By 2056, 28% of the Population Will be 65 Years of Age or Older

Quebec is experiencing significant growth in the number of seniors residing in the province. These demographic changes trigger questions about the rapidly ageing population. Are we prepared for this transformation of our population? This is a legitimate question that we must ask ourselves because nearly one third of Quebeckers will be 65 years of age or older in 2056.

In fact, it’s estimated that from 2006 to 2056, the proportion of people aged 65 years or older among the general population will double from 14% to 28%. This ageing demographic can be explained by the decline in the birth rate following the baby boom and an increase in life expectancy.

 

Our Current Situation (2016)
According to the most recent data from the Institut Statistique du Québec (ISQ), 1,253,550 people were aged 65 years or older in 2011, accounting for just over 1 in 7 people (15.7%) in Quebec. In 2021, this amount will increase to 20.5 % and in 2031, more than 1 in 4 people will be a senior citizen. This means that in 20 years, this age group will have grown by 85%.

 

Currently, Montréal (at 23.3%) and Montérégie (at 17.5 %) have the highest number of people aged 65 years or older in all of Quebec. They alone account for 40.8% of this portion of the population.

In Quebec, most private retirement homes for seniors accommodate seniors that are 65 years of age and older. In fact there were 127,925 seniors living in retirement homes enumerated, which represents 2.6% of the population in this age category. Other housing accommodations, such as a Long Term Care Facility, or intermediate resources and family-type resources are broken down according to the age of the age of residents.

If you combine all the accommodation resources that are available in Quebec, there are more than 176,000 housing accommodations available as of 2009. Statistics confirm that it is indeed between the ages of 55 and 64 that people choose to change accommodations and this is often the last move they will make before moving to non-autonomous home for seniors.

Looking Ahead

In 40 years, from 2016 to 2056, 28 % of the population will be aged 65 years or older compared to 18.1 % in 2016. That means there will more than one million people aged 65 years or older that will be added to the Quebec population compared to the numbers that were counted in 2016.

With regards to those aged 75 years or older, this proportion will increase from 7.7% to 16.4% between 2016 and 2056. Because the number of seniors is increasing, the expectation is that the need for homecare will also increase. Homecare helps maintain the health, independence and quality of life of seniors. If this trend continues, people aged 65 years or older will exceed the number of people aged 0 to 19.

In 2031, 25.6% of the population will be aged 65 or older, compared to 20.3% of those aged 0 to 19 years old.

It goes without saying then that it would be wise to plan so that seniors have the chance to age in their homes while relying on help from qualified homecare and caregivers. Investing in homecare would be a logical and informed choice to make.
However, a part of the population, those with a more advanced loss of autonomy, will require a residential or long-term care facility for accommodation. You can ask a housing counsellor for advice in your quest for a private senior’s residence.
Sources:
Perspectives démographiques du Québec et des régions, 2011-2061 (French only)
Senior’s Housing Report
Vieillissement de la population, état fonctionnel des personnes âgées et besoins futurs en soins de longue durée au Québec (French only)
Les mutations qui touchent l’hébergement des personnes âgées au Québec : impacts sur la clientèle et la main-d’oeuvre (French only)