Long term care in Canada - Statistics & Facts

Long-term care (LTC) consists of services that support a person’s health or personal care needs when they can no longer perform basic activities of daily living on their own, such as bathing or dressing. While these services can be also provided at home and in the community, LTC in Canada generally refers to facilities and residential based care such as in nursing homes and can also include hospital-based continuing care. These facilities commonly provide 24-hour nursing care and are for individuals with high-intensive care needs. Because LTC is not publicly insured through the Canada Health Act, each province and territory overseas the care and finances of the sector, resulting in a complex landscape that can be difficult to navigate for those needing care. Facilities are called different names such as nursing homes, personal care facilities, and residential continuing care facilities to name a few. Nevertheless, with an aging population, the need for long-term care is ever growing, and an estimated 2.4 million Canadians will be requiring long-term care in 2031.

Long-term care facilities and residents

As of 2021, there were a total of 2,076 LTC homes in Canada. While the slight majority of these were privately owned, there were major differences between the provinces and territories. Residents in LTC are mostly seniors over the age of 65 years, however those with a mental or physical disability may also need such services. Roughly five percent of female and 10 percent of male residents in continuing care facilities in Canada were under 65 years in 2022-2023. In the same year, the most common diagnoses among LTC residents were dementia, followed by hypertension.

Cost of long-term care

Each province or territory has its own regulations on subsidized LTC. Therefore, not only do costs vary, but also which services are included, who is eligible, whether co-payment is based on income and assets, along with other differences. Usually, an assessment is made by local authorities and a placement is given if required and facilities are available. Costs of LTC also vary due to the type of accommodation. For example, in Alberta, a standard (ward) room in a government subsidized nursing home cost some 1,849 Canadian dollars per month, while a private room needed 400 Canadian dollars more per month in 2022. Even though LTC facilities provide much needed services, most Canadians would like to age in their own homes (and receive in-home care) rather than moving to a LTC facility.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Jenny Yang, Jun 18, 2024

Key insights

Share of seniors aged over 65 in Canada
18.8%
Share of people with a disability in Canada
27%
Cost of LTC and home care in Canada by 2031
58.5bn CAD
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of senior housing units managed by the largest senior housing operators in Canada in 2022, by type of unit

Residential Real Estate

Largest senior housing operators in Canada 2022, by number of units

Operating revenue, expenses, and deficit of public nursing and residential care facilities in Canada from 2018 to 2022 (in million Canadian dollars)

Care & Support

Operating revenue and expenses of public nursing facilities Canada 2018-2022

Percentage of all COVID-19 deaths in select countries worldwide that were among long-term care residents as of May 2020

Diseases

Share of COVID-19 deaths among LTC residents in select countries worldwide May 2020

Related topics

Canada

2

Related topics

4

Recommended statistics

Overview

5

Overview

LTC homes/ residential care facilities

6

LTC homes/ residential care facilities

Residents

5

Residents

Ratings/quality

3

Ratings/quality

Cost and expenses

4

Cost and expenses

Miscellaneous

3

Miscellaneous

Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Nursing homes in the U.S.
Nursing homes in the U.S.
Home care in the U.S.
Home care in the U.S.
Caregivers in the U.S.
Caregivers in the U.S.
Health care system in Canada
Health care system in Canada
Nurses in Canada
Nurses in Canada

Contact

Get in touch with us. We are happy to help.
Statista Locations
Contact Meredith Alda
Meredith Alda
Sales Manager– Contact (United States)
Email
support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Contact Yolanda Mega
Yolanda Mega
Operations Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Contact Kisara Mizuno
Kisara Mizuno
Senior Business Development Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Contact Lodovica Biagi
Lodovica Biagi
Director of Operations– Contact (Europe)
Email
eu.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Contact Carolina Dulin
Carolina Dulin
Group Director - LATAM– Contact (Latin America)
Email
latam@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Menu