Canada’s fertility rate hit an all-time low in 2020.
According to Statistics Canada, the fertility rate dropped from 1.47 children per woman in 2019 to 1.40 children in 2020.
Statistics show that fertility rates have been steadily declining in Canada since 2009. Susan McDaniel, an associate professor of sociology at Victoria University, says this should not be a cause for concern.
“The trend is for lower birth rates worldwide,” McDaniel, whose research focuses on demographic change, told CTVNews.ca. “It’s a good trend. It’s basically better for kids if there are fewer kids, it’s better for parents if there are fewer kids, and it’s better for society and the planet and everything else.”
Statistics Canada says that 2020 also saw the lowest number of births since 2007, as well as the largest year-on-year decline in births since 1997. Meanwhile, the average age of Canadian mothers in childbirth has risen slightly to 31, 3 years. Fertility rates were lowest in British Columbia and Nova Scotia and highest in Nunavut and Saskatchewan.
Although general births are declining in Canada, the population continues to grow. The 2021 census showed that Canada’s population had grown by 5.2% to almost 37 million, the fastest rate of any G7 country.
“The census clearly shows that we are growing, not because of increased fertility or the contribution of fertility, but because of immigration,” McDaniel said.
According to Statistics Canada, nearly a quarter of people between the ages of 15 and 49 changed their fertility plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and most reported that they intended to delay to have kids.
“It’s not uncommon for fertility rates to decline in times of economic hardship or social uncertainty,” Ana Ferrer, a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo, told CTVNews.ca. “In the coming years, as the economy recovers, we can expect some recovery in fertility rates, especially if the future of the workforce includes more opportunities for distance interaction and flexible hours, which can help women to better combine family and work. “
McDaniel said the pandemic caused lower fertility rates worldwide, with one notable exception.
“During the pandemic, it increased a bit in Germany,” he said. “People have speculated why this is the case, and the answer they gave is that Germany has a better child support system.”