Research Snapshot: Fertility Decline in Canada Since the Great Recession

Key findings from a study on how age and parity might contribute to the fertility decline

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The global financial crisis of the Great Recession (2007–2009) had profound economic and social consequences. One of its many social impacts was on childbearing, resulting in a decline in fertility rates.

This study addressed the factors behind fertility decline in Canada from 2008 to 2022 using data from Statistics Canada and the Human Fertility Database. The researchers examined factors such as delayed childbirth (tempo effect), fewer children per birthing person (quantum effect), age, and parity (i.e., how many times a person becomes pregnant and carries to term).

This research builds on our growing understanding of the Family Wellbeing component of the Vanier Institute’s Family Diversities and Wellbeing Framework.