B.C. Now Has the Lowest Fertility Rate in Canada

Canada’s fertility rate has reached an all-time low, with British Columbia recording the lowest rate in the country at one birth per woman, according to Statistics Canada’s latest data for 2023. Nationwide, the fertility rate dropped to 1.26 births per woman, below last year’s record low of 1.33.

Factors contributing to this decline include economic challenges, particularly the high cost of living, which Statistics Canada noted in a 2022 study affects family planning decisions among young adults. Demographer Don Kerr of King’s College warns that the shrinking family networks may impact Canadians’ economic and emotional support systems, particularly in older age.

This latest decrease places Canada among countries like Italy and Japan, with fertility rates below 1.3, intensifying concerns about the social and economic effects of a declining population.