Analyzing the Numbers: May 2024’s Canadian Death Trends Uncovered
Cleanlist reports that 21,683 Canadians passed away in May 2024. There was a slight 1.7% increase in deaths from April 2024 to May 2024 and a slightly larger 3.9% increase in deaths from May 2023 to May 2024. The average age of death in May 2024 stayed at 78 years old, steady with each month thus far in 2024. This data is summarized from the Canadian Deceased Registry.
Notable stats from May 2024:
- The provinces that saw the biggest increase in deaths from May 2023 to May 2024 were Newfoundland (14.6%), Saskatchewan (12.8%) and Nova Scotia (12.5%).
- The only province to see a decrease in deaths from May 2023 to May 2024 was Ontario (2.4%).
- The province that saw the highest increase in deaths from April 2024 to May 2024 was Saskatchewan (7.7%).
- The province that had the biggest decrease in deaths from April 2024 to May 2024 was New Brunswick (7.1%).
Why has the average age of death remained steady at 78 years old thus far in 2024?
Since the early 2000s, the average life expectancy of Canadians has continued to rise. With advancements in healthcare and medical treatments, each year we continue to see the number slowly increase. With better access to health information, nutrition knowledge and lifestyle recommendations, one could speculate that Canadians are gradually shifting towards healthier habits and choices. We recognize that the cultural shift towards wellness has increased physical activities and a wider adoption of mindfulness practices.
We’ve also started to see government initiatives and public health campaigns play a critical role in preventative care and focusing on reducing smoking and the consumption of alcohol and processed foods. Furthermore, in recent decades, there has been a significant awareness regarding mental health and destigmatization, giving us access to a wealth of resources and support services that treat mental health disorders.
One could speculate that if Canadians continue to prioritize health and well-being, we will continue on the trend toward increased life expectancy, leading to a healthier population in the years to come.
How Is Canadian Deceased Data Used?
There are many ways organizations can effectively utilize mortality data. Here are the top 3.
1 – Fraud Protection
In 2022, the Royal Canadian Military Police (RCMP) reported that there were 19,560 counts of identity theft in Canada amounting to $146 million in losses. Fraudsters will often exploit deceased individuals’ information to create false identities and engage in illicit transactions. They are expecting fraud activities to increase in 2023 and 2024.
Credit issuers can protect themselves by cross-referencing new applicant information against the Canadian Deceased Registry.
2 – Policy Over-Payments
Pension funds and some annuity insurance policies make benefit payments to their policyholders to the date of death. When the death is not reported, or when the reporting is delayed, significant over-payments occur.
Payors can reduce over-payments and improve administrative efficiency by regularly scanning their payee population against the Canadian Deceased Registry.
3 – Marketing & Reputation Management Mishaps
Organizations involved in marketing communications, fundraising, and customer relations can find themselves in an awkward and unpleasant situation by attempting to solicit deceased family members. This damages valuable brand reputations.
Marketing and CRM managers can avoid these situations by scrubbing their campaign lists against the Canadian Deceased Registry.
About the Data
The data presented in this report was summarized by Cleanlist from the Canadian Deceased Registry, Canada’s only national registry of deceased Canadians. To learn more about the database or for licensing information:
Cleanlist is Canada’s largest customer data company. We clean, enrich, and validate business and consumer data. We’re also experts in data-driven document composition and Canada’s largest data provider for digital and offline marketing. To learn more, visit us at Cleanlist.ca.
