Good Health and Wellbeing

On average, Canadians are living longer and healthier lives than ever—a long-term success resulting from a variety of public health measures and medical breakthroughs over the years. These trends have not only improved and extended the lives of individuals, but have also had a positive impact on family and community wellbeing.

However, these average improvements in public health mask substantial inequalities in health and wellbeing experienced by marginalized communities. In particular, First Nations people, Inuit and Métis continue to experience lower life expectancy and much higher rates of morbidity (being unhealthy due to a specific health condition or illness) and mortality (the number of deaths due to a specific health condition or illness) due to higher levels of infant and maternal mortality, infectious diseases, suicide, homicide and violence, and accidents compared with non-Indigenous Canadians.

SDG 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote the wellbeing among all people. This is essential to sustainable development in Canada and around the world.

Subjective wellbeing

• In 2021, more than nine in 10 Canadians aged 12 and older (90%) reported being satisfied or very satisfied with life (source).
  
• In 2021, six in 10 Canadians aged 12 and older (60%) rated their health as very good or excellent, a proportion that decreased with age (from a high of 72% among 12- to 17-year-olds to 50% of those aged 65 and older) (source).
  
• In 2021, nearly six in 10 Canadians aged 12 and older (59%) rated their mental health as very good or excellent, with the highest percentage among those aged 65 and older (68%) (source).

Relational wellbeing

• In 2021, seven in 10 Canadians aged 12 and older (70%) said they have a somewhat or very strong sense of belonging to their local community (source).
  
• In January to March 2022, 77% of women and 74% of men aged 15 and older said they always or often have someone to count on, with higher rates among youth (82% of those aged 12 to 17) and adults aged 85 and older (83%) (source).

Material wellbeing

• In 2018–2020, life expectancy at birth in Canada was estimated at 84.1 years for women and 79.8 years for men—an increase of 3.6 years and 5.9 years, respectively, from 30 years earlier (1988–1990) (source).
  
• In 2021, nearly one in five Canadians aged 12 and older (22%) reported that they consumed fruit and vegetables five or more times per day, with higher rates among women than men in every age group (source).