Valentine's Day… by the numbers

StatsCan, will you be my Valentine? We can take long walks on the beach, and talk about least-squares regression analysis. OR, I can copy-paste from the Daily. Woohoo!

(Note: I don't in any way condone V-Day, just crushes on inanimate objects)

Ladies' choice

6.3 million — the number of single females in Canada as of July 1, 2005. There were about 7.2 million single males. In other words, about 114 single males for every 100 single females. (These figures include all age groups.)

Source: Canadian Statistics, Population characteristics, Population by marital status and sex.

"I do"

49% — percentage of the total Canadian population that was married in 2005, according to the most recent population estimates. (This figure includes persons legally married, legally married and separated, and persons living in common-law unions.)

Source: Canadian Statistics, Population characteristics, Population by marital status and sex.

146,738 — the number of couples who tied the knot in 2002, the most recent year for which figures are available. The crude rate for that year works out to about five marriages per 1,000 people. The median age for the grooms was 31.5, the brides 29.5.

About three-fifths of those weddings took place in the summer, with 20% of couples choosing to exchange vows in August. By contrast, only 3.7% said "I do" in February.

Source: The Daily, Tuesday, December 21, 2004, "Marriages".

"And I do, too"

34,200 — the number of same-sex common-law couples counted in Canada in 2001, representing 0.5% of all couples.

Source: 2001 Census, Analysis series, Canadian families and households, Same-sex common-law couples: Male couples outnumber female couples.

"I propose… a toast"

$188.6 million —approximate value of sales of Canadian and imported sparkling wines as of the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2004. That represents 11.9 million litres of bubbly.

Source: The Daily, Tuesday, September 8, 2005, "Control and sale of alcoholic beverages", CANSIM table 183-0015.


A lovely bouquet

24.5 million —number of roses (except sweetheart) produced in Canada in 2004.

43.9 million —number of roses including sweetheart produced in Canada in 2004.

$1.44 billion — total value of ornamental flower and plant sales in Canada in 2004. Direct sales to the public accounted for $292.1 million of that total, and sales by retail florists another $188.1 million.

Source: The Daily, Friday, April 22, 2005, "Greenhouse, sod and nursery industries".

Sweets to the sweet

$3.1 billion —dollar value of chocolate and candy produced in Canada in 2003.

196 — number of establishments producing chocolates and candy in Canada in 2003.

12,409 — number of employees involved in the production of chocolates and candy in Canada in 2003.

Source: The Daily, Monday, October 17, 2005, "Annual Survey of Manufactures:" Data taken from CANSIM Table 301-0003.

Stepping out

$1,519 —average amount spent per Canadian household on restaurant meals in 2004.

Source: The Daily, Monday December 12, 2005, Survey of Household Spending. Data taken from CANSIM Table 203-0002.

A special gift

$2.4 billion — total value of retail sales of jewelry and watches in Canada in 2004.

$1.3 billion — total value of retail sales of women's lingerie, sleepwear and intimates in 2004.

Source: The Daily, January 13, 2005, "Quarterly Retail Commodity Survey". Data taken from CANSIM Table 080-0018.