Recently released data from the 2016 census shows the percentage of people over the age of 15 that are married in the Rural Municipality of Hanover is significantly higher than the national average.

According to the 2016 Census, 63.7% of people over 15 years of age are married in Hanover compared to 45.6% of people across Canada. The trend continues across other areas of Southeastern Manitoba with 58.3% in Steinbach and 58.9% in the R.M. of La Broquerie.

Dylan Barkman is a counselor in the Rural Municipality of Hanover and a pastor at Pansy Chapel. He notes the high percentage of married people is likely connected to the heritage of the Southeast.

"The forefathers established this area many years ago and much of what they built here was based on faith and the scriptures and I think that is the continuation of what we see today. My experience is that there are still a lot of young people getting married and I think people are still realizing that God created marriage and it is good."

Barkman says these strong family relationships have helped to make strong and healthy communities here in southeastern Manitoba.

"I see it as a positive. If you are building any kind of structure on a healthy foundation it is always a positive. Our foundation was built on scriptures and faith based forefathers and so if you continue that structure it is going to be a strong community no question."