Introduction

“The health of adolescents and youth is a key element for the social, economic and political progress of all countries...” (Pan American Health Organization, 1999)

As the new millennium begins, the makeup of Canada and other developed countries is changing dramatically. Populations are aging. With the massive “baby boom” generation approaching old age, the Canadian population as a whole is becoming older, i.e., senior age groups are forming a larger percentage of the whole population. At the same time as the numbers of seniors are on the rise, however, the birth rate is declining. So, over time, the Canadian population will have fewer and fewer children and youth, and proportionally, their share of the population will continue to shrink.

What are the implications of this shift for society and for youth? The purpose of this report is to examine information on the demographic, economic and social trends affecting youth and to speculate about the future. We know that the ratio of youth to seniors in the population will change dramatically over the next 30 years; the proportion of seniors in the Canadian population, including in Atlantic Canada, will double from 12% to 25%. The youth population - already a minority compared to their middle-aged parents and grandparents - will shrink even further. Therefore, we can only guess what impact this demographic shift will have on the lives of youth, their families and their communities.

The present report, commissioned by Health Canada, is meant to address what the future may look like for our youth given changes in the population’s age structure, the economy and society. Although the effects of population aging will be far-reaching, this report looks specifically at impacts on youth (ages 13 - 24) in the Atlantic provinces. Another recent report from Health Canada, Shifting Sands (1999), explores issues of population aging from the perspective of seniors in Atlantic Canada

 

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