Fresh numbers from the 2016 census show that more Canadians than ever are living alone, making the loner lifestyle the most common living arrangement for the first time in the country's history.
Statistics Canada says just over 28% of all households included just one person in 2016, supplanting couples with children as the dominant household setup, with just 26.5%.
The census also says Canadian couples without kids grew in number at a faster pace than did couples with at least one child, leaving that demographic at 51.1% of the population, the lowest level ever recorded.
The agency cites a number of social and economic factors, in particular an aging population that includes more empty nesters and widows, as well as higher divorce and separation rates.
Economic factors are also likely playing a significant role in another spike in the number of young adults living with their parents.
The numbers show that 1 in 3 young adults aged 20 to 34 was living with at least one parent in 2016, an increase of almost five percentage points between 2001 and 2016. During that same period, the percentage of young people living with families of their own declined to 41.9% from 49.1%.