P.E.I. has youngest population in Atlantic Canada, census shows

With a median age of 44 years, P.E.I. is the youngest province in Atlantic Canada, but still older than any province outside the region, according to the 2021 census.

Wednesday's release from Statistics Canada included age breakdowns for the country.

The median age nationally was 41.6 years, up 0.4 years since the 2016 census.

But on P.E.I., the population's median age dropped 0.4 years. It was one of only two provinces, along with B.C., to get younger.

In its release, Statistics Canada expressed concern that the number of working-age Canadians, those aged 15 to 64, is falling as a proportion of the overall population. It was down 1.7 per cent from the 2016 census, and with the population under 15 down 0.3 per cent, there are fewer children to eventually replace those workers.

P.E.I.'s working population has not fallen as much, down just 1.2 per cent, which is easily the smallest drop in Atlantic Canada. But its population of children has fallen more than the national average, down 0.6 per cent.