Two-Thirds of Canadians Report Having Enough Leisure Time: StatCan

Tourists look out at Niagara Falls from the Canadian side of the Canada/U.S. border in a file photo. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)

The majority of Canadians answering a recent Statistics Canada survey report they are happy with how much leisure time they have.

StatCan released the results of the latest Canadian Social Survey (CSS) on Aug. 14, stating that so far this year, 65 percent of Canadians, or about two-thirds, are satisfied with their amount of free time. Not surprisingly, this number is highest among seniors over the age of 65 at 82 percent.

Adults aged 30 to 49 years old do not report the same satisfaction, with only 53 percent reporting they had enough free time.

StatCan said it conducts studies on time use to understand how the country uses its time, including time spent working, involved in leisure activities, undertaking housework, or caring for others.

“How people spend their free time varies from one person to the next and can encompass a broad range of activities from socializing, engaging in activities related to arts and hobbies, watching television, reading, listening to music, to countless other personal interests and passions,” said the report.

While women have previously indicated they spend more time performing unpaid housework and childcare and may have less leisure time, the latest CSS results now suggest that women and men generally have the same levels of satisfaction with leisure time.

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Women in the youngest age group studied, aged 15 to 29, were 58 percent satisfied, which was lower than men in the same age range at 69 percent satisfied with the amount of free time they have to engage in personal activities, said the report.

The study suggested that having a good work-life balance and financial stability is closely tied to satisfaction with free time.

“Among the population aged 15 to 64, close to four out of five (78%) who were satisfied with their work-life balance were also satisfied with their amount of free time. In contrast, 27% who were not satisfied with their work-life balance were satisfied with their leisure time,” said StatsCan.

Canadians who are retired had high levels of satisfaction with the amount of free time available. In second place, 71 percent of students said they had enough free time.

Those with a disability in the age range of 30 to 49 were least likely to be satisfied with their amount of free time, at 55 percent, compared to those with no disability at 67 percent.

This was seen across all age groups, though was most pronounced among persons with a disability aged 30 to 49, where 38 percent said that they were satisfied with the amount of available time to engage in personal activities and pursuits. “The lower levels of satisfaction among those with a disability is consistent with a previous study which found that persons with disabilities were more likely to report that they do not have time for fun and spend more time stressed about their health than persons without disabilities,” said StatCan.

Of the 24 percent of Canadians who reported financial difficulty, 44 percent were satisfied with their free time levels.

“Those in a vulnerable financial situation may need to work longer hours, meaning less free time, combined with less disposable income for leisure pursuits,” suggested StatCan.

The data for the survey was collected from April 21 to June 4.