Performance Indicator 17: Life Expectancy

Performance Indicator Seventeen is based on the average number of years that a child is expected to live in its lifetime.

In 2007/08, British Columbia ranked first in Canada for life expectancy at birth for both males and females. BC experienced the fourth-largest increase in life expectancy between 1998/99 and 2007/08 among the provinces.

The gap between male and female life expectancy in British Columbia narrowed by 12.5 percent between 1998/99 and 2007/08.

International Comparison

British Columbia performs very well on life expectancy at birth relative to OECD countries. British Columbia ranked fourth out of 31 jurisdictions with a 2007 life expectancy at birth of 81.3 years, behind only Japan, Switzerland and Australia.

Canada ranked 10th in the OECD with average life expectancy at birth of 80.7 years while Turkey ranked last at 71.8 years.

BC has ranked as high as second place, in 2000, and has not placed lower than sixth since 1990.

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