Rates down, burden upUpdated 17 October 2026
Trend summary
- Canadians are less likely to die of cancer or heart disease at any given age than a generation ago. But there are more older Canadians, so the total burden keeps rising.
- Cancer caused 26.2% of all deaths in 2024 and heart disease 17.7%. Life expectancy recovered to 82.16 years.
- An estimated 254,100 people will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026, even as age-adjusted rates fall.
- Deaths involving dementia rose 4.8% in 2024, and measured adult obesity reached 33%.
26.2%of deaths in 2024 were from cancer
254,100projected new cancer cases, 2026
27,825deaths involving dementia, 2024 (+4.8%)
33%of adults measured as obese, 2022-2024
What the numbers show
Statistics Canada’s Deaths, 2024 release lists cancer (26.2%) and heart disease (17.7%) as the top causes, with stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s also in the top ten. Deaths involving dementia reached 27,825; dementia would rank third if it were counted as a single cause. Life expectancy rose to 82.16 years, nearly back to its 2019 level.
The 2026 cancer projections (CMAJ) expect 254,100 new cases and 87,900 deaths, while age-standardised incidence and death rates continue to fall. In 2023, 46.1% of adults had at least one chronic disease, and Heart & Stroke estimates that more than 6 million Canadians live with heart disease or stroke.
What is driving it
Ageing is the main reason counts rise while rates fall: 70.8% of dementia deaths in 2024 were people aged 85 and over. Weight is moving the wrong way: measured obesity among adults rose from 25% in 2016-2019 to 33% in 2022-2024, with the sharpest increase among adults under 40. Smoking has fallen from about half of adults in 1965 to about 11% today, which helped cut heart disease death rates by more than 80% over seven decades (Heart & Stroke).
Recent cases
- 13 April 2026: Canadian cancer statistics project 254,100 new diagnoses in 2026 (CMAJ).
- 3 February 2026: Heart & Stroke reports more than 6 million Canadians living with heart disease or stroke, more than previously estimated (Heart & Stroke).
- 13 January 2026: Statistics Canada’s 2024 death data show dementia-involved deaths up 4.8% and life expectancy recovering (Statistics Canada).
Press releases and official reports, 2023–2026
Five key releases a year for the last four years, newest first. Most come from federal departments and agencies, the Transportation Safety Board, Statistics Canada and provincial governments; a few news and trade reports are included where they are the clearest public record of an event. Releases from 2007–2022 are in the expandable list after 2023.
2026
- 22 Jul 2026Canadian Cancer SocietyNew set of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages hit stores across Canada
- 8 May 2026PHACA dementia strategy for Canada: Together we achieve – 2025 annual report
- 13 Apr 2026CMAJProjected estimates of cancer in Canada in 2026
- 3 Feb 2026Heart & StrokeHeart & Stroke report: New data provides big picture of heart and brain risk factors
- 13 Jan 2026Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2024
2025
- Nov 2025Canadian Cancer Society7 cancer trends to know in 2025
- 2 Oct 2025Statistics CanadaThe prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise in Canada: New results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2022 to 2024
- 6 Mar 2025Health CanadaGovernment of Canada signs pharmacare agreement with British Columbia to improve universal access to free medications
- 5 Mar 2025Statistics CanadaKey findings from the Health of Canadians report, 2024
- 25 Feb 2025Heart & StrokeUltra-processed foods to blame for over a third of heart and stroke deaths in Canada
2024
- 4 Dec 2024Statistics CanadaLife Tables, Canada, Provinces and Territories, 1980/1982 to 2021/2023 (three-year estimates), and 1980 to 2023 (single-year estimates)
- Nov 2024PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Achieve – 2024 Annual Report
- 10 Oct 2024Health CanadaGovernment of Canada Passes Legislation for a First Phase of National Universal Pharmacare
- 10 Oct 2024Statistics CanadaHypertension among children and youth, 2007-2019
- 31 Jan 2024Heart & StrokeHighs and lows: More cardiac arrests are occurring and few survive
2023
- 27 Nov 2023Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2022
- Oct 2023PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Achieve – 2023 Annual Report
- 11 Sep 2023Statistics CanadaCanadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2022
- 1 Feb 2023Heart & StrokeSystem failure: Women's heart and brain health are at risk
- 2023PHACSnapshot of Diabetes in Canada, 2023
View 20 years of major Canadian chronic disease press releases (2007–2026)80 more from 2007–2022, five a year, newest first
2022
- 20 Dec 2022Heart & StrokeStroke in Canada is on the rise
- Nov 2022Canadian Cancer SocietyCanadian Cancer Statistics: A 2022 special report on cancer prevalence
- 1 Feb 2022Heart & StrokeHeart failure in Canada: complex, incurable and on the rise
- 24 Jan 2022Statistics CanadaLife Tables, Canada, Provinces and Territories 1980/1982 to 2018/2020 (three-year estimates), and 1980 to 2020 (single-year estimates)
- 20 Jan 2022PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Achieve – 2021 Annual Report
2021
- 29 Nov 2021PHACDiabetes in Canada in review, 2021
- 15 Sep 2021Statistics CanadaThe cancer survival index: Measuring progress in cancer survival to help evaluate cancer control efforts in Canada
- 23 Mar 2021Statistics CanadaBlood pressure of adults, 2016-2019
- 17 Mar 2021Statistics CanadaCanadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020
- 16 Feb 2021Heart & StrokeNew joint campaign calls on feds to take immediate action on pharmacare
2020
- 18 Dec 2020Heart & StrokeHat tip to Health Canada for proposal to cap nicotine levels in vapes
- 7 Dec 2020PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Achieve – 2020 Annual Report
- 22 Oct 2020Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2019
- Sep 2020Canadian Cancer SocietyCanadian Cancer Statistics: A 2020 special report on lung cancer
- 5 Mar 2020Statistics CanadaCanadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019
2019
- Aug 2019PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire – First Annual Report to Parliament June 2019
- 25 Jun 2019Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2018
- 25 Jun 2019Statistics CanadaOverweight and obese adults, 2018
- 17 Jun 2019PHACA Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire
- 2019PHACAt-a-glance – Twenty years of diabetes surveillance using the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System
2018
- 14 Nov 2018Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2017
- 26 Jun 2018Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2017
- Jun 2018Canadian Cancer SocietyCanadian Cancer Statistics: A 2018 special report on cancer incidence by stage
- May 2018PHACReport from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System: Heart Disease in Canada, 2018
- Apr 2018PHACAsthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Canada, 2018
2017
- 27 Sep 2017Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2016
- 27 Sep 2017Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2016
- 12 Jul 2017Statistics CanadaArchived – Life Tables, Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2011 to 2013, 1
- 22 Mar 2017Statistics CanadaChronic conditions, 2015
- 9 Mar 2017Statistics CanadaThe 10 leading causes of death, 2013
2016
- 14 Oct 2016PHACEstimating chronic disease rates in Canada: which population-wide denominator to use?
- 13 Oct 2016Statistics CanadaBlood pressure of adults, 2012 to 2015
- 13 Oct 2016Statistics CanadaBlood pressure of children and youth, 2012 to 2015
- 25 Apr 2016Statistics CanadaProstate cancer trends in Canada, 1995 to 2012
- 15 Mar 2016Statistics CanadaCancer incidence in Canada, 2013
2015
- 10 Dec 2015Statistics CanadaThe 10 leading causes of death, 2012 – ARCHIVED
- 15 Jul 2015Statistics CanadaTobacco use of Canadians, 2012 and 2013 – ARCHIVED
- 17 Jun 2015Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2014 – ARCHIVED
- 17 Jun 2015Statistics CanadaHigh blood pressure, 2014 – ARCHIVED
- 17 Jun 2015Statistics CanadaOverweight and obese adults (self-reported), 2014 – ARCHIVED
2014
- 12 Jun 2014Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2013
- 12 Jun 2014Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2013
- 12 Jun 2014Statistics CanadaOverweight and obese adults (self-reported), 2013
- 28 Jan 2014Statistics CanadaThe 10 leading causes of death, 2011 – ARCHIVED
- 22 Jan 2014Statistics CanadaNon-smokers, 2012
2013
- 25 Sep 2013Statistics CanadaArchived – Life Tables, Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2008 to 2010, 4
- 17 Jun 2013Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2012
- 17 Jun 2013Statistics CanadaHigh blood pressure, 2012
- 17 Jun 2013Statistics CanadaSmoking, 2012
- 29 Jan 2013Statistics CanadaSelect health indicators of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit
2012
- 20 Sep 2012Statistics CanadaBlood pressure of Canadian adults, 2009 to 2011
- 25 Jul 2012Statistics CanadaLeading Causes of Death in Canada, 2009 – ARCHIVED
- 25 Jul 2012Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2009
- 19 Jun 2012Statistics CanadaCurrent smoking trends
- 19 Jun 2012Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2011
2011
- 7 Dec 2011Statistics CanadaCancer in Canada: Focus on Lung, Colorectal, Breast and Prostate
- 27 Sep 2011Statistics CanadaCancer Incidence in Canada, 2008 and 2009 – ARCHIVED
- 27 Sep 2011Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2008
- 21 Jun 2011Statistics CanadaDiabetes, 2010
- 2 Mar 2011Statistics CanadaAdult obesity prevalence in Canada and the United States
2010
- 30 Nov 2010Statistics CanadaLeading Causes of Death in Canada, 2007 – ARCHIVED
- 16 Nov 2010Statistics CanadaMortality, Summary List of Causes, 2007 – ARCHIVED
- 9 Sep 2010Statistics CanadaCancer Incidence in Canada, 2007 and 2008 – ARCHIVED
- 28 Jul 2010Statistics CanadaLeading Causes of Death in Canada, 2006 – ARCHIVED
- 23 Feb 2010Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2007 – ARCHIVED
2009
- 30 Jul 2009Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Incidence in Canada, 2005 and 2006, Second Edition
- 28 Apr 2009Statistics CanadaDeaths, 2006
- 31 Mar 2009Statistics CanadaLeading Causes of Death in Canada, 2005 – ARCHIVED
- 30 Mar 2009Statistics CanadaMortality, Summary List of Causes, 2005 – ARCHIVED
- 11 Mar 2009Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Survival Statistics, 1992 to 2000
2008
- 4 Dec 2008Statistics CanadaLeading Causes of Death in Canada, 2000 to 2004 – ARCHIVED
- 1 Aug 2008Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Incidence in Canada, 2005 and 2006
- 4 Jun 2008Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Survival Statistics, 1992 to 1999
- 29 May 2008Statistics CanadaHealth Indicators, 2008, 1 – ARCHIVED
- 14 Jan 2008Statistics CanadaDeaths
2007
- 11 Dec 2007Statistics CanadaHealth Indicators, 2007, 1, 2 – ARCHIVED
- 5 Jul 2007Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Incidence in Canada, 2004 and 2005
- 30 May 2007Statistics CanadaHealth Indicators, 2007, 1, 1 – ARCHIVED
- 27 Apr 2007Statistics CanadaMortality, Summary List of Causes, 2004 – ARCHIVED
- 29 Jan 2007Statistics CanadaArchived – Cancer Incidence in Canada, 2003 and 2004, Second edition
Photo list
How this page is built. Figures come from the official statistical releases linked above; where agencies publish provisional numbers we say so, because they are revised. Canadian statistics are often collected by provinces and territories, and some national series run several years behind, so we say which area and year each figure covers. Photos are public-domain or Creative Commons images credited in each caption; file photos are illustrative and are not from the events described unless the caption says so. This page tracks trends and is not personal safety, medical, legal or financial advice.