StatCan says fertility rate remains at the all-time low seen the previous year
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TORONTO – New data shows Canada’s fertility rate in 2025 remained at an all-time low recorded the previous year, while women who do have kids are doing so at a later age.
Statistics Canada said Wednesday that the rate of 1.26 children per woman was virtually unchanged from 2024.
Fertility rates have been falling around the world since 2009, with Canada ranking in the bottom seven among 20 high-income countries.
The average age of mothers giving birth has meanwhile increased to a new high of 31.9 years. StatCan notes it’s been rising for decades – in 1976, the average age was 26.7.
Kate Choi, a sociology professor at Western University, said if women wait to have their first child, they have less time to have more kids, and the fertility rate declines.
Choi said a variety of social issues, such as economic uncertainty, housing unaffordability and an absence of work-life balance, have contributed to a declining fertility rate.
“It’s not biological infertility, but it’s the social circumstances that are preventing them from having children,” Choi said.
The ultra-low fertility rate highlights the need for policies that address the barriers precluding young Canadians from have the number of kids they want, when they want, Choi said.
The number of babies born in Canada increased 1.6 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, but Choi said that’s because there were more women in the reproductive age group.
HOME BIRTHS
The data also shows the number of women giving birth at home is back to pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019.
Home births peaked in 2021, with more than 9,000 babies born outside of hospitals that year, the agency says, as some families chose home births to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The number of non-hospital births returned to around 7,000 last year, accounting for just under 2 per cent of all births.
Statistics Canada said it was more common for a post-term birth at or after 40 weeks to happen outside of a hospital.
POPULAR NAMES
The government agency also released its annual list of popular baby names.
For boys, the top baby name in 2025 was Noah, followed by Theodore, Liam, Leo, William, Oliver, Jack, Benjamin, Thomas, and Lucas. The list is very similar to the previous year, with Liam falling from the No. 2 spot to No. 3.
For girls, Charlotte took the top spot from Olivia, which moved to second place. Those were followed by Emma, Sophia, Amelia, Sofia, Chloe, Mia, Lily, and Nora.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.