Observed and projected youth, senior, and total demographic dependency ratios, Canada, 1971 to 2056

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This is a line chart that illustrates the observed and projected youth, senior and total demographic dependency ratios in Canada from 1971 to 2056.

The Y axis is measured by the number of "dependents" per 100 population of working age and increases by increments of 10 from 0 to 100.

The X axis is measured in years and increases from left to right by increments of 5 from 1971 to 2056.

There is a vertical line at 2006 to indicate the division between the observed ratios and the projected ratios.

The top line represents the total demographic dependency ratio. The second line represents the youth dependency ratio. 

This second line crosses the third line and after 2025 becomes lower than the third line. The third line represents the senior dependency ratio.  In 2025 this third line becomes higher than the second line.

The observed total, youth and senior dependency ratios at five year intervals are as follows:

• 1971: total 89.3%, youth 74.1%, senior 15.2%,
  
  
• 1976: total 79.3%, youth 63.9%, senior 15.5%,
  
  
• 1981: total 70.7%, youth 54.3%, senior 16.3%,
  
  
• 1986: total 64.2%, youth 47.0%, senior 17.2%,
  
  
• 1991: total 63.9%, youth 45.2%, senior 18.8%,
  
  
• 1996: total 64.2%, youth 44.3%, senior 19.8%,
  
  
• 2001: total 62.2%, youth 41.7%, senior 20.5%,
  
  
• 2006: total 59.8%, youth 38.6%, senior 21.2%.

The projected total, youth and senior dependency ratios at five year intervals are as follows:

• 2011: total 58.2%, youth 35.4%, senior 22.8%,
  
  
• 2016: total 60.2%, youth 33.9%, senior 26.3%,
  
  
• 2021: total 64.7%, youth 33.9%, senior 30.8%,
  
  
• 2026: total 70.9%, youth 34.6%, senior 36.3%,
  
  
• 2031: total 76.3%, youth 35.0%, senior 41.3%,
  
  
• 2036: total 78.1%, youth 34.5%, senior 43.6%,
  
  
• 2041: total 78.7%, youth 33.8%, senior 44.9%,
  
  
• 2046: total 79.8%, youth 33.5%, senior 46.3%,
  
  
• 2051: total 81.6%, youth 33.5%, senior 48.0%,
  
  
• 2056: total 83.8%, youth 33.9%, senior 49.9%.

Source: CANSIM Tables 051-0001 (1971 to 2008) and 052-0004 (2009 to 2056).