How have birth rates changed in Canada over time?
Crude birth rate, also known as birth rate, is the total number of live births per 1,000 people in a specific population during a single year. It is referred to as crude birth rate because it does not adjust for age or sex, which means the population used in its calculation includes groups who cannot give birth, such as men, young children, and older adults.
The birth rate is among the most important demographic metrics. Rising birth rates often point to population growth, while declining rates suggest the opposite. Demographers, economists, and policymakers often analyze birth rate alongside two other key metrics: fertility rate and crude death rate to get a more complete picture of population growth trends. Shifting trends may impact policy decisions on healthcare, education, immigration, and the economy.
What was Canada’s birth rate in 2025?
Canada’s birth rate has been gradually declining over the past 25 years. In 2000, it was 10.7 live births per 1,000 people, and in 2025, it was reported at 9.1 live births per 1,000 people. While birth rates have declined across all provinces, the biggest change has been in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its birth rate fell from 9.1 live births per 1,000 people in 2000 to 6.1 live births per 1,000 people in 2025, making it the province with the lowest birth rate.
Last Updated: October 1, 2026
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Source: Statistics Canada is Canada's national statistical agency.
Notes: Crude birth rate, or birth rate, refers to the number of live births, of a given geographic area in a given year, per 1000 mid-year total population of the same geographic area in the same year.
How have fertility rates changed over time?
More women in Canada are choosing not to have children. Statistics Canada’s 2024 Survey on Family Transitions found that just over half (51.5%) of Canadian women aged 20 to 49 years have no children. Among that group, 88.5% of women in their 20s were childless, followed by women in their 30s (43.2%) and 40s (23.6%). Among those who choose to have kids, they do so much later. In 2024, the average age of mothers at the time of childbirth reached a record high of 31.8 years, up from 27.8 years in 1991. Statistics Canada notes that these dramatic shifts in fertility patterns are influenced by higher education, increased workforce participation, changing norms, and widespread contraception. The result has been a long decline in fertility rates.
Last Updated: October 1, 2026
About Source(s)
Source: Statistics Canada is Canada's national statistical agency.
Notes: The average age of mothers at childbirth is the mean age of mothers at the birth of their child for a given year. The mothers’ age is the one at the middle of the year.
Whereas the birth rate represents the total number of births per 1,000 people, fertility rates represent the average number of children a woman is expected to have during their lifetime. In 2025, Canada’s total fertility rate was at 1.26 children per woman. It was unchanged from the record low observed in 2024. This ranks Canada among countries with ultra-low fertility, a term commonly used to describe a total fertility rate below 1.30 children per woman. In recent years, fertility rates have declined across all provinces and territories to varying degrees, with the sharpest drops recorded during the pandemic years.
Last Updated October 1, 2026
About Source(s)
Source: Statistics Canada is Canada's national statistical agency.
Notes: Total fertility rate is an estimate of the average number of live births a female can be expected to have in her lifetime, based on the age-specific fertility rates (ASFR) of a given year. The total fertility rate (TFR) = (SUM of single year of age-specific fertility rates) / 1,000.
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