Local birth rates decline on an annual basis, provincial rate hits record low

Jan 21, 2025 | 9:10 AM

The local birth rates declined on an annual basis in 2024.

Vital Statistics, B.C.’s data collection agency, reported a total of 354 births in the Vernon Centre/Coldstream health area last year.

That figure was down from 2023’s total of 429 births, and was the lowest figure on record when compared to the previous five years.

The other health areas within the North Okanagan, with the exception of Enderby, also saw births decrease on a year-over-year basis in 2024.

A breakdown of the births by local health area in the North and Central Okanagan can be seen below.

Meanwhile, Vital Statistics reported a total of 41,220 births throughout British Columbia in 2024.

That total was down from the previous year’s 41,403 births across the province.

It was also B.C.’s lowest total births Vital Statistics began data collection in 2007.

Vital Statistics provided the 2024 figures Monday, Jan. 20, noting the data was preliminary and subject to change.

by Liam Verster