Type of economic family

Status: This standard was approved as a departmental standard on July 31, 2026.

Definition

Type refers to a general character, form, or a characteristic that distinguishes a particular group or class of things.

Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same household and are related to each other through biological, couple, adoptive or foster relationships.

Examples of an economic family include two co-resident census families who are related to one another, co-resident siblings who are not members of a census family, or a niece or nephew living with their aunt or uncle.

All members of a given census family belong to the same economic family, as well as any other household members who are related to at least one member of the census family. In households with no census families present, all related persons in the household form an economic family.

Usage

In the context of Economic family, type refers to the classification of economic families according to whether or not any member is responsible for household maintenance, that is, payments for rent, or mortgage, or taxes, or electricity, etc.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

There are no relevant internationally recognized standards.

Classifications

Relation to previous version

  • Type of economic family July 31, 2026 to current

    The definition of the statistical unit "economic family" has been modified.

  • Type of economic family November 16, 2015 to July 30, 2026

    This is an update of 'Type of economic family'. The categories of the classification have been defined.

  • Type of economic family July 15, 1998 to November 15, 2015

    This was the departmental standard from July 15, 1998 to November 15, 2015.

Date modified: