Life expectancy up in B.C., cancer remains leading cause of death

British Columbia's vital statistics report for 2011 says residents of the province continue to live longer than anywhere else in Canada, although cancer remains the leading cause of death.

The 140th edition of the report, released this week by B.C.'s Vital Statistics Agency, contains information and statistics about births, deaths and marriages in this province that helps the provincial government develop plans for health research and education.

The report says life expectancy climbed to 82 years, up from 81.7 years, and the oldest person to die in 2011 lived to be 112 years old.

Cancer remains the leading cause of death, but the report says annual deaths due to HIV fell to 59 from 253 in 1996.

While the total number of deaths rose to 31,776, the province's population also grew by 12,215 people, not counting migration into or out of B.C. 

The report also says the most popular names selected for newborns were Liam, Ethan, Mason, Lucas and Benjamin for boys and Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Ava and Chloe for girls.