Dementia numbers in Canada

By 2030, researchers project that nearly 1 million people in Canada will be living with dementia. And they forecast that more than 1.7 million people in Canada will have dementia by 2050. But by taking action together, we can work on changing our future.

A grid of dozens of different portraits of people

Dementia is an important and complex issue. Reliable data on dementia in Canada is crucial.

Statistics and projections listed on this page are the most current available. Most of the numbers here come from two Alzheimer Society of Canada reports:

We update these numbers as new reports and studies emerge.

Basic facts on dementia

  • More than 25 different diseases and conditions can cause dementia.
  • Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. 
  • Vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body dementia are some other major types.
  • Multiple conditions can affect the brain at the same time, resulting in mixed dementia. This type is also common.
  • There is still no cure for most types of dementia worldwide and in Canada.

Canadian dementia forecasts

  • As of January 1, 2024, we estimate that 733,040 people in Canada are living with dementia. 
  • Every day, more than 350 people in Canada develop dementia. This is more than 15 every hour.
  • By 2030, nearly 1 million people in Canada could live with dementia. 
  • This would be, by 2030, 187,000 new cases a year, 512 a day and 21 an hour. By 2030, Canada could have a 51% increase in the number of new dementia cases a year. (Compared to 2020.)
  • By 2030, the number of people in Canada living with dementia could increase 65% compared to 2020. (From 597,300 to 990,600.)
  • 20,000+ people in Canada will develop dementia every month in the 2040s.
  • By 2050, more than 1.7 million people in Canada could have dementia. 
  • This would mean, by 2050, 685 people diagnosed each day with dementia in Canada, or 29 every hour.
  • 6.3 million people in Canada will develop, live with and/or ultimately die with dementia between 2020 and 2050.

Some forecasts on ethnicity, gender, age and dementia in Canada

  • The number of people living with dementia in Canada is expected to increase by 187% from 2020 to 2050 – with more than 1.7 million people likely to be living with dementia by 2050.
  • By 2050, the number of people of Indigenous ancestry living with dementia in Canada is expected to increase by 273%, from 10,800 to 40,300.
  • By 2050, almost one out of every four people who develop dementia in Canada will be of Asian origin.
  • In 2020, an estimated 4,800 people of African ancestry in Canada were living with dementia, which is predicted to reach over 29,100 in 2050 – a 507% increase.
  • In 2020, an estimated 3,500 people of Latin, Central and South American ancestry in Canada were living with dementia, which is predicted to reach over 18,500 in 2050 – a 434% increase.
  • In 2020, an estimated 61.8% of persons living with dementia  in Canada were female and more than half of care partners were women. By 2050, projections show that over 1 million women will be living with dementia in Canada.
  • Young onset dementia (people under age 65) presents distinct challenges, which often lead to delayed diagnoses and difficulty in obtaining workplace accommodations. By 2050, there could be over 40,000 people under the age of 65 living with dementia in Canada, up from an estimated 28,000 in 2020.

Caregiving and dementia in Canada

  • Care partners of older adults with dementia provide 26 hours of care a week, on average. This compares to 17 hours a week for older adults with other health issues. (Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information)
  • Every year, family and friends provide more than 580 million hours of care to people living with dementia. This is equivalent to 290,000 full-time jobs.
  • Canada will have more than 1 million care partners for people living with dementia by 2050. The care they provide will be equivalent to more than 1.4 billion hours per year, or 690,000 full-time jobs.
  • The number of care partners would nearly triple (188% increase) over a 30-year period (2020 to 2050).
  • 45% of caregivers for seniors living with dementia show symptoms of distress. The distress rate for caregivers of seniors with other health conditions is almost half that (26%). (Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information)

How dementia and caregiving impact different age groups

  • In 2024, 8.7% of people in Canada over age 65 have some form of dementia. 
  • By 2050, the percentage of people in Canada over age 65 living with dementia may go up to 13.2%.
  • Most dementia caregivers in 2020 – 44% – were between the ages of 45 and 65.
  • About 30% of people providing dementia care in Canada are under 35. 
  • Young onset dementia (people under age 65) presents distinct challenges, which often lead to delayed diagnoses and difficulty in obtaining workplace accommodations. By 2050, there could be over 40,000 people under the age of 65 living with dementia in Canada, up from an estimated 28,000 in 2020.

Regional differences in dementia rates and forecasts

  • Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta will have the biggest increases in dementia by 2050. This is because they have higher growth rates and faster-aging populations.
  • Ontario will have a 202% dementia increase between 2020 and 2050. Ontario will have the most new cases of dementia by 2050. This will include 1.5 million new cases of Alzheimer's dementia, 680,000 new cases of vascular dementia, and 780,000 new cases of other types of dementia.
  • Alberta will have a 286% increase in the number of people living with dementia between 2020 and 2050. 
  • For British Columbia, this increase will be 218%.
  • Quebec will have the second highest increase in the number of people living with dementia (147,000 in 2020 vs. 360,200 in 2050). But Quebec will be below the national percentage-increase average. (Quebec: 145% increase from 2020 to 2050; Canada: 187%)
  • The Atlantic provinces have, on average, older populations. But their slower population growth limits the rate of dementia change. Still, from 2020 to 2050 we expect:
    • New Brunswick: 89% increase
    • Prince Edward Island: 138% increase
    • Nova Scotia: 87% increase
    • Newfoundland and Labrador: 73% increase

The hope for changing our future

  • 40% of dementia cases worldwide could be preventable. A 2020 report of the Lancet Commission found that 12 changeable risk factors could account for that 40%.
  • Delaying dementia onset by 1 year could avoid nearly 500,000 cases of dementia in Canada by 2050.
  • Delaying dementia onset by 10 years could avoid more than 4 million cases in Canada by 2050.
  • A 10-year delay in dementia onset could also lower caregiving demand by almost 1 billion hours a year.

How to take action now

About this page

The Landmark Study

The Alzheimer Society of Canada's Landmark Study uses data modelling to forecast the nation's dementia future. The study data is being analyzed in three reports. The first report, from 2022, looked at overall dementia numbers. The second report, released in 2024, looks at dementia across demographic groups. The third report, in 2025, will look at the economic impacts of dementia.

Learn more
A man looks at computer images of brain scans in foreground; a man and a woman look at more brain scans in background

Recommendations of the Landmark Study Report #1

The recommendations from our 2022 report show that we can take a wide range of actions to create positive outcomes for people living with dementia and their care partners. Discover our key recommendations for health-care systems, governments, researchers, individuals and more.

Learn more
Doctor with stethoscope and tablet speaks with a patient