Lifestyle
Why are people having fewer children? ‘Financial limitations’ a top barrier – National
A new report is shedding light on why birth rates are falling around the world, and suggests it comes down to a “lack of choice, not desire.”
Financial limitations, job insecurity, gender inequality, fears of the future and other barriers are the driving reasons behind the declines, according to new research published Tuesday by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The report aims to push back on “critically flawed” political and media narratives that blame women for rejecting marriage and parenthood due to a perceived lack of wanting a child.
“Vast numbers of people are unable to create the families they want,” the UNFPA’s executive director Natalia Kanem said in a statement.
“The issue is lack of choice, not desire, with major consequences for individuals and societies. That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care, and supportive partners.”
The report draws on polling conducted by YouGov in 14 countries, representing over one-third of the global population. Canada was not included in the list of countries polled, which features the United States, Mexico, India, Brazil, South Korea and Germany.
In nearly half of the countries included in the survey, fertility rates have fallen below 2.1 births per woman, which is the threshold needed to maintain population stability without immigration.
The findings show few people worldwide are able to have the number of children they want — even if that number is zero.
“Rates of unintended pregnancy are persistently high across regions, as are difficulties having the number of children respondents desire,” the report says.
Twenty per cent of people surveyed said they have been pressured into having children they didn’t want to, while one in three said they had experienced an unwanted pregnancy.
Nearly 13 per cent said they had experienced both an unwanted pregnancy and barriers to having a desired child. In some countries, that figure was above 20 per cent.
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“In other words, everywhere we look, people are struggling to freely realize their reproductive aspirations,” the report says, noting responses were similar in countries with high and low fertility rates.
‘Financial limitations’ are top barrier
More than half of those surveyed said economic barriers were impacting their ability to have the number of children they wanted.
“Financial limitations” was by far the top economic factor identified, with 39 per cent of people saying so.
About one in five people said unemployment or job security was a barrier for them, while a similar number said the same about the high cost of housing.
Additionally, more than 20 per cent combined said concerns about climate change, wars, pandemics or other future political or social issues were preventing them from having children.
Gender-equitable child care was also identified as a barrier.
While 11 per cent of people said their partner would not sufficiently carry the load at home, nearly twice as many women said so compared to men. A larger number of people, 14 per cent, said the lack of a suitable partner stood in the way of them having children.
More generally, one in four people surveyed said they felt unable to fulfil their desire for a child at their preferred time.
Child-care costs and a lack of adequate sexual and reproductive health resources were also identified as barriers to proper family planning, according to the report.
Although Canada wasn’t surveyed in the UNFPA report, similar findings have been reported among Canadians.
An Angus Reid survey released last October found more than half of potential parents said they have delayed having children longer than they ideally would have liked, largely due to the rising cost of living and other financial concerns.
According to the poll, 41 per cent said the delay was because of concerns about the job market and financial security, while one-third were worried about both child-care costs and the expensive housing market.
A poll by Ipsos last year found 65 per cent said they’re choosing to have smaller families because of financial concerns.
Statistics Canada reported last year that Canada’s fertility rate, which has been steadily declining, has hit a record low and the country is now among the “lowest-low” fertility nations.
The cost of raising a child to age 17 costs the average Canadian family about $293,000, according to Statistics Canada — a little more than $17,000 per year.
Avoid ‘coercive’ measures, researchers say
The report warns against what it calls “coercive” measures to boost birth rates such as fertility targets or incentives like so-called “baby bonuses.”
The researchers say that, while financial rewards can help in the short-term, they can further the systemic issue of forcing people to have children before they’re ready.
Financial incentives — which the report notes have been pursued in some European countries — have been openly considered in the U.S. by the Trump administration.
U.S. President Donald Trump himself has said so-called “baby bonuses” — a cash reward for new mothers — “sounds like a good idea.”
Republican lawmakers have introduced a measure called “Trump Accounts” that would fund US$1,000 investment accounts for children born in the U.S. over the next four years, which those children can start accessing once they turn 18.
Trump called it a “pro-family initiative” while announcing the proposal Monday.
Shortly after his confirmation, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy circulated a memo that instructed his department to prioritize families by, among other things, giving preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average when awarding grants.
The UNFPA report argues policymakers should instead pursue long-term initiatives that give families the freedom to make their own family-planning decisions. These include investing in affordable housing, mandating paid parental leave and ensuring full access to reproductive health services and abortion care.
Societal changes are also needed, the report says, such as encouraging men to fully participate in child care and family planning.
—With files from Global’s Anne Gaviola
Mattel is aiming to expand on inclusivity by introducing a new Barbie with Type 1 diabetes.
In an announcement Tuesday, Mattel said it had partnered with Breakthrough T1D — a Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — to ensure that the design of the doll “truly captures the community.”
That includes accessories that “accurately reflect the medical equipment” people with Type 1 diabetes may need, the California-based company said.
The new Barbie wears a continuous glucose monitor on her arm, which is a device used to track blood sugar levels. She is also holding a phone displaying an accompanying app for the CGM and has an insulin pump attached to her waist.
The doll carries a blue purse that can be used to hold other essential supplies or snacks on the go. Her fashion choice is also notable — she sports a blue polka dot style, which is a nod to the global symbols for diabetes awareness.
This new doll “enables more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie,” Mattel wrote Tuesday, and is part of the company’s wider Fashionistas line committed to inclusivity.
“Introducing a Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” said Krista Berger, senior vice-president of Barbie and global head of dolls.
“Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.”
Emily Mazreku, director of marketing strategy at Breakthrough T1D, added that “visibility matters for everyone facing Type 1 diabetes.”
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And as a mother who lives with Type 1 diabetes, Mazreku added, “it means everything to have Barbie helping the world see T1D and the incredible people who live with it.”
Supermodel Kate Moss’s daughter Lila was honoured with her own one-of-a-kind doll.
Lila, 22, has been very open about her diabetes diagnosis and shared her excitement for the launch of the new doll.
“Honoured to have a one-of-a kind Type 1 diabetic Barbie version of me to celebrate the launch of the first T1D Barbie,” she wrote on Instagram.
“This has been such a special project to be a part of, I hope this can encourage anyone living with Type 1 to not be afraid of wearing their pump proudly and that it helps to raise awareness on why we have them and what they do for us.”
According to Diabetes Canada, Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce any insulin. Insulin is an important hormone that helps your body control the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood.
Diabetes Canada says Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can also develop in adulthood. People with Type 1 need to inject insulin or use an insulin pump to ensure their bodies have the right amount of insulin.
Breakthrough T1D Canada estimated that around 300,000 people were living with Type 1 diabetes in Canada in 2022 and suggested that the number was growing by 4.4 per cent each year.
Barbie’s new doll with Type 1 diabetes was also introduced at Breakthrough T1D’s 2025 Children’s Congress held in Washington, D.C., this week, where the organization is advocating for continued federal research funding.
Mattel has previously introduced other dolls to the Fashionistas line, including its first doll with Down syndrome in 2023.
The company worked with the National Down Syndrome Society in the United States to make the doll, which has a shorter frame and longer torso than its other Barbies.
Doll maker Mattel has released a new Barbie with Down syndrome.
Handout / Mattel
The doll’s face is also a rounder shape, and has almond-shaped eyes, smaller ears and a flat nasal bridge, Mattel said.
“The doll’s palms even include a single line, a characteristic often associated with those with Down’s syndrome,” Mattel said.
— With files from The Associated Press and Reuters
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
A warming climate is driving a rise in Lyme disease and the introduction of lesser-known tick-borne diseases, public health specialists say.
“Climate change in Canada is happening at a much more accelerated rate than we see in parts of the rest of the world,” said Heather Coatsworth, chief of field studies at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
“Ticks, which are eight-legged organisms, but general bugs, all require a certain amount of heat and humidity to complete their life cycle,” she said.
Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia continue to be the hot spots for blacklegged ticks, which can carry bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause disease in humans — but the changing climate is allowing the tick population to grow in other parts of the country, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Coatsworth said.
Janet Sperling, a scientist who specializes in bugs and the president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, said that means increased awareness of tick-borne illnesses is needed not only among the public, but among primary-care providers and infectious disease specialists.
“A lot of doctors have been told — this was their training — ‘you can’t get Lyme disease in Alberta; if you don’t have a travel history don’t worry about it,’” said Sperling, who lives in Edmonton.
“There’s no doubt that it has changed and the education hasn’t caught up with some of the doctors,” she said.
The rise in tick-borne disease doesn’t mean you should stay inside, experts agree. But you can protect yourself. Here’s what to know about the illnesses and how to safely enjoy the summer weather.
How common is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease has been on the rise in Canada and the United States for several years. When provincial public health units started monitoring it in 2009, they reported 144 cases across the country. The preliminary case count for 2024 is 5,239, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The real number is likely higher because many people may have had very general symptoms and never got a diagnosis, Coatsworth said.
“There’s estimates that if things keep going the way they are and climate change keeps going the way things go, that in 25 years we’d have about half a million cases of Lyme disease here in Canada,” she said.
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme disease can feel like many other illnesses and may bring on fever, chills, fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes and/or muscle and joint aches.
One telltale sign of Lyme disease is a rash that looks like a bull’s eye, a target or that is circular or oval-shaped.
But Coatsworth cautions that about 30 per cent of people who are infected never get a rash, so a Lyme disease diagnosis shouldn’t be ruled out if people have other symptoms.
What are some other tick-borne diseases?
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In the last couple of years, some provinces have started monitoring three other diseases spread by blacklegged ticks: anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus.
Of those, anaplasmosis — although still rare — seems to be growing the fastest, said Coatsworth: “It’s kind of the new kid on the block.”
When public health officials first started monitoring it around 2012, there were about 10 to 50 cases per year in Canada.
There were more than 700 cases of anaplasmosis reported last year, Coatsworth said.
“It’s really picking up speed within the population.”
The symptoms of anaplasmosis can be similar to Lyme disease, without a rash. They can also include cough, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Babesiosis can also cause similar symptoms to Lyme disease without a rash, but it often causes anemia as well, Coatsworth said.
Powassan virus can cause fever, chills, headache, vomiting and general weakness but it often progresses to serious neurological symptoms, such as encephalitis (brain swelling) and meningitis.
Can these diseases be treated?
Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are both caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, usually starting with doxycycline, said Coatsworth.
Babesiosis is caused by a parasite and is similar to malaria, she said. It can be treated with anti-parasitic medications.
There is no treatment for Powassan virus. Patients are treated with supportive care, which can include intravenous fluids, medications to reduce brain swelling and respiratory assistance.
What kind of ticks carry these dieases?
Two types of blacklegged ticks carry these diseases: Ixodes scapularis, also called a deer tick, is found in several parts of Canada, especially Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. In parts of British Columbia, the dominant tick is Ixodes pacificus, also known as the western blacklegged tick.
Ticks feed on the blood of deer, mice, rabbits and other mammals, as well as birds and reptiles. Birds can carry the ticks long distances, so they can be transported to different parts of Canada. The ticks get infected if the host animal is infected, and they in turn transmit the disease to humans when they bite them and latch on.
What do the ticks look like?
“A lot of people are very surprised when I show them a blacklegged tick. They can’t believe how small they are,” said Dr. Curtis Russell, a vector-borne disease specialist at Public Health Ontario.
An adult tick that isn’t full of blood is about the size of a sesame seed. A younger tick is about the size of a poppyseed.
Where are the ticks found?
Ticks are found in wooded and grassy areas, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
That includes forests, parks and hiking trails, but ticks can also live in more populated areas, Coatsworth said.
“(It’s) a lot about the animals that exist in those environments. So a lot of those are peri-urban spaces … kind of those in-between spaces that now have become just maybe your local neighbourhood park where there’s a lot more squirrels. Small rodents and white-tailed deer, especially, have really contributed to sustaining the populations of ticks.”
How do I prevent tick bites?
Preventing tick bites is similar to repelling mosquitoes, said Dr. Mayank Singal, a public health physician with the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Wearing long sleeves, long pants and using bug spray are all important measures. Choosing light-coloured clothing is best because it’s easier to spot a tick when it lands.
Singal also encourages “trying to not come in contact with foliage and bushes, because that’s typically how they will latch on.”
Russell said that means when hiking, stay in the middle of the trail.
After outdoor activities, do a full-body tick check, including parts of the body that weren’t exposed. Russell suggested taking a bath or a shower.
“You can check all your areas where the ticks might have been and if they haven’t bit you yet … they can maybe wash off,” Russell said.
“They usually crawl around … before they bite and they usually tend to bite your hairline, your armpits, the back of your legs, your groin area.”
Russell also recommends washing your clothes and putting them in the dryer, where the high heat will kill ticks.
If I find a tick, should I remove it?
Yes. Do it with tweezers as soon as possible, experts agree.
A tick will embed its mouth in the skin as with the legs sticking out and it’s important to remove the whole tick.
“You want to grab it as close to the skin edge as possible, squeeze the tweezers … and grab the tick and then pull it straight up,” said Singal.
“We don’t want to twist, we don’t want to go left and right. Just pull it straight up so that we get all of it out as much as possible.”
It generally takes about 24 hours for the tick to transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis or babesiosis while it’s latched on.
Powassan virus can be transmitted as quickly as 15 minutes after attachment, but very few ticks currently carry the virus, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Then what?
People can take a photo of the tick and submit it to etick.ca, along with information about where you were when you think it bit you. The service, run by several universities and public health agencies, will tell you what kind of tick it is and how much tick-borne disease risk there is in the area.
If you had a tick on you and begin to develop any symptoms, see your health-care provider and let them know you were possibly exposed to tick-borne illness, Russell said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Anyone who works Monday to Friday and is keen for a long weekend this Canada Day has likely had to do a bit of calendar juggling to cope with the ill-timed holiday.
The stat day falls on a Tuesday this year, forcing many to work an odd Monday squeezed between days off, unless they burn a vacation day to eliminate the wonky schedule.
Some startup companies say they’re calling Monday a wash and giving staff a paid day off in order to smooth out the mid-week quirk and create a long weekend.
It might not make sense on paper, said Klarify founder Moody Abdul, but he said he believes in prioritizing employee happiness.
“It’s that, ‘if I take care of you, you’ll take care of us’ kind of mentality,” Abdul said.
Connecting the Canada Day holiday to the preceding weekend is just one way to demonstrate worker appreciation, said Abdul, whose company provides AI-driven note-taking and administrative tools to therapists.
For those in Quebec, it’s the second holiday Tuesday in a row, after Saint-Jean Baptiste Day on June 24 forced many Fête nationale celebrants to grapple with their own odd workweek.
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But with Canada Day following so close behind, it’s not uncommon for Quebecers to take the whole week off between the two holidays, much the way many treat the stretch between Christmas and New Year’s.
Of course not every employer can offer such accommodations, and full-time workers with less shift leeway will have to choose to take a vacation day or just make do with an odd schedule next week.
Ani Siddique, a research assistant at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, said he asked far in advance for Monday off in order to get ahead of colleagues with the same idea.
“I had to ask for it but I planned for things one or two months in advance,” he said.
Morad Affifi, who sat in a downtown park after a shift Friday, said the majority of his planned Canada Day festivities take place over the weekend but he, too, dipped into his vacation bank to avoid working Monday.
Suze Mason, co-founder of the digital health platform Sprout Family, said her five staff members have the Monday off and she didn’t expect the move to have much of an operational impact on her company.
Sprout Family helps co-ordinate fertility care through workplace benefits programs. She said many of its clients, including larger Canadian organizations, plan to treat Monday like a holiday.
“It felt like it was the right business decision to give our employees a day to rest and recharge, while also not having as much of a direct impact on the business,” Mason said.
Mason said extending the holiday to match that of the companies Sprout Family works with can also make it easier for staff to disconnect, knowing they aren’t missing out on anything crucial.
“Sometimes when you’re on vacation and the business is racing ahead without you, it can feel stressful,” she said.
Vineet Johnson, founder and CEO of IRegained, said he’s made it a recurring practice to bridge awkward gaps between days off when they occur.
Johnson, whose company develops neuro-rehabilitation devices, said he did the same last December when Boxing Day fell on a Thursday and otherwise would have forced people to return to work for just one day before the weekend.
“It’s an easy incentive, a no-brainer incentive,” said Johnson.
-With files from Natasha Baldin in Toronto.
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