New survey - English-Speaking Quebec Parents Call for Concrete Measures to Better Work Together in Caring for Their Children

MONTREAL, June 15, 2026 /CNW/ - With the provincial election approaching and as part of the Semaine Québécoise de la Paternité, the Regroupement pour la Valorisation de la Paternité (RVP) and the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) are calling for coparenting to be placed at the heart of public policies and family services.

According to a new SOM survey conducted among 800 English-speaking Quebec parents, a large majority believes that measures such as longer paternity leave, better recognition of the needs of fathers and coparents following perinatal loss, and increased awareness among professionals during parental separation would make it easier for them to collaborate. More than 80% of respondents indicated that such measures would have a positive impact on their ability to work together in caring for their children.

English-speaking parents overwhelmingly recognize the benefits of this approach: 91% believe that working together promotes better child development, while 89% feel it contributes to a fairer sharing of the mental load. This ability to work as a team, referred to as coparenting, offers a concrete response to several contemporary challenges faced by families, including the sharing of responsibilities, work-family balance, and recognition of diverse family structures.

« Supporting coparenting requires reflection at both the public policy level and within the practices of professionals who work with families. To better support parents, we need policies and services that are flexible, inclusive, and adapted to the diversity of family pathways », said Raymond Villeneuve, Executive Director of the Regroupement pour la Valorisation de la Paternité.

Mental Load and Division of Household Tasks: Progress Still Needed to Improve Parents' Experiences

Although the importance of coparenting is widely recognized among English-speaking parents, progress remains to be made on certain issues related to fatherhood in Quebec. For example, more than two-thirds of coparents (68%) believe that fathers' parenting skills are questioned more often than mothers' in Quebec society.

Other challenges also persist. The equitable sharing of household tasks is the area in which coparents report the greatest difficulties. In addition, perceptions of the mental load vary significantly by gender: 66% of women feel that it rests primarily on their shoulders, while more than four in ten men (42%) believe that this responsibility is shared fairly.

Coparenting Under Pressure

The survey also shows that some English-speaking families experience more fragile coparenting realities. This is particularly true of single-parent, blended, or lower-income families, which report less positive outcomes on several indicators related to the coparenting relationship, including feeling respected, listened to, and supported, as well as their ability to agree on the sharing of responsibilities and child-rearing decisions.

Parental responsibilities are also a significant source of stress for nearly one in seven parents (16%).

Taking Action to Better Support Coparenting

Drawing on the survey findings and an extensive consultation process, the RVP is proposing a platform built around ten priority areas aimed at strengthening coparental collaboration in Quebec.

The proposals address issues such as perinatal support, parental leave, work-family balance, adapting public services to the realities of coparents, mental health support, conflict prevention during separation, and combating stereotypes associated with parental roles. The RVP is advocating for a more inclusive and coordinated approach to ensure that public policies and family services better reflect the realities of all coparents.

"Parents are telling us that they want better support to work as a team throughout every stage of family life. Whether during the perinatal period, through separation, in workplaces, or in public services, coparenting must become a collective reflex," said Raymond Villeneuve, Executive Director of the Regroupement pour la Valorisation de la Paternité.

Technical Report: https://rvpaternite.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SQP2026_highlights_SOM_survey.pdf

Full report : https://rvpaternite.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SQP2026_plateforme_coparentalite.pdf

About Regroupement pour la Valorisation de la Paternité
RVP is a group of 250 organizations and individuals from all regions of Quebec whose mandate is to promote father engagement for the well-being of children, with a focus on family and with respect for gender equality. RVP's objective is to enable the integration of father-inclusive practices into family services and public policies in Quebec.
www.rvpaternite.org

About CHSSN
CHSSN's mission is to support the English-speaking communities in Quebec through promoting equitable access to health and social services in English and addressing social determinants of health by relationship building, knowledge sharing, empowering, and training.
https://chssn.org/

Working Together So the Whole Family Benefits
14th Edition of the Semaine Québécoise de la Paternité
The 14th edition of the Semaine Québecoise de la Paternité will take place from June 15 to 21 under the theme "Working Together So the Whole Family Benefits." Through this theme, the RVP aims to highlight the coparenting realities of Quebec families and raise awareness of the powerful role that a coparenting approach can play in addressing the challenges families face in 2026.

Facebook.com/rvpaternite
Instagram.com/rvpaternite
linkedin.com/rvpaternite
www.semainedelapaternite.org

SOURCE Regroupement pour la Valorisation de la Paternité

For more information or for interviews: Sandrine Gagné, Morin Relations Publiques, [email protected], Cell phone: [phone]