How fast is Alberta aging?
Projections suggest that Alberta will remain one of the youngest provinces in the coming years. It is estimated that between 2011 and 2021, the number of seniors will increase from 413,100 to 642,100. In that time, the percentage of seniors will increase from approximately 11% to 15% of the total population. By 2036, it is projected that there will be more than one million seniors in Alberta, or about one in five Albertans (see Chart 3).
The aging of the population is expected to accelerate starting in 2011 as baby boomers begin to turn 65.1 This accelerated growth is expected through to 2031, when all baby boomers will be over age 65. The aging population, however, will continue to characterize demographic trends in the following decades.
Chart 3
Number and Percentage of Seniors in Alberta will Continue to Increase
Source: Statistics Canada, Population Projections for Canada,
Provinces and Territories 2010 - 2036 (Alberta Medium-Growth Scenario 3)
Back to Alberta's Aging Population
1 Albertans born between 1946 and 1966 are considered to be part of the baby boom generation.
