Is Low Birth Rate Affecting Canada's Human Resources?

Is Low Birth Rate Affecting Canada's Human Resources?

Samuel Francis Gills Published:
February 15, 2023

Canada is a country located in North America, bordered by the United States to the south and northwest, and by the Arctic Ocean to the north. It is the second-largest country in the world by total area and the eleventh largest by population. The capital of Canada is Ottawa, and its largest cities are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Canada has a diverse economy that is heavily reliant on natural resources, particularly oil, timber, and minerals. The country is known for its multiculturalism, social welfare programs, and universal healthcare system. It is also known for its natural beauty, including the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian Shield, and the Great Lakes.

Low birth rates are a common trend in Western countries nowadays, especially, in Canada. Fertility had been steadily declining since 2009 and reached a record low of 1.4 children per woman in 2020 – according to Statistics Canada. This is less than the global replacement level of 2.1 births per woman. High living costs, women pursuing education and career opportunities, delayed parenthood, and smaller family sizes are all contributing factors to this trend. Other factors that may be contributing include changing attitudes towards parenthood, increased access to birth control, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family planning decisions.

 

 

The drop-in birth rates in Canada can be attributed to a variety of causes, including increased access to birth control and family planning services, women seeking education and professional prospects, delayed parenthood, and smaller family sizes. Other probable explanations include shifting social attitudes towards parenthood and the impact of economic insecurity and uncertainty on family planning decisions.

 

Reason for dwindling birth rate

Raising children has become more expensive, which may be contributing to the Western world’s dropping birth rates. Parents are obligated to provide for their children’s needs, education, and other critical services for the first 18 years of their life. The cost of raising a child has continued to climb, resulting in a drop in birth rates in some countries. Since 2015, the expense of raising a child to the age of 18 in Canada has risen by approximately 11% (nearly $27,000). In the Western world, the COVID-19 epidemic has prompted considerable economic stress and hesitation about having children. According to a recent survey conducted by Statistics Canada, the pandemic has caused a large percentage of Canadians aged 15 to 49 to modify their plans for having children. Some respondents stated a wish to postpone having children, while others stated a desire to have fewer children than originally anticipated.

 

Impact of Canada’s low birth rate

From a Canadian perspective, the decline in births has resulted in an increase in immigration. This is mostly due to the need to support population and labour force growth, as well as the country’s economic development. There are fewer young individuals to replace the elder generation as a result of decreasing birth rates, resulting in a smaller national workforce. As a solution, Canada has relied on immigration to handle this issue, and it has shown to be beneficial thus far. The government of Canada’s latest multi-year immigration target targets welcoming over 1,500,000 new immigrants by the end of 2025.

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From 2016 to 2021, permanent or temporary residents accounted for about 80% of Canada’s population growth (1.8 million individuals). This immigration has resulted in a huge rise in Canada’s labour force, accounting for about 80% of total workforce growth during that time period. Immigration-related population expansion has also fueled economic development by increasing the number of taxpayers, providing more cash for the government to provide critical services and benefits for Canadians. Immigrants account approximately 23% of Canada’s overall population as of 2021, and this figure is expected to rise to between 29.1% and 34% by 2041 if current demographic trends continue.

 

Contact us today to know if you qualify to migrate to Canada. Check out Owlspriority Immigration’s Canada Settlement Resources to learn about finding employment in Canada, making your initial days stress-free, etc.

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