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Number of deaths

In 2005, a total of 230,132 deaths were registered in Canada, 3,548 (1.6%) more than in 2004. A slight majority of these deaths (50.4%) were to males.

Between 2004 and 2005, the number of deaths among females increased faster than the number among males: 1.8% versus 1.3%. Consequently, the male-female gap in the number of deaths dropped from 2,442 deaths in 2004 to 1,880 in 2005.

Trends in deaths

From 1990 to 2005, the annual number of deaths rose 20% from 191,973 to 230,132 (Chart 1 ). The number of deaths among females increased twice as quickly as the number among males: 30% and 12%, respectively. As result, the sex ratio (number of deaths among males per 100 deaths among females) fell from 118 to 102.

Crude mortality rate

From 2004 to 2005, Canada’s crude death rate remained at 7.1 per 1,000 population.

In 2005, crude death rates ranged from a low of 3.5 per 1,000 population in the Northwest Territories to a high of 8.9 per 1,000 population in Saskatchewan. Rates were below the national level in Ontario (6.8), Alberta (5.9), Yukon (5.3), Nunavut (3.8), and Northwest Territories (3.5). British Columbia’s rate (7.1) was the same as that for Canada. Rates in the remaining provinces exceeded the national level.

From 2004 to 2005, crude death rates increased in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Alberta, with the largest rise occurring in Newfoundland and Labrador (Table 1 ). Rates declined in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and all the territories; the sharpest decline was in Prince Edward Island. Rates in the other provinces remained stable.

Age-specific mortality rates

Two factors can contribute to an increase in the number of deaths: an increase in the population at risk of dying and/or an upturn in mortality rates.

By applying 2004 age-specific mortality rates to the 2005 population, it is possible to assess the extent to which the change in the number of deaths in 2005 was due to changes in population size versus changes in mortality rates (Table 2 ).

Had age-specific mortality rates remained the same between 2004 and 2005, the number of deaths in 2005 would have been 233,624. However, the actual number of deaths registered in 2005 was lower at 230,132. Thus, the difference between the actual and the expected number of deaths (-3,492) deaths can be attributed to an improvement in mortality rates.

Between 2004 and 2005, age-specific mortality rates had an overall decline in older age groups (50 or older), counterbalancing rising rates at younger ages. Therefore, the outcome of 3,492 fewer deaths than expected was largely attributable to decreasing mortality rates among people aged 50 or older.

Mortality rates rose among younger age groups, with the highest relative increase (21%) among 10- to 14-year-olds.

Mean age at death

In 2005, 74.2 years was the mean age at death ¹  of population in Canada. The mean age at death of males (71.1 years) was 6.3 years less than that of females (77.4 years).

Trends in mean ages at death

Over the past 15 years, the mean age at death for both sexes has risen steadily, increasing by 3.5 years for males, and by 3.2 years for females (Chart 2 ).

In 1990, the mean age at death was at 67.6 years for males and at 74.1 years for females. Over the 1990 to 2005 period, males’ mean age at death has been, on average, 6.4 years less than females’.

Geographic differences

Mean age at death, in 2005, varied among provinces and territories, with the lowest in Nunavut (47.8) and the highest in Prince Edward Island (75.6).

In 2005, the mean age at death for males was below the national average in Quebec (70.6), Alberta (68.4), Yukon (63.5), the Northwest Territories (59.4) and Nunavut (49.5). The mean age at death for females was below the Canada figure in Newfoundland and Labrador (76.4), Alberta (75.2), Yukon (71.0), the Northwest Territories (64.6), and Nunavut (44.6).

In most province and territories, the mean age at death was younger for males than for females. The exception was Nunavut, where females’ average age at death was 4.9 years less than males’. The male-female gap in mean age at death was wider in Prince Edward Island (6.8), Quebec (6.7), Alberta (6.8) and the Yukon (7.5) than the gap of 6.3 years for Canada overall. Except for British Columbia, in all other provinces and territories, the male-female gap in mean age at death was less than at the national level.

Infant mortality

The number of infant deaths (under one year of age) increased 5% from 1,775 in 2004 to 1,863 in 2005. The number of male infant deaths rose 8% from 953 to 1,030. Female infant deaths increased by 1% from 822 to 833.

Infant mortality rate

The infant mortality rate rose slightly from 5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2004 to 5.4 in 2005. The male infant mortality rate increased from 5.5 to 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the female rate remained at 5.0 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories recorded increases in their infant mortality rate; the largest was in the Northwest Territories. Rates fell in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Yukon and Nunavut, with the largest decline in Yukon.

From 2004 to 2005, the overall increase in the male infant mortality rate in Canada was mainly due to increases in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, which counterbalanced declines in the other five provinces and two territories.

Neonatal, post-neonatal and perinatal mortality

Infant mortality can be subdivided into neonatal mortality (deaths of infants aged 0 to 27 days) and post-neonatal mortality (deaths of infants aged 28 to 364 days). Perinatal mortality refers to stillbirths with 28 or more weeks’ gestation and early neonatal deaths (deaths of infants aged 0 to 6 days).

Canada’s neonatal mortality rate rose slightly from 4.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2004 to 4.1 in 2005. The post-neonatal rate remained at 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in both years. The perinatal mortality rate increased from 6.2 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 total births (live births plus stillbirths of 28 or more weeks of gestation).

Trends in infant mortality

From 1990 to 2005, the infant mortality rate fell 20% from 6.8 to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Over the same period, the neonatal mortality rate declined 11% from 4.6 to 4.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the post-neonatal mortality rate fell by 41% from 2.2 to 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

At the same time, the perinatal mortality rate declined 17% from 7.6 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 total births.

The infant mortality and neonatal mortality rates both fell from 1990 to 1992 and increased slightly until 1994 (Chart 3 ). From 1995 to 1998, the infant mortality rate declined and has since fluctuated around 5.3 or 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. By contrast, since 2001, neonatal mortality rates increased steadily from a low of 3.6 to the current level of 4.1 per 1,000 live births.

The post-neonatal mortality rate has been declining since 1991.

The annual number of perinatal deaths fell between 1990 and 1991, and increased in 1992 (Chart 4 ). Numbers then decreased until 1998 and thereafter varied little, as the rate stabilized around 6.3 deaths per 1,000 total births.

Trends in the two components of perinatal deaths—early neonatal and late fetal deaths—differed in the last fifteen years. The number of late fetal deaths generally decreased. The number of early neonatal deaths declined from 1990 to 2000, but has risen since 2000.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining—at birth or at another age—based on age-specific mortality rates calculated using a 3-year average (Table 5 ).

In 2005, life expectancy at birth was 80.4 years: 78.0 years for males and 82.7 years for females. Life expectancy at age 65 was 19.6 years: 17.9 years for males and 21.1 years for females (Table 5 ).

Life expectancy from 2000 to 2005

From 2000 to 2005, life expectancy at birth rose by 1.1 years, from 79.3 to 80.4 years (Table 5 ). For males, the increase was 1.4 years, compared with 0.8 years for females. As a result, the male-female gap in life expectancy at birth narrowed by 0.6 year from 5.3 years in 2000 to 4.7 years in 2005.

The life expectancy of people at age 65 rose by 0.9 years. As in the case of life expectancy at birth, males’ increase surpassed that of females (1.1 and 0.7 years, respectively) and the male-female gap in life expectancy at age 65 diminished from 3.6 to 3.2 years.

Geographic differences in life expectancy at birth

In 2005, life expectancy at birth in two large provinces exceeded the national average of 80.2 years. British Columbia led with 81.2 years, followed by Ontario (80.7 years) (Table 6 ).

Life expectancy in Quebec matched the national average, while in the other provinces and in the territories, life expectancy at birth was below the Canadian figure. The lowest life expectancy was in the three territories (76.3 years).

The male-female life expectancy gap was the narrowest in Ontario with 4.2 years. Prince Edward Island and British Columbia had the same male-female gap as for Canada (4.7 years). The three territories had the widest male-female gap, with a difference of 6.4 years.

Geographic differences in life expectancy at age 65

In 2005, life expectancy at age 65 was highest in British Columbia at 20.3 years, followed by Alberta (19.8 years) and Ontario (19.7 years) (Table 7 ). Except for Quebec (19.6), life expectancy at age 65 in the other provinces and the territories was below the national level. The lowest life expectancy at age 65 was in the three territories: 17.5 years.

In three provinces, the male-female gap in life expectancy at age 65 was less than the national figure (3.2 years): British Columbia (2.9), Ontario (2.9) and Prince Edward Island (3.1). The widest gap was in Saskatchewan (3.7).

International comparisons

Infant mortality

Among 15 selected low mortality countries for which 2005 infant mortality rates are available, Canada ranked 14^th (5.4), just above United States (6.9).

Iceland had the lowest rate at 2.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, followed by Sweden (2.4) and Japan (2.8).

Life expectancy at birth

Compared with 15 countries with high life expectancy at birth and for which 2005 data are available, Canada ranked 6^th for males and 7^th for females.

For males, Iceland placed first (79.2 years), Switzerland second (78.7), and Japan third (78.6).

For females, Japan led (85.5), followed by Switzerland (83.9) and France (83.8).

Czech Republic placed last for male and female life expectancy at birth.