Statistics Canada says the country’s fertility rate in 2025 remained at the all-time low recorded the previous year – just 1.26 children per woman.

The majority of the provinces and territories recorded all-time low total fertility rates, including Newfoundland and Labrador at 1.08.

Nationally, the average age of mothers at childbirth has been continually increasing for nearly five decades. Last year, that age reached a new high of 31.9 years, up from 26.7 years in 1976.

The overall long-term decline in fertility is not unique to Canada. In 2025, among 20 selected high-income countries, Canada had the seventh-lowest rate. The United States (1.57 children per woman) had the highest, followed by Iceland and France (1.56 children per woman each.