What is the Life Expectancy In Canada?

When we talk about life expectancy, we are typically referring to how long the average person is expected to live or how long an individual (like you) is expected to live. Compared to 100 years ago, the average Canadian born today will live 20 years longer.²

And even though we don’t know all the secrets to living longer, we can still help you understand the changes you can make to give yourself the best chance of a better quality of life and boosting your life expectancy.

Why is life expectancy changing in Canada?

Life expectancy in Canada dropped for three years in a row from 2020 to 2022. COVID-19 is partially responsible alongside cancer and heart disease as the top three causes of death.¹⁰

However, life expectancy is on the rise according to 2024 statistics.¹¹ It increased to 81.7 years in 2023, up from 81.3 in 2022. Advancements in research, technology and treatments¹² have lowered mortality rates for Canadians over 50. People with common conditions like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular and circulatory diseases live longer than in the past.

Increasing your life expectancy

There are several things we can do to improve our life expectancy. For starters, it’s important to understand and reduce our exposure and risks to the major causes of early death. In Canada, the most likely causes of premature death include:¹³

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• COVID-19
• Accidents
• Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. strokes)
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases
• COVID-19
• Diabetes
• Influenza and pneumonia

Being proactive about your health and being aware of your family’s medical history can help you find ways to reduce your risk of a premature death and increase your life expectancy.

A 2024 study¹⁴ found healthy lifestyle habits, such as being a non-smoker, maintaining a balanced diet, and partaking in regular exercise, can all contribute to extended life expectancy compared to those who often engage in riskier habits.

It’s simple, the healthier the lifestyle, the longer the life expectancy.

Can life insurance improve your life expectancy?

When you apply for life insurance, you may need to fill out a questionnaire to help determine your eligibility and how your health and lifestyle might affect your premiums. If you want to pay less during your policy’s term, quitting risky habits, like smoking, can significantly lower your monthly premiums.

So, while a life insurance policy may not directly improve your life expectancy, it can motivate you to adopt—and maintain—healthier habits. Furthermore, lower insurance premiums can also help prevent financial stress, which is another factor that could contribute to a shorter life expectancy.

Getting life insurance with diabetes, cancer and other lifelong conditions

But what if you live with diabetes, cancer, heart or other lifelong conditions? These conditions can affect your life expectancy and may impact your chances of being approved for life insurance.

Despite this, many of these conditions are manageable through lifestyle changes, medication or both. Your doctor can prescribe medication and treatment to help you increase your chances of living well with chronic or critical illnesses.

You can also explore ways to improve your lifestyle. Quitting smoking, taking up regular exercise and eating well can promote a healthier lifestyle and reduce the risk of developing long-term illnesses like cancer or diabetes.

You can also look for life insurance plans that make getting coverage easier for people who might struggle to get insurance. Simplified issue no medical life insurance¹⁵ can help hard-to-insure applicants get the protection they need.