Child Marriage Still Practiced Across Canada, With an Increase in Common-Law Unions: Study
A new study found that child marriage still exists across in Canada, with an increase of cases in common-law unions.
According to the study, over 3,600 marriage certificates were issued to children under the age of 18 between 2000 and 2018.
This is the first research of its kind to shed light on child marriage in Canada. While most of the existing studies on the issue focus on developing countries, such practices in developed nations are often overlooked and understudied, the report said.
The study found the highest estimates of formal marriage in Alberta (0.03 percent) and Manitoba (0.04 percent), and the highest estimates of any type of child marriage (formal or common-law) in Saskatchewan (0.5 percent) and the territories (1.7 percent).