Diabetes Deaths in Canada (2000–2023): A Persistent Health Concern with Modest Shifts

Diabetes remains a consistent cause of death in Canada, ranking between the 6th and 7th leading cause from 2000 to 2023. The number of diabetes-related deaths has stayed relatively steady over the past two decades, ranging from 6,700 to nearly 8,000 deaths annually.

In 2002–2004, diabetes accounted for a peak 3.5% of total deaths in Canada. Since then, its share has gradually declined, reaching 2.2% in 2023 with 7,273 recorded deaths. Despite a slight decrease in percentage, diabetes continues to affect thousands of Canadians and remains a significant public health issue.

Diabetes Deaths in Canada (2000–2023)

Characteristics	Rank of leading causes of death 19	Number of deaths	Percentage of deaths
2000	6	6,714	3.1
2001	6	7,097	3.2
2002	6	7,868	3.5
2003	6	7,970	3.5
2004	6	7,823	3.5
2005	6	7,881	3.4
2006	6	7,261	3.2
2007	6	7,394	3.1
2008	6	7,521	3.2
2009	6	6,923	2.9
2010	6	6,942	2.9
2011	6	7,255	3
2012	6	6,993	2.8
2013	6	7,045	2.8
2014	6	7,071	2.7
2015	7	7,172	2.7
2016	6	6,838	2.6
2017	7	6,946	2.5
2018	7	6,870	2.4
2019	6	6,998	2.5
2020	7	7,672	2.5
2021	7	7,523	2.4
2022	7	7,769	2.3
2023	7	7,273	2.2

Key Insights:

• Deaths peaked in 2003 at 7,970, making up 3.5% of all deaths.
• In 2023, diabetes remained the 7th leading cause of death, with a lower mortality share of 2.2%.
• The long-term data shows stable but high death counts, reflecting the ongoing challenge of managing diabetes nationwide.

With growing concerns around obesity, aging, and chronic disease, diabetes prevention and management strategies remain critical to reducing its long-term impact on Canadian health outcomes.

Source:

Source Name:	Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0394-01 Leading causes of death, total population, by age group
Source Link:	https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1310039401
Release Date:	2025-02-19