Nunavut moms younger and have more children than others in Canada: StatCan
Average age of mothers in Nunavut is 25.8
Mothers in Nunavut are younger and have more children than mothers in the rest of Canada. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Mothers in Nunavut are still the youngest and have the most children in Canada.
That’s according to recent numbers released on Sept. 29 by Statistics Canada.
These show that the average age of mothers in Nunavut in 2019 was 25.8 years, while, in the rest of Canada, the average age was 30.7 years.
Nunavut mothers have a higher average number of children: 2.75.
And StatCan said that, while in 2019 Canada’s total fertility rate hit a record low, in Nunavut women were still having more children than anywhere else in the country.
In 2019, the total fertility rate, or the number of children that the average woman in Canada would bear over the course of her reproductive life, declined to 1.47 births per woman from 3.94 in 1959.
Canada’s total fertility rate has been below the replacement rate of 2.1 births per women since 1971, StatCan said.
That means that the number of babies being born across Canada is not enough for the current population to replace itself, StatCan said.
But Nunavut’s higher total fertility rate of 2.75 means that the territory will not only replace its population, but its population will continue to grow.
In 2019, 840 babies were born in Nunavut.
On average, they weighed less than other babies born in Canada: 3,271 grams (7 pounds, 3 ounces) versus 3,338 grams (7 pounds, 6 ounces).
Most of the Nunavut mothers, 240, were in the 20-to-24-year age group, although five babies were born to girls under 15, and 154 babies to individuals aged from 15-to-20 years old, the StatCan tables show.
Nearly half of all Nunavut mothers, 49 per cent, were single. Only 13 per cent of the mothers were listed as married, in comparison to 61 per cent in Canada, though marital status of the mother was not stated for 36 per cent of births in Nunavut.
A StatCan report from earlier this year suggested that households of unmarried mothers are at a higher risk of food insecurity.
In Nunavut, 23.7 per cent of homes are severely food insecure, according to StatCan.
But that number more than doubles to 52.3 per cent for single-mother households with children under 18.
Kids having kids. Unplanned parenting, one night stands, drunken parties thats how most of these babies are conceived in Nunavut. You wanna know what is so disgusting about this; 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, etc year old girls r having babies. And you know what, some of these parents of these pre-teens or teenage girls r happy, like WTF. This goes for boys as well. Another serious problem is rape and abuse. Some people just have babies just for the Child Tax cheques, too lazy to get a job.
You know what else is disgusting? Nunavut bring neglected by its own country. All of this could be prevented if Nunavut wasn’t under privileged, young kids end up having kids at a young age because there is nothing out there for them. They end up on the streets where they see addiction, homelessness, violence and the cycle continues. Food insecurity, education less than grade 10, housing crisis all could be prevented if Nunavut was treated like the rest of its country.’
There’s a strong narrative appeal to suggestions like Nunavut is “neglected” or “under privileged,” but tedious homilies like this only obscure the issues and don’t illuminate them.
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In reality Nunavut is under-developed and that’s a fact of history not neglect. Equally true; Nunavut has never been developed and is more ‘developed’ now than it has ever been.
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The issues here are complex, and the first comment does have the unhelpful ring of simplicity and sanctimony and all the echoes of moral panic that offer nothing of use here.
That’s half the problem though, isn’t it? Nunuavut’s demographics are not like the rest of the country, it is substantially younger, less-educated, poorer, and sicker. The transportation and communication infrastructure is far far less developed. Private economic activity is negligible.
Canada has been trying to give it the opportunities of the rest of the country using the methods that have helped in other parts of the country. I’d say that given the Nunavut situation, these methods are not the best choices.
“Canada has been trying to give it the opportunities of the rest of the country using the methods that have helped in other parts of the country. I’d say that given the Nunavut situation, these methods are not the best choices.”
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I think we need to clear up what the methods are that you’re referring to; as in, what methods are being applied across the country, including in Nunavut, that aren’t working? What is it about them that keeps them from working, and if they aren’t the best choice then what are the alternatives?
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Nunavut is very different in some significant ways, but if the issues center on a very youthful, poorly trained and educated population, then maybe the answer is to be found in better education and family planning, not some other vague, illdefined universal forces in the universe.
Yes, kids having kids is a major problem in the north – but they sure as hell aren’t doing it for a measly cheque, that’s just a dumb suggestion. The problem is very deep rooted – housing, schooling, social values. Established WP can complain all they want, but our purpose in life is to pro-create. There are healthy ways, but perpetuating a stereotype doesn’t help.
WP? What’s that mean?
It means “white people”; you know, the people to pawn off individual responsibility to.
I didn’t know that, thank you for the clarification.
What is it about Nunavut where so many people lump ‘white people’ together as if they were one culture group? Caucasians certainly don’t see themselves as belonging to the same cultural grouping. Is that Nunavut residents are unable to distinguish the cultural diversity among Caucasians through lack of exposure?
I trust that referring to ‘brown people’ as one large homogenous grouping is socially acceptable in Nunavut?
Looking at other people’s personal lives. Like, get a life and mind your own business. We don’t tell you how to live. Your life must be so humdrum, that you need to look and judge my people.
My people?
I’m sorry, but you are confused. The article is talking about Nunavummiut, it doesn’t talk about any ethnic group.
As a non-Inuit Nunavummiut I feel very confident discussing stories that are relevant to my home and my society – Nunavut society.
Inuit are not the only ethnic group in calling Nunavut home, and we all have input and interests in our home.
“Nunavut moms younger and have more children than others in Canada”. Notice the word “Nunavut Moms”? What it means to me is the young lady is an Inuk.
Then you are adding words that are not there. As you note, it says “Nunavut Moms”, not Inuit Moms. You are aware that there are multiple ethnic groups in Nunavut, right?
All that it means to me is that is that women who’ve had children and are from Nunavut are younger than the rest of the country. Period.
There is nothing wrong with young mothers The white man and all the other immigrants invited in by the white man have destroyed their way of Life
Cool story, what other immigrants do you have in mind here?
Immigrants? You mean the fasting growing component of Nunavut’s population? Hmmm, going to be some interesting changing times coming then.
Silly me, and there I was thinking that a more diverse and representative population was seen as a strength. Guess that I should have checked with you first.
Now, could you tell me which immigrant groups you see as particularly destructive? The Chinese? The Filipinos? Perhaps the Muslims, they’re the boogie man du jour. Maybe the Nigerians or Ghanians? They are always an easy target.
I advise that you not visit the Iqaluit post office, the “destructiveness” from the different ethnicities and languages you’ll hear might not wash off.
We are all immigrants to North America !
Some came over a land bridge from Asia
Some came over a salt water ocean.
Anyone who want to live an ancient lifestyle ?
Go for it, put your spirit where your mouth is !
My ancestors are from all over God’s earth, but I consider
myself an Inuit and a proud hard working Canadian.
GOD BLESS.
Preach! You tell it like it is brother!