Canada’s birth rate reached a record low in 2020.
According to Statistics Canada, the birth rate has dropped from 1.47 children per woman in 2019 to 1.40 children in 2020.
Canada’s birth rate has been steadily declining since 2009, statistics show. Susan McDaniel, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Victoria, says this should not be a cause for concern.
“The trend is for lower birth rates worldwide,” McDaniel told CTVNews.ca, whose study focuses on demographic change. “It’s a good trend. In general, it’s better for children if there are fewer children, it’s better for parents if there are fewer children, and it’s better for society and the planet and everything else.”
Statistics from Canada show that 2020 also saw the lowest number of births since 2007, as well as the largest decline in births on an annual basis since 1997. Meanwhile, the average age of Canadian mothers at birth has increased slightly up to 31.3 years. Birth rates are lowest in British Columbia and Nova Scotia and highest in Nunavut and Saskatchewan.
Although the overall birth rate in Canada is declining, the population continues to grow. The 2021 census showed that Canada’s population grew by 5.2% to nearly 37 million, the fastest rate in any G-7 country.
“The census clearly shows that we are growing, not because of increased fertility or the contribution to fertility, but because of immigration,” McDaniel said.
According to Canadian statistics, almost a quarter of people aged 15 to 49 have changed their fertility plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with most saying they intend to delay having children.
“It is not uncommon for the birth rate to fall during economic hardship or social insecurity,” Anna Ferrer, a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo, told CTVNews.ca. “In the coming years, when the economy is recovering, we can expect to see some recovery in the birth rate, especially if the future of the workforce includes more opportunities for remote interaction and flexible schedules, which can help women reconcile family and work. . “
McDaniel said the pandemic had led to lower birth rates worldwide, with one notable exception.
“During the pandemic, it increased slightly in Germany,” she said. “People are speculating about why this is so, and the answer they came up with is that Germany has a better child support system.
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