Pneumonia and influenza ranked among the top causes of mortality in Canada in 2024, according to a recent report that has raised eyebrows and prompted discussions about public health priorities. This alarming trend reveals that these respiratory illnesses now hold the sixth position on the list of the ten leading causes of death in the country. Notably, there was a significant surge in fatalities associated with these conditions—a staggering 20 percent increase from the previous year, with individuals aged 85 and older making up over 52 percent of these deaths.
In the broader context of mortality rates, cancer continues to be the foremost cause of death in Canada, responsible for more than a quarter of all fatalities. This statistic remains consistent across genders and throughout all provinces and territories, underscoring the pervasive impact of cancer since it became the leading cause of death in the early 1990s, surpassing heart disease. Following cancer, the top five causes of death also include accidents, strokes, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
After pneumonia and influenza, the list of top causes of death is rounded out by diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, COVID-19, and liver disease, presenting a grim picture of health challenges facing Canadians.
Interestingly, the report highlights that dementia accounted for nearly 28,000 deaths in 2024, reflecting a 4.8 percent increase compared to the prior year. Since the turn of the millennium, the number of deaths attributed to dementia has shown a consistent upward trend, with the sole exception being 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic hit. If dementia were to be classified as a direct cause of death, it would rank third, trailing only behind cancer and heart diseases.
A striking statistic from the report indicates that just over 70 percent of dementia-related deaths occurred in Canadians aged 85 and above, with women representing nearly two-thirds of these cases in 2024.
On a more positive note, life expectancy in Canada saw a slight uptick in 2024, reaching 81.68 years, which aligns with pre-pandemic figures from 2019. This increase was notably higher among men, who now have an average life expectancy of 80.03 years, yet women still maintain a longer lifespan at 84.29 years. The western provinces, including Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, experienced the most significant improvements in life expectancy, suggesting a regional variation in health outcomes across the nation.
