What happens as Canada ages?
An older population changes the balance between working lives, retirement and care. The consequences depend on health, participation, migration and productivity as well as age.
Population estimates can show how Canada’s age structure is changing. They cannot, on their own, tell us how many people will work, what care they will need or how public budgets will respond.
Older people account for a growing share of Canada
On July 1, 2026, 20.0% of Canadians were aged 65 or older, compared with 8.0% in 1971. There were 30.8 older people for every 100 people aged 15–64, up from 29.8 a year earlier. The median age was 40.9 years.
Canada’s age balance has changed in two directions. The older-age ratio has risen while the child-age ratio has fallen over this history. Combining them can conceal the change in the kinds of services people may need; neither ratio measures the cost of those services.
| Age group | People | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| 0–14 years | 6,254,277 | 14.96% |
| 15–64 years | 27,165,749 | 64.99% |
| 65 years and older | 8,378,381 | 20.04% |
On narrow screens, scroll charts and tables sideways to read all values.
Inspect every year, the denominators and the formulas
| Year | Total people | 0–14 share | 15–64 share | 65+ share | Older ratio | Child ratio | Combined ratio | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 21,962,032 | 29.29% | 62.68% | 8.02% | 12.80 | 46.73 | 59.53 | 26.2 |
| 1972 | 22,218,463 | 28.53% | 63.33% | 8.13% | 12.84 | 45.05 | 57.89 | 26.4 |
| 1973 | 22,491,777 | 27.74% | 64.01% | 8.25% | 12.88 | 43.34 | 56.22 | 26.7 |
| 1974 | 22,807,969 | 26.94% | 64.71% | 8.35% | 12.90 | 41.62 | 54.52 | 27.1 |
| 1975 | 23,143,275 | 26.18% | 65.36% | 8.46% | 12.94 | 40.06 | 53.00 | 27.4 |
| 1976 | 23,449,808 | 25.42% | 65.96% | 8.63% | 13.08 | 38.54 | 51.62 | 27.7 |
| 1977 | 23,725,843 | 24.72% | 66.47% | 8.81% | 13.25 | 37.20 | 50.45 | 28.1 |
| 1978 | 23,963,203 | 24.01% | 66.99% | 8.99% | 13.43 | 35.84 | 49.27 | 28.4 |
| 1979 | 24,201,544 | 23.33% | 67.46% | 9.21% | 13.66 | 34.58 | 48.24 | 28.8 |
| 1980 | 24,515,667 | 22.73% | 67.86% | 9.41% | 13.86 | 33.50 | 47.36 | 29.1 |
| 1981 | 24,819,915 | 22.29% | 68.13% | 9.58% | 14.06 | 32.72 | 46.77 | 29.5 |
| 1982 | 25,116,942 | 22.00% | 68.28% | 9.72% | 14.24 | 32.22 | 46.45 | 29.8 |
| 1983 | 25,366,451 | 21.77% | 68.38% | 9.85% | 14.41 | 31.84 | 46.25 | 30.2 |
| 1984 | 25,607,053 | 21.55% | 68.44% | 10.01% | 14.63 | 31.49 | 46.12 | 30.6 |
| 1985 | 25,842,116 | 21.30% | 68.45% | 10.25% | 14.97 | 31.12 | 46.09 | 31.0 |
| 1986 | 26,100,278 | 21.02% | 68.50% | 10.48% | 15.31 | 30.68 | 45.99 | 31.4 |
| 1987 | 26,446,601 | 20.89% | 68.37% | 10.74% | 15.70 | 30.56 | 46.26 | 31.8 |
| 1988 | 26,791,747 | 20.81% | 68.26% | 10.93% | 16.01 | 30.48 | 46.50 | 32.2 |
| 1989 | 27,276,781 | 20.73% | 68.17% | 11.10% | 16.28 | 30.41 | 46.69 | 32.5 |
| 1990 | 27,691,138 | 20.69% | 68.03% | 11.28% | 16.58 | 30.42 | 47.00 | 32.9 |
| 1991 | 28,037,420 | 20.67% | 67.87% | 11.46% | 16.88 | 30.46 | 47.34 | 33.3 |
| 1992 | 28,371,264 | 20.70% | 67.70% | 11.60% | 17.13 | 30.57 | 47.71 | 33.6 |
| 1993 | 28,684,764 | 20.66% | 67.61% | 11.73% | 17.36 | 30.56 | 47.92 | 34.0 |
| 1994 | 29,000,663 | 20.55% | 67.60% | 11.84% | 17.52 | 30.41 | 47.92 | 34.4 |
| 1995 | 29,302,311 | 20.39% | 67.64% | 11.97% | 17.69 | 30.14 | 47.83 | 34.8 |
| 1996 | 29,610,218 | 20.22% | 67.70% | 12.09% | 17.86 | 29.86 | 47.72 | 35.2 |
| 1997 | 29,905,948 | 19.99% | 67.79% | 12.22% | 18.02 | 29.49 | 47.51 | 35.6 |
| 1998 | 30,155,173 | 19.76% | 67.89% | 12.35% | 18.19 | 29.10 | 47.30 | 36.0 |
| 1999 | 30,401,286 | 19.47% | 68.08% | 12.45% | 18.29 | 28.60 | 46.89 | 36.4 |
| 2000 | 30,685,730 | 19.17% | 68.28% | 12.55% | 18.38 | 28.08 | 46.46 | 36.8 |
| 2001 | 31,020,855 | 18.86% | 68.50% | 12.64% | 18.46 | 27.53 | 45.99 | 37.2 |
| 2002 | 31,359,199 | 18.58% | 68.70% | 12.72% | 18.52 | 27.05 | 45.57 | 37.6 |
| 2003 | 31,642,461 | 18.31% | 68.86% | 12.83% | 18.63 | 26.59 | 45.22 | 38.0 |
| 2004 | 31,938,807 | 18.01% | 69.04% | 12.95% | 18.76 | 26.09 | 44.85 | 38.3 |
| 2005 | 32,242,732 | 17.68% | 69.26% | 13.07% | 18.87 | 25.52 | 44.39 | 38.6 |
| 2006 | 32,571,193 | 17.34% | 69.40% | 13.26% | 19.11 | 24.99 | 44.10 | 38.9 |
| 2007 | 32,888,886 | 17.10% | 69.46% | 13.44% | 19.35 | 24.62 | 43.97 | 39.2 |
| 2008 | 33,247,298 | 16.91% | 69.44% | 13.66% | 19.67 | 24.35 | 44.01 | 39.4 |
| 2009 | 33,630,069 | 16.73% | 69.39% | 13.88% | 20.01 | 24.11 | 44.11 | 39.6 |
| 2010 | 34,005,902 | 16.55% | 69.33% | 14.13% | 20.37 | 23.86 | 44.24 | 39.8 |
| 2011 | 34,339,221 | 16.39% | 69.18% | 14.43% | 20.86 | 23.69 | 44.54 | 40.0 |
| 2012 | 34,713,395 | 16.31% | 68.84% | 14.85% | 21.57 | 23.69 | 45.26 | 40.1 |
| 2013 | 35,080,992 | 16.26% | 68.48% | 15.26% | 22.28 | 23.75 | 46.03 | 40.3 |
| 2014 | 35,434,066 | 16.24% | 68.12% | 15.64% | 22.96 | 23.84 | 46.80 | 40.5 |
| 2015 | 35,704,498 | 16.23% | 67.74% | 16.03% | 23.66 | 23.96 | 47.62 | 40.6 |
| 2016 | 36,110,803 | 16.25% | 67.36% | 16.39% | 24.34 | 24.13 | 48.46 | 40.7 |
| 2017 | 36,545,075 | 16.22% | 67.02% | 16.76% | 25.01 | 24.20 | 49.21 | 40.8 |
| 2018 | 37,072,620 | 16.18% | 66.73% | 17.09% | 25.62 | 24.24 | 49.86 | 40.7 |
| 2019 | 37,618,495 | 16.09% | 66.44% | 17.47% | 26.30 | 24.22 | 50.52 | 40.7 |
| 2020 | 38,028,638 | 16.03% | 66.06% | 17.91% | 27.11 | 24.27 | 51.38 | 40.8 |
| 2021 | 38,239,864 | 15.92% | 65.65% | 18.43% | 28.07 | 24.26 | 52.32 | 41.0 |
| 2022 | 38,945,628 | 15.72% | 65.53% | 18.74% | 28.60 | 23.99 | 52.59 | 40.9 |
| 2023 | 40,022,704 | 15.44% | 65.67% | 18.89% | 28.77 | 23.51 | 52.28 | 40.6 |
| 2024 | 41,162,593 | 15.18% | 65.79% | 19.03% | 28.93 | 23.07 | 52.00 | 40.4 |
| 2025 | 41,608,982 | 15.04% | 65.48% | 19.49% | 29.76 | 22.97 | 52.73 | 40.6 |
| 2026 | 41,798,407 | 14.96% | 64.99% | 20.04% | 30.84 | 23.02 | 53.86 | 40.9 |
Total population is the sum of the three exhaustive age groups. Each share divides a group by that total. Older-age ratio = people aged 65+ ÷ people aged 15–64 × 100; child-age ratio substitutes ages 0–14; the combined ratio adds both numerators. Median age is the issuer’s published value. Rounded shares may not add to exactly 100%.
People aged 15–64 are not the same as workers, and people aged 65+ are not the same as retirees. Some younger people do not work and some older people do. These figures alone do not establish pension solvency, tax capacity, care demand, or the effect of immigration. The separate pension question examines financing assumptions.
This is a history of population estimates in one held source edition, not a forecast or a record of what was first published each year. Older observations can have earlier cell release dates. No particular year is designated a structural break.
Statistics Canada, table 17-10-0005-01; latest observation released September 23, 2026; captured September 29, 2026 and revalidated unchanged October 4, 2026. All reference dates are July 1. Explore the underlying age series in Data.
What the record shows
Old-age dependency ratio (65+ per 100 aged 15-64), July 1: all-time high (30.84% in 2026)
The latest value of old-age dependency ratio (65+ per 100 aged 15-64), july 1 (30.84%, 2026) is the highest in the series history since 1971 (56 years of data). A record marks where the series sits in its own history; it carries no causal claim.
Technical details
Labour force survey population, age 15+ (SA): all-time high (34,831,200 in Aug 2026)
The latest value of labour force survey population, age 15+ (sa) (34,831,200, Aug 2026) is the highest in the series history since 2006 (242 months of data). A record marks where the series sits in its own history; it carries no causal claim.
Technical details
Population growth slowed to 0.5% y/y in 2026 Q3
Canada's population was 41,798,407 on 2026-07-01, up 0.46% from a year earlier. Four quarters earlier the year-over-year rate was 1.08%. Direction of change: deceleration.
Technical details
Institutional projections on file
Actuarial Report (32nd) on the Canada Pension Plan (Revised version), as at 31 December 2024
The Chief Actuary's statutory triennial valuation of the Canada Pension Plan (section 115 of the Canada Pension Plan, which provides that an actuarial report shall be prepared every three years): 75-year financial projections of the base and additional CPP as at 31 December 2024, including the minimum contribution rates needed to sustain each part of the Plan — the legislated benchmark for the federal-provincial financial state review of the CPP
Measure: assets to expenditures ratio.
Where institutions disagree
What would change the record
- Aging and fiscal sustainability — reviewed by 2027-07-09.
This page brings together the evidence, institutional disagreements and gaps behind a continuing question. Where the record supports an answer, it appears with its date, sources, limits, Brief and Receipt. New evidence can change that answer.
This page holds the current public record for this question. For a more specific question, see Work with Countability.
Work with Countability