In 1988, a total of 79,872 divorces were granted in Canada. This was a 12.2% decrease from the 1987 total of 90,985, the highest ever in Canada. Divorce levels have been generally high in the late 1980s, but data for several more years are required before the impact of the 1985 Divorce Act can be accurately assessed. The 1988 divorce rate in Canada for married women aged 15 and over was 1,256 per 100,000. The highest rates occurred in Alberta (1,498) and British Columbia (1,407), and the lowest in Newfoundland (669) and Prince Edward Island (844). The average duration of marriages ending in divorce was 12.5 years. The largest number of divorces occurred after five years, followed by six and four years. Among divorces granted in 1988 under the 1985 divorce law, separation for not less than one year was cited as the grounds in almost nine out of ten cases. Of all children affected by custody orders for divorces granted under the 1985 law, 76% were awarded to the wife, 12% to the husband, 11% to joint custody, and fewer than 1% to a person other than the husband or wife.
1988年，加拿大共批准了79872起离婚申请。这比1987年的90985起总数下降了12.2%，1987年的离婚数是加拿大有史以来最高的。20世纪80年代后期离婚率普遍较高，但在能够准确评估1985年《离婚法》的影响之前，还需要几年的数据。1988年加拿大15岁及以上已婚女性的离婚率为每10万人中有1256人。离婚率最高的是艾伯塔省（1498人）和不列颠哥伦比亚省（1407人），最低的是纽芬兰省（669人）和爱德华王子岛省（844人）。以离婚告终的婚姻的平均持续时间为12.5年。离婚最多的发生在结婚五年后，其次是六年和四年。在1988年根据1985年离婚法批准的离婚中，近十分之九的案件将分居不少于一年作为离婚理由。在根据1985年法律批准的离婚中受监护令影响的所有儿童中，76%判给了妻子，12%判给了丈夫，11%判给了共同监护，判给丈夫或妻子以外的人的不到1%。
