Local birth figures fall on annual basis

Apr 12, 2024 | 6:00 AM

The Greater Vernon area saw births stats significantly decline in the first quarter of the year.

Preliminary data from Vital Statistics shows there were a total of 61 births in the Vernon/Coldstream area in the first three months of 2024.

That was down significantly from the 106 births in the first quarter of 2023, as well as from the 108 births in Q4 of last year.

The births in Vernon/Coldstream this year included 32 in January, 19 in February, and 10 in March.

The figures were all down when compared to the same months of 2023, which were recorded at 40, 28, and 38 births, respectively.

The trend of declining birth figures was seen in other nearby community health areas as well.

The North Okanagan/Lumby community area reported a total of 15 births in Q1, down from 27 during the same period of 2023.

Armstrong/Spallumcheen saw 19 births in the first three months of the year, down slightly from 20 births in Q1 last year.

Enderby saw a slight increase in 2024 with 19 births, up from 18 in the first three months of 2023.

Elsewhere in the region: