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Canada recorded its lowest-ever fertility rate for the second year in a row in 2023, according to Statistics Canada, at 1.26 children born per woman. It now joins the ranks of "lowest-low" fertility countries, including South Korea, Spain, Italy and Japan.
Statistics Canada said the drop between 2022 and 2023 specifically reflects an increase in the number of women of childbearing age, but also noted the fertility rate has been steadily declining for more than 15 years.
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The recognition that having children is increasingly costly, time-consuming and stressful was reflected in a recent public health advisory issued by the U.S. surgeon general. In August, Vivek Murthy warned about the impact of modern stresses on parents' mental health, saying today's parents face unique challenges.
"Parents across all backgrounds want to provide their kids with a foundation for happiness and success. Yet too many fear they won't be able to provide what's necessary or their kids won't be able to access what they need in order to lead a fulfilling life," Murthy said in the report.
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One-child families on the rise
According to the 2021 census, one-child families are the most common type in Canada, comprising 45 per cent of families with children that year. (Families with two children made up 38 per cent and those with three or more made up 16 per cent.) The totals include one-parent families, common-law families and step-families.
Economists have pointed out that the decision to have children is often a trade-off between quantity and quality — the number of children you have and how much you invest in their future prospects and wellbeing. The theory is that everyone only has a finite amount of time, money and affection; in the past, people would spread that out thinner between more children, Strohschein said, but in recent years, that calculation has flipped.
For instance, in 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pointed out that typically, as parents get richer, they invest more in the "quality" (like education and extra-curricular activities) of their children, which is costly. Additionally, the IMF notes "how time-consuming it is to raise children," and that devoting time to childcare is also costly — especially for mothers who could otherwise earn more in the workforce. So, for these reasons, they have fewer children.
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