Quebec's birth rate dips to lowest level in nearly 20 years
CTV
Quebec saw a 3 per cent drop in the number of births between 2022 and 2023, according to data released Wednesday by the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
Quebec saw a 3 per cent drop in the number of births between 2022 and 2023, according to data released Wednesday by the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
This brings births to their lowest level since 2005.
The ISQ estimates that 77,950 babies were born in Quebec in 2023. The decline in the number of births has continued since 2013, when Quebec recorded 88,900 births.
The other Canadian provinces have yet to release their data on births that took place last year, but ISQ demographer Frédéric Fleury-Payeur expects them to see a decline, too.
"It's important to put this into an international context, where we're seeing a decline just about everywhere on earth," said Fleury-Payeur.
There are many reasons for the decline in births. Fleury-Payeur pointed to the cost of living and the difficulty of accessing property. Quite simply, access to housing, for example, to upgrade from a 4 1/2 to a 5 1/2, is difficult in today's housing market.
The demographer added that the desire to have children is declining, and this may be linked to concerns about the environment in particular.
