Transborder traffic remains down
In December, 4.9 million passengers passed through pre-board security screening at checkpoints operated at Canada's eight largest airports, up slightly (+0.6%) from December 2024. In December 2025, transborder traffic (to the United States) dropped 12.5% from December 2024 to 1.1 million screened passengers, marking the 11th consecutive month of year-over-year decreases.
Source: Screened passenger traffic at Canadian airports, December 2025
Public schools allocate record amount of spending for capital projects in 2023/2024
In 2023/2024, expenditures on salaries, wages, and benefits for instructional and educational services staff in Canadian public schools rose 8.7% to $54.9 billion, the largest single year increase since 1976/1977. Meanwhile, capital expenditures made by public schools reached an all-time high of $9.1 billion in 2023/2024, up 3.0% from the previous year. This increase in capital investment reflects the costs associated with both infrastructure modernization and the expansion and construction of schools.
Certain demographic groups more likely to have persistent low income
From 2016 to 2022, 9% of tax filers aged 15 and older experienced persistent low income, meaning they fell under the low-income measure after tax for at least four of the seven years. People in female lone-parent families (23%), people without a high school diploma (21%), and people who reported they always had limitations in their daily activities (18%) were more at risk of low-income persistence, compared to the overall population (9%).
Postpartum health care needs
In 2024, nearly 9 in 10 mothers and birthing parents in Canada (87%) reported having a regular health care provider during the postpartum period. Overall, 13% of mothers and birthing parents reported needing health care but not receiving it. Among mothers and birthing parents without a regular health care provider, 22% reported having an unmet need compared with 12% of mothers and birthing parents that had a regular provider.
Fewer people employed in manufacturing
Employment edged down in January (-25,000; -0.1%) and the employment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 60.8%. The unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 6.5%, as fewer people searched for work. The number of people working in manufacturing fell by 28,000 (-1.5%) in January. The decline in January was concentrated in Ontario. On a year-over-year basis, overall employment in manufacturing was down 51,000 (-2.7%).
High blood pressure linked to heart disease and strokes
Heart disease was the second leading cause of death in Canada in 2023, claiming 57,890 lives. Cerebrovascular diseases, more commonly known as strokes, ranked fourth, taking 13,833 people. High blood pressure is a risk factor for both diseases. Overall, one in five Canadians aged 18 and older (19.9%) reported having high blood pressure in 2023. Among the provinces, the prevalence of high blood pressure was highest in the Atlantic provinces (25.0% to 27.5%) and lowest in British Columbia (18.0%).
Source: Heart disease and strokes: Two different afflictions, one common risk factor
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).