There were about 3.4 million girls aged 17 and under in Canada on July 1, 2016, accounting for about one-fifth of Canada's female population. Statistics Canada releases a new chapter, "The Girl Child," from the publication Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report. This chapter describes the demographic characteristics of girls in Canada, and presents several topics related to their well-being, such as their living arrangements, socioeconomic conditions, health and education.

Some characteristics related to well-being differ between girls and boys, notably social and emotional health and development. Overall, about three-quarters of 12- to 17-year-old girls and boys rated their mental health as "very good" or "excellent." However, among those aged 15 to 17, girls (68.8%) were less likely than boys (76.4%) to have rated their mental health as "very good" or "excellent."

Click here to read the full chapter: Women in Canada Report