men's: Francophone women's participation rate is 3.4%, compared to 9.7% for men. There is a similar gap between men and women in the general senior population.

Between 1991 and 1996, Francophone seniors' labour force participation rate dropped from 8% to 6%. It dropped in the senior population in general as well (from 10.3% to 8.8%).

UNEMPLOYMENT

The unemployment rate is the percentage of the active population that is unemployed compared to the total active population. In the 65 and over age group, unemployment for both genders is higher among Francophones than in Ontario's general population (7% compared to 5.5%).

As with the senior population in general, the unemployment rate is higher among Francophone women than among Francophone men.

Between 1991 and 1996, Francophone seniors' unemployment rate decreased from 8.5% to 7%, largely attributable to the decreased unemployment rate of Francophone men (from 8.9% to 6.4%). In the senior population in general, the unemployment rate changed little (from 5.6% to 5.5%) between 1991 and 1996.

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INCOME

INCOME LEVELS

In terms of total per capita income, Francophone seniors are less well off than the general population aged 65 and over. More Francophone seniors of both genders are found in the lower income categories than in the higher income categories.

In the 65 and over age group, 68.9% of Francophones have an annual income of less than $20,000, compared to 62.4% of the general population, while 7.9% of Francophones 65 and over have an income of $40,000 or more, compared to 11.2% of the senior population in general.

In the 65 and over age group, women, both Francophone and non-Francophone, are more heavily concentrated in the lower income levels than men, in all regions of the province: 79.7% of Francophone women 65 and over have an annual income under $20,000, compared to 53.5% of men. In the senior population in general, the figures are 73.9% for women and 47.3% for men. Only 4.5% of Francophone women 65 and over have an income of $40,000 or more, compared to 12.7% of men. In the senior population in general, 6.5% of women and 17.4% of men have an income of $40,000 or more.

TOTAL AVERAGE INCOME

In the 65 and over age group, the total average income of Francophone seniors of both genders, in most regions, is lower than that of the general population. Among women 65 and over, the total average income of Francophone women is lower than that of women in general, in all regions. Among men 65 and over, the total average income of Francophone men is lower than that of men in general, in all regions but Southwestern and Northwestern Ontario, where it is slightly higher.

Among those aged 15 and over, Francophones' total average income is similar to the total population's ($27,044 compared to $27,309), but an age-linked analysis of total average income indicates that older Francophones are less well off than the population in general. As shown in Table 11, Francophones' total average income is higher than the total population's in the under 35 age groups, but lower than the total population's in the 35 and over age groups. Moreover, this disparity increases with age when examining the higher age groups. The total average income of Francophones in the 45-64 age group is 7% lower than that of Ontarians in general in the same group, 11.1% lower in the 65-74 age group and 14.8% lower for seniors 75 and over.

LOW INCOME CUT-OFF

In the 65 and over age group, the percentage of Francophones of both genders below the low income cut-off is higher than in the general senior population (20.5% compared to 16.8%). This trend is observed in all regions and for both genders. However, the disparity is greater for women than men. A higher percentage of Francophones in this age group are living below the low income cut-off than in the general population.

Women are twice as likely to live below the low income cut-off as men; i.e., 25.8% of Francophone women compared to 13% of Francophone men. In the senior population in general, these figures are 20.8% for women compared to 11.6% for men.

This gender gap is even more pronounced among Francophones 75 and over than among those aged 65-74. More than one out of three Francophone women aged 75 and over (33.5%) have an income lower than or equal to the low income cut-off – three times higher than the figure for Francophone men in the same age group (11.5%). Among Francophone seniors aged 65-74, 20.9% of women and 13.6% of men are living below the low income cut-off.

Francophones 65 and over are least well off in Central Ontario. More than 27.5% of Francophone women and 15.9% of Francophone men in this region are below the low income cut-off. Northwestern Ontario has the lowest percentage of Francophone senior women living below the low income cut-off (19.2%). Southwestern Ontario has the lowest percentage of Francophone men 65 and over living below the low income cut-off (9.5%).

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GLOSSARY & TECHNICAL NOTES

DEFINITIONS

From 1996 Statistics Canada Census Dictionary and Statistics Canada Census Consultation Guide.

Average Income
The average income refers to the mean income of individuals 15 years of age and over who reported income for 1995. Average income is calculated by dividing the aggregate income of a specified group of individuals by the number of individuals with income in that group.

Census Family
A census family refers to a now-married couple (with or without never-married sons and/or daughters of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without never-married sons and/or daughters of either or both partners), or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one never-married son or daughter living in the same dwelling.

Experienced Labour Force
Experienced labour force refers to persons 15 years of age and over who were employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day, and who had last worked for pay or self-employment in either 1995 or in 1996 (2B variable). The experienced labour force is a subgroup which is frequently used when tabulating occupation and industry data.

Francophone Population
Francophones are defined by the mother tongue Census question: What was the language first learned at home in childhood and still understood? In this document, Francophones include persons with French as their mother tongue or as one of their mother tongues (French single and multiple responses). Data from the short form (Profile 2A) may not match data from the long form (Profile 2B). For its analysis of the Francophone population as a whole, the Office of Francophone Affairs used data from the short form that was distributed to 100% of the Ontario population. Socio-economic data on the Francophone population was taken from Profile 2B. Statistical data from the 1996 Census that is published in the media is usually based on data obtained from Profile 2B.

Home Language
Home language refers to the language most frequently spoken at home by the individual at the time of the census (2B variable).

Incidence of Low-Income / Low Income Cut-Off
The incidence of low income is the proportion or percentage of the population in private households with income lower or equal to the low income cut-off. Family size and degree of urbanization are factors taken into consideration in the determination of low-income cut-offs.

Labour Force
Labour force refers to persons 15 years of age and over who were employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day. Employed persons include those who did any work for pay or in self-employment. Unemployed persons include those who had actively looked for work in the past four weeks, persons who were on temporary lay-off and expected to return to their job and persons who had definite arrangements to start a new job in four weeks or less.

Levels of Schooling
Highest level of schooling refers to the highest grade or year of elementary or secondary school completed, or the highest year of university or other non-university training completed. The completion of a degree, certificate or diploma is considered to be at a higher level than years completed without an educational qualification. It is a 2B variable, reported for the population 15 years of age and over.

Mother Tongue
Mother tongue refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the Census (2A variable). In the 2B questionnaire, the mother tongue question was asked after the three other questions on language.

Non-Family Household
A non-family household consists of either one person living alone in a private dwelling, or a group of two or more persons who share a private dwelling but are not a family according to the Census. It includes households composed of persons who may be relatives or non-relatives, but do not constitute a family according to the Census, thereby excluding households of at least one person living with a spouse or partner, and households of at least one person living with his or her unmarried child(ren).

Participation Rate
Participation rate refers to the total labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over (2B variable).

Rural Areas
Rural areas are those areas lying outside urban areas. Urban areas are defined as those which have a population concentration of at least 1,000 and a population density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre, at the time of the previous census.

Total Individual Income
Total individual income refers to the total money received from the following sources during the 1995 calendar year by persons 15 years of age and over: total wages and salaries, net income from an unincorporated non-farm business and/or professional practice, net farm self-employment income, government transfer payments (Old Age Security pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement, Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan benefits, Unemployment Insurance benefits, Federal Child Tax benefits, other income from government sources), investment income (dividends, interest and other investment income), retirement pensions, superannuation and annuities and other money income (2B variable).

Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate refers to the unemployed labour force expressed as a percentage of the total labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (2B variable).

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To request a copy of this document contact:
Office of Francophone Affairs
Government of Ontario
777 Bay Street, 6th floor
Toronto, Ontario  M7A 2J4

Questions regarding the document, please phone
416 325-4949 or 1 800 268-7507 toll-free
416 325-0017 TTY
E-mail: ofa@ontario.ca
Fax: 416 325-4980
Web: www.ofa.gov.on.ca
ISBN: 0-7778-9056-9

Copyright Agreement
Any quotation from this data must include a reference to the Office of Francophone Affairs and Statistics Canada as the data source. This document or excerpts from this document can be copied but are not to be sold.
October 1999

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