Canadian Parenting Statistics 2026

Last updated: October 2026. Figures checked against the official sources listed at the end of this page on October 2, 2026.

Short answer: Canada's total fertility rate was 1.26 children per woman in 2025, unchanged from the record low, and the average age of mothers at childbirth reached 31.9 years. There were 372,521 births in 2025 (preliminary), up 1.6% from 2024, and full-time centre-based child care averaged $435 a month in 2025.

Key facts

Fact Figure Source
Total fertility rate 1.26 (2025) StatCan
Average age of mothers at childbirth 31.9 years (2025) StatCan
Live births 372,521 (2025, preliminary) StatCan
Centre-based child care fee $435/month (2025) StatCan
Cost to raise a child to 17 (medium income) $293,000 (2017 dollars) StatCan

Births and fertility

Measure Figure Year Source
Total fertility rate 1.26 children per woman (unchanged from the 2024 all-time low) 2025 StatCan
Average age of mothers at childbirth 31.9 years (record high; 26.7 in 1976) 2025 StatCan
Live births 372,521 (up 1.6% from 2024; preliminary) 2025 StatCan
Boys / girls among births 51.3% / 48.7% 2025 StatCan
Mothers who were born outside Canada 43.8% (32.7% in 2021) 2025 StatCan
Live births, revised 366,494 (2024) and 353,265 (2023) 2023–2024 StatCan table 13-10-0415-01
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) 7.2% of newborns (5.6% in 2000), as first published Sept 24, 2025 2024 StatCan
Preterm births (before 37 weeks) 8.2%, as first published Sept 24, 2025 2024 StatCan

StatCan revises earlier years as late records arrive: 2024 births were first published as 365,737 and now stand at 366,494. The 2024 fertility rate was first published as 1.25; the September 2026 release describes 2025 as "unchanged at 1.26", identical to the 2024 low.

In 2025, 8 of 13 provinces and territories recorded all-time low fertility rates, and Yukon (1.02) had the lowest rate in the country for the first time (StatCan).

Baby names

Charlotte became Canada's most popular girl name in 2025, ending Olivia's nine-year run, and Noah was the top boy name for the fifth year in a row. See the full top 10 lists.

Child care

Measure Figure Year Source
Children aged 0–5 in child care 58% 2025 StatCan
Children in centre-based care 32% 2025 StatCan
Average full-time centre-based fee $435 a month (was $663 in 2022 and $508 in 2023) 2025 StatCan
Average full-time home-based fee $534 a month 2025 StatCan
Cities with infant fees at or below $10/day 11 of 35 surveyed 2026 CCPA

Benefits and leave

Measure Figure Year Source
Max Canada Child Benefit, child under 6 $8,157 a year Jul 2026–Jun 2027 CRA
Max Canada Child Benefit, child 6–17 $6,883 a year Jul 2026–Jun 2027 CRA
EI maternity / standard parental max $729 a week 2026 Service Canada
QPIP maximum insurable earnings $103,000 2026 RQAP

Cost of raising a child

Statistics Canada estimates that a medium-income, two-parent family with two children spends about $293,000 (in 2017 dollars) to raise a child from birth to age 17. Over the longer period from birth to age 22, housing (28.7%), transportation (20.2%) and food (17.0%) are the largest shares of spending. There is no official figure for the first year alone; try our baby cost calculator for your own estimate.

Removed in this update: the C-section and breastfeeding figures from the June 2026 version, because we could not re-check them against the current CIHI and Statistics Canada tables this month. You may quote this page with a link; please check the original source before republishing a figure.

Frequently asked questions

What is Canada's fertility rate?

1.26 children per woman in 2025, unchanged from 2024 and the lowest level on record, according to Statistics Canada.

How many babies are born in Canada each year?

Statistics Canada counted 372,521 live births in 2025, a 1.6% increase from 2024. The 2025 figure is preliminary and may be revised.

What is the average age of mothers in Canada?

The average age of mothers at the birth of their child was 31.9 years in 2025, a record high.

How much does child care cost in Canada?

Full-time centre-based child care averaged $435 a month in 2025, down from $663 in 2022 (StatCan). Fees vary widely by city; see our child care cost table.

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Related guides and tools

Sources

  1. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Fertility and baby names, 2025 (Sept 23, 2026) (checked October 2, 2026)
  2. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Births, 2025 (Sept 23, 2026) (checked October 2, 2026)
  3. Statistics Canada, Table 13-10-0415-01: Live births, by month (checked October 2, 2026)
  4. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Births, 2024 (Sept 24, 2025) (checked October 2, 2026)
  5. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Child care arrangements, 2025 (Oct 21, 2025) (checked October 2, 2026)
  6. Statistics Canada: Estimating expenditures on children by families in Canada (Sept 29, 2023) (checked October 2, 2026)
  7. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: The $10-a-day divide – Child care fees in Canada in 2026 (Aug 19, 2026) (checked October 2, 2026)
  8. CRA: How we calculate your CCB (July 2026 to June 2027) (checked October 2, 2026)
  9. Service Canada: EI maternity and parental benefits – How much you could receive (checked October 2, 2026)
  10. RQAP: Premium rates and maximum insurable earnings for 2026 (checked October 2, 2026)

This page is general information compiled from the official sources listed; it is not medical, financial or legal advice. Publishers revise figures, so check the original source before relying on or republishing a number.