The birth rate in Canada reached an all time low of 1.26 children per woman last year, according to new data from the country’s office for vital statistics.

A total fertility rate of 2.1 is considered the minimum for a population to sustain itself.

Canada’s rate has been generally declining for over 15 years and has now joined the group of “lowest-low” fertility countries, including South Korea, Spain, Italy and Japan, with 1.3 children per woman or less.

In comparison, the total fertility rate for the United States was 1.62 per woman in 2023.

A record-low was registered in 10 of the 13 provinces and territories, with the lowest fertility rate in British Columbia at 1.00 child per woman.