New Brunswick now tied with Nova Scotia for oldest population

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are now tied for having second-oldest population of any jurisdiction in Canada or the United States, trailing only Florida.

Demographic information released Friday by Statistics Canada shows New Brunswick with 18.3 per cent of its population being 65 or older, putting it in a tie with Nova Scotia for the oldest population in Canada.

Only Florida, which is a sunny destination for retirees, has a higher proportion of seniors with 18.7 per cent.

The two other Atlantic provinces round out the top five jurisdictions for an aging population, with Prince Edward Island having 17.9 per cent of its population 65 or older, while Newfoundland's proportion of seniors is 17.7.

Statistics Canada says the proportion of seniors in Canada has steadily increased since the mid-1960s as a result of lower fertility levels and longer life expectancy.

On July 1, 2014, 15.7 per cent of Canada's population was 65 or older. Thirty years ago, seniors accounted for 10 per cent of the Canadian population.

The new population estimates show for the first time, there are more Canadians between the ages of 55 and 64 — the age when people typically leave the work force — that there are between the ages of 15 and 24, which is when people typically enter the work force.

On July 1, 2014, there were 4.6 million people between 15 and 24 in Canada, compared to 4.7 million people aged 55 to 64.

Thirty years ago, for every person in the 55-64 age group there were two people between 15-24.