CENSUS: Tough to find a man
TORONTO (CP) - It seems that May-December romance could be the answer to female dating woes in Canada should the country's sex ratio imbalance grow any worse.
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For women seeking Mr. Right, the odds are best in the Northwest Territories - 104.9 men to 100 women - and worst in Nova Scotia, where women outnumber men 100 to 92.9.
According to the latest census data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada, the national sex ratio is 95.9 men for every 100 women, down from 96.1 men to 100 Canadian women in 2001. The new statistics show that a Canadian woman's odds of finding a man are on a downward slide. The male-female ratio hasn't been even in Canada for 35 years.
While Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia all hover around the national average, there are some towns in Alberta where women drastically outnumber men.
University of Alberta sociology and demography Prof. Frank Trovato said he attributes the differential to migration and the lower life expectancy of males.
"If you look at the age-specific sex ratio for each age group, you'll find the ratio starts to fall below 100 by age 25-30," he said, noting the drop is initially very gradual. "As you get past age 65, it really falls sharply in favour of women."
Immigration could account for some of the imbalance, Trovato said, adding it becomes an even bigger factor when you consider migration at the local level.
"A lot depends on the occupational structure," he said, noting forestry and mining communities are likely to see skewed ratios as those occupations tend to attract more males.
The discovery two years ago that girls are outnumbering boys two-to-one in the Aamjiwnaang First Nations community near Sarnia, Ont., raised a whole new set of questions.
Located in an area known as chemical valley, where Canada's largest cluster of chemical, allied manufacturing and research and development facilities spew smoke and nauseating smells on a daily basis, there's some suggestion industrial pollution could be responsible for skewed ratios.
Recent media reports about the negative effects of female sex hormones in lakes and rivers on wild fish populations and the discovery that certain plastics mimic female hormones also raises questions about what, if any, impact that might have on human reproduction.
While the territories present the best odds for Canada's single women, dating experts have other ideas for those not quite willing to settle up North or move to China, where the country's notorious one-child policy has resulted in a whole lot more testosterone than estrogen.
Meet Market Adventures spokeswoman Mitzi Young said group networking activities for singles, like the ones her company organizes, are a great way to meet like-minded people.
From city walking tours and sushi-making courses to weekend trips to New York City and skydiving adventures, Young said there's something for everyone.
While many activities tend to attract more women than men - a recent urban scavenger hunt saw women outnumber men three-to-one, while a tour of Toronto's distillery district saw a 17-7 ratio favouring females - Young said sporting or extreme activities will draw more men.
"Sadly, men usually come out to more alcohol-related events," she added. "Women will come out to just about everything and women bring friends. Guys, not so much... they don't want the competition."
The 42-year-old - who is dating a man-- years her junior - suggests taking that route as another option. While she didn't meet her man through work, Young notes clients often tell her they're very much attracted by the maturity and confidence of an older woman.
As for women, she says with a laugh, they're "dating the younger men because frankly - hot!"
Online dating websites Lavalife and Plenty of Fish say one place men actually outnumber women is in cyberspace, where the split is 60-40.
"I think women tend to like meeting people in person more than men do," said Plenty of Fish founder Markus Frind, noting off-line events organized by members tend to sign up more women.
Lavalife's Lori Miller said men are looking for quantity and like the one-stop shopping style of online dating where they can be very specific in terms of what they're looking for.
Women, she added, are more interested in quality and are likely to pay close attention to people's profiles and find a few men they can really connect with.
One of the most active dating groups right now, Miller said, are baby boomers who find themselves divorced or widowed and are looking for companionship.
Just last month, Lavalife launched PRIME, a new matchmaking site dedicated to those over 45.
Miller said thousands have already signed up, most of them between the ages of 45 and 55, and that the sex ratio appears to be equal right across the board.
While there aren't too many senior citizens, Miller said the oldest male signed in at 79, the oldest female at 73.
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