Because the gradual elimination of infectious diseases and parasitic diseases has increased the average lifetime of Canadians to 76 years for males and 83 years for females, federal and provincial governments must now pay increasing attention to the needs of an aging population. For every 100 females over the age of 75, there are now only 59 males. The Canadian average irrespective of age is 94 males for every 100 females.

In Canada, life expectancy at birth is almost 79 years. Only Japan, at almost 80 years, has a longer life expectancy, although fifteen countries have a life expectancy of over 77.75 years.