Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
www.hrsdc.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Canadians in Context — Aging Population
How many are we?
Where do we live?
What is the make-up of our population?
What are our perceptions?
This section provides information on population aging in Canada and by Regions.
Canada
The Canadian population is aging. In 2001, the median age in Canada was 37.2 years, meaning that half of the population was older than that and half was younger. In 1971, the median age was 26 years.[1]
Seniors make up the fastest-growing age group. This trend is expected to continue for the next several decades due mainly to a decreased fertility rate, an increase in life expectancy, and the effects of the baby boom. In 2003, an estimated 4.6 million Canadians were 65 years of age or older, a number that is expected to double in the next 25 years. By 2041, about one in four Canadians is expected to be 65 or over.
Note: Population projections use a medium-growth and medium-migration trends scenario. For further information see: Statistics Canada. Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories (2005-2031). Catalogue no. 91-520 XIE.
Source: Statistics Canada. Estimates of Population, Canada, the Provinces and Territories (Persons). CANSIM Table no. 051-0001; and Statistics Canada. Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories (2005-2031). CANSIM table no. 052-0004.
| 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 | 2031 | 2041 | 2051 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 9.6 | 11.5 | 12.6 | 14.4 | 18.7 | 23.4 | 25.1 | 26.5 |
Regions
All provinces in Canada have seen an increase in the proportion of seniors in their populations. Saskatchewan has the highest percentage of seniors (14.9% in 2006). However, due to varying growth rates of the senior population among provinces, by 2031 it is expected that the Atlantic provinces will have the highest proportion of seniors.
Note: Population projections use a medium-growth and medium-migration trends scenario. For further information see: Statistics Canada. Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories (2005-2031). Catalogue no. 91-520 XIE.
Source: Statistics Canada. Estimates of Population, Canada, the Provinces and Territories (Persons), CANSIM Table no. 051-0001; and Statistics Canada. Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories (2005-2031). CANSIM Table no. 052-0004.
| CAN | NL | PE | NS | NB | QC | ON | MB | SK | AB | BC | YT | NT | NU | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 13.2 | 12.1 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.3 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 13.7 | 14.8 | 10.2 | 13.2 | 5.9 | 4.1 | 2.2 |
| 2031 | 23.4 | 29.5 | 26.4 | 28.1 | 28.6 | 25.3 | 22.1 | 21.7 | 24.9 | 21.4 | 24.1 | 19.7 | 15.1 | 5.7 |
Footnotes
-
Statistics Canada. Estimates of Population, Canada, the Provinces and Territories (Persons). CANSIM Table no. 051-0001. Ottawa.
[Back to Text]
Download Data
- Download the data in Excel format (.xls, 6656 bytes)
- Download the data in tab-delimited text format (.txt, 1470 bytes)
To access the Microsoft Excel Format (XLS) version you must have an Excel reader installed. If you do not already have such a reader, there are numerous XLS readers available for free download:
To view the TXT version, use the document conversion features available in most word processing software, or use a file viewer capable of reading TXT.
