Older Canadians report higher satisfaction with available leisure time compared to younger people: StatCan

Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of Canadians say they’re satisfied with the amount of leisure time they had at their disposal, according to a recent report from Statistics Canada.

Data shows that senior Canadians aged 65 and over are more likely to be satisfied with how much leisure time they had (82 per cent), than adults aged 30 to 49 years old (53 per cent).

In its Canadian Social Survey released on Monday, Statistics Canada tried to gain insights into the quality of life within Canada by examining how individuals in the country allocate and use their time.

Generally, women and men exhibit similar levels of satisfaction with time allocated to leisure activities. However, a notable disparity emerges among younger women. Specifically, within the 15 to 29 age group, the data indicates that women are less likely (58 per cent) to express satisfaction with their time use compared to their male counterparts (69 per cent) in the same age range.

Data also shows that having a good work-life balance is closely tied to satisfaction with free time.

There has been a strong correlation between having a good work-life balance and the level of satisfaction individuals experience with their leisure time. Specifically, among individuals aged 15 to 64, those who reported having a favorable work-life balance displayed a notably high level of contentment with their available free time, with a satisfaction rate of 78 percent. In contrast, among those who indicated dissatisfaction with their work-life balance, the proportion was substantially lower, standing at 27 percent.

Retired Canadians appear to hold a significantly high level of satisfaction with their available leisure time, with over four out of five retirees expressing satisfaction. Following closely behind, students emerged as the second group with a considerable satisfaction rate, as 71 percent of them reported being content with the extent of their free time.

Satisfaction with free time is lower among other Canadian populations. Those primarily working exhibit a 58 per cent satisfaction rate, job seekers report 54 per cent, and caregivers express 60 per cent satisfaction.

Individuals grappling with a long-term illness reported the lowest levels of satisfaction with their free time, at 44 per cent.

Among individuals with disabilities, a lower proportion (55 per cent) expressed satisfaction with their free time in comparison to those without disabilities (67 per cent).

However, persons with a disability aged 30 to 49 are the least likely to report satisfaction with free time (38 per cent). This satisfaction rate increased to 50 per cent for those aged 50 to 64, and further rose to 70 per cent for individuals with disabilities aged 65 and older.

Individuals facing financial challenges are less likely to report satisfaction with their available free time. For instance, among the 24 per cent of Canadians who reported to be in a financially vulnerable position, only 44 per cent expressed satisfaction with their leisure time. In contrast, a higher proportion (73 per cent) of those who did not report such financial difficulties conveyed satisfaction with their amount of free time.

Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.