We are pleased to share with you the 8th Edition of the Fact Book on Aging in British Columbia and Canada (Wister et al., 2023), published by the Gerontology Research Centre (GRC). The many requests that the GRC receives each year for information about the province's older population provides the impetus for its continued production.
This 107-page monograph compiles the most up-to-date demographic, social and health data on older adults with comparisons between British Columbia and Canada, as well as historical patterns. Data are drawn from several sources, but primarily the 2021 Canadian census and BC STATS, and also supplemented with data from national health surveys, such as the Canadian Community Health Surveys, and other targeted surveys conducted in B.C.
Digital and paper copies of this edition are available at no charge. It is hoped that this monograph contributes to gerontological research, knowledge, practice and policy in efforts to promote well-being over the life course.
A milestone has been reached in that over thirty-five years of data have been covered in the eight editions. We have made some selected comparisons of key patterns across the different editions of the Fact Book in order to highlight major trends over time. Topics highlighted in this document cover a wide range of areas including: the size and historical rate of growth of the elderly population of British Columbia; trends in life expectancy, mortality rates and causes of death; the marital status of the elderly population; its geographic distribution and residential mobility; ethnic composition; a description of living arrangements and housing; education, employment, and economic status; disabilities; diet and physical activity; and health service utilization.
