Old-age Dependency Ratios, 1991

Age dependency ratios tell us how many young people (under 15 years of age) or older people (over 64 years of age) depend on people of working age (15 to 64 years). Various formulations of these ratios are available but the old-age dependency ratio used in this discussion is constructed using the following equation:

Old-Age Dependency Ratio = (P65+ / P15-64) * 100

where:

P65+ = population aged 65 years or more

P15-64 = population aged 15 to 64 years

In other words an old-age dependency ratio of 17.5 indicates that there are 17.5 people 65 years or older for every 100 people 15 to 64 years old. Old-age dependency ratios have been computed for Census Divisions (CDs), provinces/territories and Canada for the years 1991 through to 2000.

For this map, 1991 old-age dependency ratios have been mapped by census division using five mapping classes with the following labels and numerical ranges: Very Low (1.99 to 11.99), Low (12.00 to 16.99), Medium (17.00 to 21.99), High (22.00 to 26.99) and Very High (27.00 to 38.89). The 1991 average old-age dependency ratio for Canada as a whole was 16.9, just at the boundary between the Low and Medium mapping classes.

Perhaps the most striking image that is provided by this map is the predominance of very low old-age dependency ratios in the territories, in the northern CDs of all provinces west of Ontario and in northern Quebec. As one moves further south in most provinces, the old-age dependency ratio increases. The north-south contrast is particularly evident in Manitoba and Saskatchewan where the southern areas of those provinces are dominated by very high old-age dependency ratios.

As a rule, the old-age dependency ratio is higher in rural areas of Canada. This is illustrated in Figures 1a and 1b. In Figure 1a, mean old-age dependency ratios are shown for predominantly urban areas (14.0), intermediate areas (16.7), and predominantly rural areas (19.0).

In Figure 1b the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) categories of predominantly urban and intermediate are grouped together but the predominantly rural areas are separated in terms of their relative location to urban or metropolitan areas. Most rural areas have the higher old-age dependency ratios: adjacent to metropolitan areas, 19.7; and not adjacent, 20.9. However, on average northern areas (as illustrated on this map) have significantly lower old-age dependency ratios (7.1).

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Figure 1a. Average Old-age Dependency Ratios in Canada, 1991 (based on OECD urban-rural classifications)

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Figure 1b. Average Old-Age Dependency Ratios in Canada, 1991 (based on Metro Adjacency Categories)

• Comparisons of 1991 and 2000 Old-Age Dependency Ratios Map | Read about this map
• Old-age Dependency Ratios, 2000 Map | Read about this map

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