Canada and several western countries experience low birth rates. The declining global fertility rate has been a cause of concern for many countries in the Western world, including Canada. As fewer children are being born over time. This decrease in the birth rate has had numerous repercussions, both positive and negative.
According to statistics, there has been a 20% drop in births in the United States over the past 15 years. Since 2008, births in Greece have declined by 30%.
The situation in Canada is similar. To replace the entire world’s population, Canada’s fertility rate must reach 2.1 births per woman. The low birth rates in Canada have progressively decreased since 2009, reaching a record low of 1.4 children per woman. Canada recorded a record-low number of births in 2020, with the largest decline in childbirths in 25 years at -3.6%.
Reason for low birth rates in Canada and other western countries
It is impossible to pinpoint a single reason for the low birth rates since each child-bearer has different reasons for having a child or not. Western trends are thought to have significantly influenced the drop in birth rates.
It is becoming increasingly expensive to rise a child
Money is needed to raise a child, just as it is for anything else in life. The parents are responsible for providing for the basic needs of their offspring over the first 18 years of their life, as well as funding their education and other essential services.
People are choosing not to have children because of the rising costs of raising a child, resulting in declining birth rates across the Western world. In the U.S., a middle-income married couple with two children is expected to spend more than $26,000 to raise a child to the age of 17 than they spent in 2017.
It costs approximately $27,000 to raise a child until 18 in Canada, up 11% since 2015.
Women have higher levels of education
Compared to previous generations, Western women have achieved higher levels of education in recent decades, which has led to greater social empowerment. This heightened empowerment has contributed to a declining trend in fertility rates.
Economic uncertainty related to COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic’s economic uncertainty, particularly in Western countries, has significantly impacted people’s plans for having children. According to a December 2021 report from Statistics Canada, a sizable proportion of Canadians between the ages of 15 and 49 had altered their family plans as a result of the pandemic.
According to the survey, 14.3% of participants agreed that they now wish to have a baby later than they had originally planned. One.9% of poll participants also replied “true” to this question: “My original plan was to have more children.”
Outcome: What has been the effect of the low birth rate in Canada?
In Canada, a low birth rate has directly led to an increase in immigration, primarily as a result of maintaining population growth, increasing labor force participation, and developing the economy.
Since fewer children are being born to replace the aging population, it has been attributed to low fertility rates that have caused a decrease in Canada’s workforce. Up until now, Canada has successfully offset this decline by using immigration appropriately.
Canada’s population grew by over 45% between 2016 and 2021 due to new temporary and permanent residents. Also, the country’s population expansion has facilitated the expansion. And flourishing of its labor force by 79.9% over the past five years due to immigrants from Canada. Last but not least, immigration has driven economic growth in this nation through an increase in population. As a result of increased immigration to Canada, more people will pay taxes to the government. The government will be able to provide essential services and benefits to Canadian citizens at a reduced cost, boosting growth and economic development throughout the country.
Overall, the reasons for increased immigration discussed above have led to Canada’s foreign-born population making up 23% of the total population by 2021. Moreover, it is predicted that this number will decrease by 29.1% to 34% by 2041. Assuming current national demographic trends, particularly low fertility rates, continue to persist.
