Quebecers are getting married later and less often, statistics show

MONTREAL -- Both opposite and same sex marriages in Quebec are slowly declining, according to the province’s statistics institute.

In 2019, an estimated 22,250 marriages were recorded in Quebec, representing a decrease of around 600 compared to the two previous years. If the trend remains constant, it’s estimated that only 26 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women in Quebec will marry before their 50th birthdays. 

Since the 1970s, the average age at which Quebecers get married has risen 8 years for men, reaching 33.5, and 8.5 years for women, reaching 32.1.

Civil marriages are becoming more and more popular in Quebec, reaching 64 per cent in 2019 compared to two per cent when the law was first passed in 1969. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and will likely continue to impact statistics for the 2020 year, as isolation measures forced some couples to postpone their plans until further notice. A 25 per cent decrease has been recorded for the month of March compared to averages over the past decade. April saw a 50 per cent decrease.