Figure 1 Number of persons aged 65 years and over and number of children aged less than 15 years in the Canadian population, 1956 to 2016

Description

This figure shows the number of persons aged 65 years and over and the number of children aged less than 15 years in the Canadian population, from 1956 to 2016. The number of children aged less than 15 years has risen from 1956 to 1966, going from 5,225,000 persons in 1956 to 5,592,000 persons in 1966. The number then went down up to 1986, going from 6,381,000 persons in 1971 to 5,392,000 persons in 1986. It has risen again for the next two censuses, from 5,693,000 persons in 1991 to 5,901,000 persons in 1996. Finally, it declined again up to 2006, from 5,726,000 persons in 2001 to 5,580,000 persons at the 2006 Census. The medium growth scenario of the population projections shows that this number could remain stable up to 2016, where it could reach 5,451,000 persons. Also, the figure shows that the number of persons aged 65 years and older has risen progressively since 1956 to 2006, going from 1,244,000 persons in 1956 to 4,335,000 persons at the 2006 Census. This number could reach 5,799,000 persons in 2016 according to the medium growth scenario of the population projections.

Sources: Statistics Canada, censuses of population, 1956 to 2006; and Alain Bélanger, Laurent Martel and Éric Caron Malenfant, 2005. Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories 2005-2031, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 91-520, scenario 3.