Fertility rate in Canada at record low: report

By: 600011 On: Sep 26, 2024, 1:47 PM

 

Canada's fertility rate has steadily declined to a record low, Statistics Canada says. According to the report, Canada is now one of the countries with the lowest fertility rate. Other countries with low fertility rates are South Korea, Spain and Japan. Of the 13 provinces and territories in the country, 10 recorded the lowest fertility rates. The fertility rate is the average number of births a woman can expect during her reproductive life.

Statistics show that the fertility rate in Canada in 2023 is 1.26 children per woman. In 2022, it had dropped to 1.33 children per woman. Last year, 351,477 babies were born in Canada. This is similar to the 2022 number. Families are delaying having children after the pandemic, the report says. The report found that economic uncertainty, high cost of living, changes in lifestyle and career decisions are the main reasons for declining fertility rates.

Statistics Canada also reported that the rate of preterm births in Canada has increased over the past three decades. It is reported to reach a 50-year high of 8.3 percent in 2023.