No. 25 - Life expectancy rising

The life expectancy of Canadian seniors has risen substantially over the course of the last century. As of 1997, a 65-year-old person had an estimated remaining life expectancy of 18.3 years, roughly half a year more than in 1991, three years more than in 1971, and five years more than in 1921.

The life expectancy of seniors, of course, declines with age. Still, someone aged 90 in 1997 could expect to live close to 5 more years, on average, while the figure was 6.3 years for someone in their 85th year, and almost 9 years for someone aged 80. These figures were all higher than they had been at the beginning of the 1990s, with the largest gains occurring among younger seniors.

Life expectancy at age 65, 1921-1997

Source: Statistics Canada