General

Canadian baby boom?

Birth rate, age of mother on the rise

Numbers released today by Statistics Canada reveal the national birth rate to be increasing, up 3.6 per cent in 2007 over 2006. Of the 367,864 babies born in 2007, more than half (57 per cent) were born to mothers over 30. The number of births was the highest since 1995 and the fifth consecutive annual increase. Statistics reveal the birth rate rose in all age groups, particularly among mothers aged 30 to 34, and in every province and territory, except Prince Edward Island and Yukon. Among the provinces, Saskatchewan women had the highest fertility rate at 2.03 children per woman, while Newfoundland and Labrador had the lowest fertility rate at 1.46 children per woman. “This upward trend is not unique to Canada,” the agency said in a news release. “In recent years, other countries with low fertility rates—such as Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Australia—also experienced an increase in their total fertility rate.”

Canada.com

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: