Statistics Canada confirmed last week that 351,679 babies were born in 2022 — the lowest number of live births since 345,044 births were recorded in 2005.

The disparity is all the more notable given that Canada had just 32 million people in 2005, as compared to the 40 million it counted by the end of 2022. In 2005, it was already at historic lows for Canada to have a fertility rate of 1.57 births per woman. But given the 2022 figures, that fertility rate has now sunk to 1.33.

Of Canadians in their 20s, Statistics Canada found that 38 per cent of them “did not believe they could afford to have a child in the next three years” — with about that same number (32 per cent) saying they doubted they’d be able to find “suitable housing” in which to care for a baby.

A January survey by the Angus Reid Group asked women to list the ideal size of their family against its actual size, and concluded that the average Canadian woman reached the end of their childbearing years with 0.5 fewer children than they would have wanted

“In Canada, unlike many other countries, fertility rates and desires rise with income: richer Canadians have more children,” it read.

        • jscummy@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          What do you think you wrote in the second paragraph? Because I’m seeing “gone the way of the horse” and “usefulness supplanted by modern technology”

            • jscummy@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              5
              ·
              1 year ago

              I’m pointing out that your second paragraph continues to make the point that the main purpose of having children is for them to perform work

              To be fair, you did include some people “keeping a child around for enjoyment” which is still pretty dehumanizing