According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, by 2025, Canada’s total fertility rate will remain at 1.26 children per woman, matching the historic low set in 2024; the average maternal age will rise to 31.9 years, setting a new record. In 1976, this age was 26.7 years. Most provinces and regions recorded the “historically low” fertility rates. From a long-term perspective, Canada’s fertility rate has generally declined since 2009, with an average annual decline of 4% from 2017 to 2023 except for 2021. After a slight 0.8% decline in 2024, it will remain unchanged in 2025. The total fertility rate is a statistical estimate, not a prediction of the current final number of women having children.
Among 20 high-income countries, Canada will have the seventh lowest fertility rate by 2025. The United States has the highest at 1.57, while South Korea has the lowest at 0.80. Canada had long been in the mid-tier, but since 2018 it has been moving toward the lowest range. Maria Porcellato, CEO of Endo Diagnosis in Alberta, said this trend reflects decades of changes in working conditions, cost of living, lifestyle choices, and delayed childbirth. Porcellato pointed out that delaying childbirth may increase the difficulty of conception, and diseases such as endometriosis and PMOS also affect reproductive health. Endometriosis affects up to a quarter of women and can cause pain and fertility problems; PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic disorder that may interfere with ovulation.
She advocates for healthcare systems to identify and manage these diseases earlier, helping women make more informed fertility decisions. Financial pressure also affects family planning. Toronto financial writer Renee Sylvestre-Williams previously stated that rising living costs could push childbirth to the back of priorities. Porcellato also mentioned that diet, exercise, sleep, prolonged sitting, and long-term stress all affect fertility, especially for women who juggle work, family, and caregiving responsibilities and face ongoing stress.