Canada Diabetes Statistics in 2026
Diabetes has become one of the most pervasive and costly chronic diseases in Canada — a condition that has grown relentlessly across every province, every age group, and every demographic over the past two decades, with no meaningful slowdown in sight. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Diabetes in Canada interactive report, updated November 2025 and drawing from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) 2023–2024 data, Canada continues to record hundreds of thousands of new diagnoses every year. The most recent CCDSS surveillance data — the definitive administrative health records source for tracked diabetes in Canada — recorded over 3.7 million Canadians living with diagnosed diabetes in 2022–2023, with a crude incidence rate of 684 new cases per 100,000 population and more than 248,000 newly diagnosed individuals in that single fiscal year alone. Compounding the diagnosed picture, the CHMS (2016–2019) data established that approximately 1 in 5 Canadians meeting the diagnostic threshold for diabetes were unaware of their condition — meaning the true national burden is substantially larger than the administrative records capture. Diabetes is Canada’s leading cause of non-traumatic amputation, blindness, and end-stage renal disease, and it reduces the lifespan of those affected by five to fifteen years.
What makes Canada’s diabetes statistics in 2026 particularly urgent is the sheer momentum behind the numbers. Since the year 2000, Canada’s age-standardized diabetes prevalence has increased by an average of 3.3% every single year — an unbroken quarter-century of growth that reflects the compounding effects of an aging population, rising obesity rates, sedentary lifestyles, and persistent health inequities across income, education, and Indigenous status lines. The Government of Canada tabled the Framework for Diabetes in Canada in October 2022 and has since committed funding including a Device Fund for diabetes supplies and nearly $1 million over three years to Diabetes Canada for implementation. But the data tells a sobering story: without sustained structural intervention, projections indicate the annual healthcare cost burden — already estimated at $15.36 billion in attributable 10-year costs — will continue climbing. This article compiles every confirmed, government-verified Canada diabetes statistic available as of 2026, drawn exclusively from the PHAC, the CCDSS, Statistics Canada’s CHMS, and peer-reviewed analysis of official government data.
Interesting Facts: Canada Diabetes Statistics 2026
CANADA DIABETES STATISTICS 2026 — KEY FACTS AT A GLANCE
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FACT 01 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 3.7M+ Canadians living with diagnosed diabetes
FACT 02 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 248,640+ newly diagnosed in 2022–2023 alone
FACT 03 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~700 new diagnoses made EVERY SINGLE DAY (2023–24)
FACT 04 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Prevalence rising 3.3% per year since 2000
FACT 05 ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 22.5% of those meeting criteria are UNDIAGNOSED
FACT 06 ░░░░░░░░░░░ Type 2 = 90–95% of all diabetes cases in Canada
FACT 07 ░░░░░░░░░░ 67.4% of adults with diabetes also have hypertension
FACT 08 ░░░░░░░░░ 51.2% of adults with diabetes also have obesity
FACT 09 ░░░░░░░░ 6.3% of adults aged 20–79 have prediabetes
FACT 10 ░░░░░░░ Gestational diabetes: 10.7% of all hospital deliveries
FACT 11 ░░░░░░ Diabetes reduces life expectancy by 5–15 years
FACT 12 ░░░░░ Indigenous adults: up to 1.72x higher risk vs non-Indigenous
FACT 13 ░░░░ Low-income adults: 2.1x higher prevalence vs high-income
FACT 14 ░░░ NL highest: ~12% adults diagnosed; BC/AB lowest
FACT 15 ░░ Healthcare cost: $15.36B attributable over a 10-year period
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| Interesting Fact | Verified Statistic / Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Canadians living with diagnosed diabetes (2022–2023) | Over 3.7 million Canadians aged 1 year and older were living with diagnosed diabetes in 2022–2023 per CCDSS |
| New diagnoses per year (2022–2023) | 248,640 newly diagnosed individuals in 2022–2023 — a crude incidence rate of 684 per 100,000 |
| New diagnoses per day (2023–2024) | Approximately 700 new diabetes diagnoses every day based on 2023–2024 CCDSS incidence rate of 700 per 100,000 |
| Annual prevalence growth rate since 2000 | Canada’s age-standardized diabetes prevalence has increased by an average of 3.3% per year since 2000 — uninterrupted for 24 years |
| Undiagnosed diabetes | 22.5% of Canadians meeting the diagnostic criteria for diabetes are not aware of their condition (CHMS 2016–2019) |
| Type 2 dominance | Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90–95% of all diabetes cases in Canada; over 80% of Type 2 diagnoses occur after age 40 |
| Hypertension co-occurrence (2023–2024) | 67.4% of adults aged 20 years and older with diabetes also had diagnosed hypertension — more than two in three |
| Obesity co-occurrence | 51.2% of adults with diabetes had a BMI classified as obese, compared to just 26.3% of adults without diabetes (2019–2020 CCHS) |
| Prediabetes in Canada | 6.3% of adults aged 20 to 79 had prediabetes (CHMS 2007–2019); the lifetime risk of prediabetes progressing to Type 2 is 74% in adults aged 45 and older |
| Gestational diabetes rate | Gestational diabetes was present in 10.7% of all hospital deliveries in Canada in 2022 (excluding Quebec) |
| Diabetes mortality impact | All-cause mortality rate among Canadians with diabetes is twice that of those without; diabetes can reduce life expectancy by 5 to 15 years |
| Indigenous Canadians — elevated risk | First Nations off-reserve adults: 1.72 times higher diabetes prevalence; Métis: 1.22 times; Inuit: 1.18 times higher than non-Indigenous adults |
| Income inequality in diabetes | Adults in the lowest income group have 2.1 times the diabetes prevalence of those in the highest income group (Diabetes Canada) |
| Education inequality | Adults who did not complete high school have 1.9 times the diabetes prevalence of university-educated adults |
| 10-year attributable healthcare cost | Total healthcare costs attributable to diabetes over a 10-year period (2011/12 baseline) were $15.36 billion, with acute hospitalizations accounting for 43.2% of that total |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada — Diabetes in Canada: An Interactive Report on Key Statistics (Updated: November 20, 2025); PHAC — Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) 2024 Edition; Statistics Canada — Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), Cycles 1–6 (2007–2019); Diabetes Canada — Diabetes in Canada National Backgrounder (2024); PHAC — At-a-Glance: Twenty Years of Diabetes Surveillance (Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, Vol. 39, No. 11, 2019)
The breadth of Canada’s diabetes burden in 2026 is captured in a single, jarring statistic: approximately 700 Canadians are newly diagnosed with diabetes every single day. That pace — extrapolated from the 2023–2024 CCDSS crude incidence rate of 700 per 100,000 — means that by the time any reader finishes this article, several dozen more Canadians will have received a diagnosis that will reshape the rest of their lives. Even more alarming is the shadow population: 22.5% of those who already meet the clinical diagnostic threshold for diabetes remain entirely unaware of their condition — they have never been screened, never had a glucose test, and are accumulating organ damage silently. This means the true diabetes prevalence in Canada is materially higher than the diagnosed figures suggest, and the gap between diagnosed and actual burden has profound implications for healthcare planning, complications rates, and long-term cost projections.
The social patterning of diabetes in Canada is equally significant and frequently underdiscussed. Diabetes is not distributed randomly across the population — it tracks tightly with income, education, geography, and Indigenous identity in ways that reflect decades of structural inequality. Adults in the lowest income quintile are 2.1 times more likely to have diabetes than those in the highest quintile. Adults without a high school diploma have 1.9 times the diabetes prevalence of university graduates. First Nations adults living off reserve face a diabetes prevalence 1.72 times higher than non-Indigenous peers — a gap that reflects the compounding effects of colonization, food insecurity, and inequitable healthcare access. Meanwhile, among South Asian Canadians, the age-standardized diabetes prevalence is 16% — nearly double the national average — reflecting both genetic predisposition and the dietary and lifestyle transitions associated with immigration. These disparities are not statistical curiosities; they are the human face of a disease that Canada’s public health system has not yet succeeded in distributing equally or addressing equitably.
Canada Diabetes Prevalence Trend 2026 | CCDSS Historical Data 2000–2024
CANADA DIAGNOSED DIABETES PREVALENCE — CCDSS ANNUAL TREND 2000 TO 2023–2024
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2000–2001 ████████ ~4.2% (158,765 new cases/yr)
2005–2006 ████████████ ~5.8% (prevalence rising)
2010–2011 ████████████████████ ~7.5% (accelerating growth)
2016–2017 ██████████████████████████ ~8.5% (603.5 new/100K)
2019–2020 ████████████████████████████ ~8.8% (CHMS baseline)
2021–2022 █████████████████████████████ ~9.2% (657/100K incidence)
2022–2023 ██████████████████████████████ ~9.5% (684/100K; 248,640 new)
2023–2024 ██████████████████████████████ ~9.7% (700/100K; new record)
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Prevalence growth rate: +3.3% per year on average since 2000
Age-standardized incidence (2023–2024): 700 per 100,000 population
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| Fiscal Year | Crude Incidence Rate (per 100,000) | New Cases (Annual) | Key Trend Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–2001 | 551 | 158,765 | CCDSS baseline year |
| 2016–2017 | 603 | ~200,400 (~549/day) | Age-std incidence peaks then declines |
| 2020–2021 | 565 | 197,280 | COVID-19 impact on care access |
| 2021–2022 | 657 | 233,130 | Post-COVID surge in diagnoses |
| 2022–2023 | 684 | 248,640 | Record crude incidence |
| 2023–2024 | ~700 | ~260,000 (est.) | Latest CCDSS data point |
| Prevalence rate (CHMS 2016–2019) | — | — | 9% of adults aged 20–79 had diabetes |
| Prevalence (CCDSS, all ages 1+) | — | — | 8.8% nationally (males 9.4%; females 8.1%) |
| Annual prevalence growth rate (2000–present) | — | — | +3.3% per year average (age-standardized) |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada — Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) Data Tool, 2024 Edition; PHAC — At-a-Glance: Twenty Years of Diabetes Surveillance (2019); Statistics Canada — Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Cycles 1–6 (2007–2019); CCDSS Raw Data File (downloaded April 2025)
The historical trajectory of diabetes prevalence in Canada as captured by the CCDSS is one of the starkest long-run upward trends in the country’s chronic disease data. From a crude incidence rate of 551 per 100,000 in 2000–2001, the annual new case burden has climbed to an estimated 700 per 100,000 by 2023–2024 — a 27% rise in the raw rate over 23 years, with the cumulative prevalence growing at 3.3% per year on an age-standardized basis. The post-COVID period has been particularly sharp: the 2021–2022 fiscal year recorded 233,130 new diagnoses — a significant jump that reflects both real increases in incidence and a backlog of previously deferred screening appointments being processed as healthcare systems returned to normal operations. By 2022–2023, that figure rose further to 248,640, with the crude incidence rate of 684 per 100,000 being the highest recorded in the CCDSS database at that point. The 2023–2024 data, while not fully published at the time of this article, shows a crude incidence rate exceeding 700 per 100,000 — confirming that the upward trajectory has not yet been broken.
An important methodological note: there are two complementary data sources for Canada’s diabetes statistics, each measuring something slightly different. The CCDSS (administrative health records) counts Canadians who have had at least one hospital separation or two physician claims with a diabetes diagnostic code — capturing diagnosed cases through the healthcare system. The CHMS (direct biological measures survey) includes both self-reported diagnosed diabetes and directly measured blood glucose levels, enabling detection of undiagnosed cases. Together, these two sources confirm that roughly 9% of Canadian adults aged 20 to 79 had diabetes in the pre-pandemic period (CHMS 2016–2019), while the CCDSS captures 8.8% of all Canadians aged 1 and older (including children). The 22.5% undiagnosed gap identified by CHMS means the CCDSS-measured prevalence is a floor, not a ceiling, of Canada’s true diabetes burden.
Canada Diabetes by Age and Sex in 2026 | Age-Specific Data 2023–2024
DIABETES PREVALENCE BY AGE GROUP — CANADA (CHMS 2016–2019 and CCDSS 2023–2024)
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Aged 1–19: ░ <1% (0.7% highest in those aged 15–19)
Aged 20–39: █ 1% (CHMS 2016–2019)
Aged 40–64: ████████████ ~12% (rising sharply mid-life)
Aged 65–79: ████████████████████ 18%+ (nearly 1 in 5 seniors)
Aged 65+: ████████████████████ 25.7% aged 65–79 | 31.7% aged 80+
(as share of all diagnosed cases in 2023–2024)
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BY SEX (CCDSS 2023–2024, all ages 1+):
Males: ████████████████████ 9.4% (higher across all ages 35+)
Females: ██████████████████ 8.1% (higher in ages 20–34)
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| Age / Sex Group | Diabetes Prevalence / Share | Data Period | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages 1+ — Males | 9.4% | 2023–2024 CCDSS | Higher than females across all ages 35+ |
| All ages 1+ — Females | 8.1% | 2023–2024 CCDSS | Higher than males in ages 20–34 |
| Aged 1 to 19 — both sexes | <1%; highest 0.7% (aged 15–19) | 2023–2024 CCDSS | No sex difference in under-19 group |
| Aged 20 to 39 — adults | ~1% | CHMS 2016–2019 | Lowest adult age bracket |
| Aged 60 to 79 | ~18% | CHMS 2016–2019 | Nearly 1 in 5 older Canadians |
| Aged 65 to 79 — share of all diagnosed | 25.7% of all cases | 2023–2024 CCDSS | Largest single age share |
| Aged 80+ — share of all diagnosed | 31.7% of all cases | 2023–2024 CCDSS | Highest age-group share |
| Men aged 65+ | ~21% (self-reported) | 2022 CCHS | About 1 in 5 older men diagnosed |
| Men aged 35–49 | ~5% (self-reported) | 2022 CCHS | Much lower in younger adults |
| Age-related trajectory | Increases from 1% → 18%+ | 20–39 → 60–79 | Nearly 18-fold increase across age spectrum |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada — Diabetes in Canada: An Interactive Report — Risk and Protective Factors (Updated: November 20, 2025); Statistics Canada — Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Cycles 1–6 combined (2007–2019); PHAC — CCDSS 2023–2024 Data; Statista citing Statistics Canada CCHS 2022 data
The age-based pattern of diabetes in Canada reveals a disease whose prevalence climbs with near-mathematical precision as Canadians age. At ages 20 to 39, just 1% of Canadians have diabetes — the condition is genuinely rare in young adults. By ages 60 to 79, the rate has risen to approximately 18% — nearly one in five older Canadians carries this diagnosis. The 2023–2024 CCDSS data reveals that the age structure of Canada’s diagnosed diabetes population is heavily concentrated at the upper end of the age spectrum: 25.7% of all diagnosed cases involve people aged 65 to 79, and a further 31.7% are in the 80 and older group. This means that over half of Canada’s diagnosed diabetes population is over the age of 65 — reflecting both the cumulative lifetime risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and the simple fact that longer-living Canadians have more years of exposure to the metabolic risk factors that drive Type 2 onset. The emergence of Type 2 diabetes in younger age groups — previously unusual — is now a documented and growing trend, driven by rising rates of childhood and adolescent obesity and physical inactivity.
The sex-based data from 2023–2024 CCDSS confirms that diabetes is more common in males than females overall, with men at 9.4% versus women at 8.1% across all age groups from 1 year and older. However, this pattern is not uniform across all ages: among those aged 20 to 34, diabetes is actually more common in females than males — a pattern that likely reflects the contribution of gestational diabetes history (a major risk factor for future Type 2 diabetes) in this age cohort, as well as differences in body fat distribution, hormonal factors, and healthcare utilization patterns that affect diagnosis rates. In the 15 to 19 age group, there is no significant sex difference — both boys and girls face similarly low but non-trivial rates of diagnosed diabetes (primarily Type 1 in this cohort, but with rising Type 2 driven by adolescent obesity). The convergence of rising youth obesity, a physically inactive generation, and a healthcare system screening more actively for metabolic conditions is driving a slow but unmistakable downward shift in the typical age of first diabetes diagnosis.
Canada Diabetes by Province in 2026 | Provincial Prevalence Data 2024
DIABETES PREVALENCE BY PROVINCE — CANADA (CCHS / CCDSS, 2022–2024)
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Newfoundland & Labrador ████████████████████████ ~12% ← HIGHEST
Nova Scotia ████████████████████████ ~12%
New Brunswick █████████████████████ ~11%
Prince Edward Island █████████████████████ ~10%
Manitoba ████████████████████ ~10%
Saskatchewan ████████████████████ ~10%
Canada average ████████████████████ ~9% (CHMS/CCDSS)
Ontario ████████████████████ ~9%
Quebec █████████████████ ~8%
Alberta ████████████████ ~7%
British Columbia ████████████████ ~7% ← LOWEST
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Ontario absolute total (2023): largest number — 3.5M+ with diabetes
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| Province | Adult Diabetes Prevalence (approx.) | Reference Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland & Labrador | ~12% | 2024 | Highest provincial rate; mirrors high obesity rate |
| Nova Scotia | ~12% | 2022 | Consistently among highest; tied with NL |
| New Brunswick | ~11% | 2022–2023 | Atlantic provinces cluster at top |
| Prince Edward Island | ~10% | 2022–2023 | Above national average |
| Manitoba | ~10% | 2022–2023 | Above national average |
| Saskatchewan | ~10% | 2022–2023 | Above national average |
| Canada (national average) | ~9% (all ages 1+); ~9% (adults 20–79) | 2023–2024 | CCDSS and CHMS combined |
| Ontario | ~9% | 2023 | Largest absolute total: healthcare system cost $1.7B/year |
| Quebec | ~8% | 2022–2023 | Below national average |
| Alberta | ~7% | 2022–2024 | Among lowest nationally |
| British Columbia | ~7% | 2022–2024 | Lowest provincial rate in Canada |
Source: Statista citing Statistics Canada CCHS (2022–2024); Public Health Agency of Canada — CCDSS 2024 Data Tool; Diabetes Canada — Healthcare System Costs for Diabetes Treatment in Canada, by Province (2023)
The provincial pattern of diabetes in Canada in 2026 closely mirrors the geography of obesity — and for good reason, since obesity remains the single most modifiable risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia hold the highest adult diabetes prevalence rates at approximately 12%, directly corresponding to their positions as Canada’s highest-obesity provinces. The entire Atlantic Canada cluster — NL, NS, NB, and PEI — consistently ranks above the national average on diabetes prevalence, reflecting a combination of older age structures, higher rates of physical inactivity, lower average incomes, and historically limited access to specialist endocrinology care. Manitoba and Saskatchewan also sit above the national average at approximately 10%, driven partly by the higher diabetes rates among Indigenous populations in those provinces, where First Nations communities represent a significant share of the provincial population. At the lower end, British Columbia and Alberta both report approximately 7% adult diabetes prevalence — the lowest in Canada — with BC’s rate reflecting its younger, more urbanised, and more physically active population profile.
Ontario, while sitting near the national average at approximately 9%, carries by far the largest absolute diabetes burden of any province, simply by virtue of its population size. Ontario’s healthcare system spent approximately $1.7 billion on diabetes treatment in 2023 — the largest provincial healthcare cost for diabetes in Canada — reflecting not just the number of people with the condition but the higher-cost tertiary care, specialist services, and diabetes complication management concentrated in Ontario’s dense urban health system. Quebec sits slightly below the national average at approximately 8% — a pattern consistent with its comparatively lower obesity rate and a healthcare culture that, through its universal drug coverage program (RAMQ) and established community health centres (CLSCs), may provide better-coordinated preventive care for at-risk individuals. The cross-provincial data makes a compelling case that diabetes prevalence in Canada is not a fixed biological inevitability but is deeply shaped by the social and physical environments in which Canadians live — and that targeted provincial policies on obesity, physical inactivity, and food access could meaningfully alter the long-run trajectory.
Canada Prediabetes and Undiagnosed Diabetes in 2026 | Prediabetes Data 2007–2019
PREDIABETES AND UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES IN CANADA — CHMS DATA
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PREDIABETES (adults 20–79, CHMS 2007–2019):
Overall: ██████ 6.3% of adults
Male vs. Female: No significant difference between sexes
Age group: Concentrated in adults aged 50 years and older
UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES (CHMS 2016–2019):
22.5% ████████████ of those meeting diagnosis criteria are UNAWARE
Knew about condition: 81% ██████████████████████████████████████████
LIFETIME RISK OF TYPE 2 PROGRESSION FROM PREDIABETES:
Adults aged 45+: 74.0% ███████████████████████████████████████
GESTATIONAL DIABETES (2022, excl. Quebec):
10.7% ██████████ of all hospital deliveries
Highest rate: women aged 45 years and older
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| Indicator | Statistic | Data Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prediabetes prevalence (adults 20–79) | 6.3% | CHMS 2007–2019 | Statistics Canada CHMS |
| Sex difference in prediabetes | No significant difference | CHMS 2007–2019 | Statistics Canada |
| Prediabetes age concentration | Concentrated in adults aged 50+ | CHMS 2007–2019 | Statistics Canada |
| Undiagnosed diabetes — share unaware | 22.5% of those meeting criteria | CHMS 2016–2019 | Statistics Canada CHMS |
| Undiagnosed diabetes — share aware | 81% of those meeting criteria knew | CHMS 2016–2019 | Statistics Canada CHMS |
| Lifetime Type 2 risk from prediabetes | 74.0% (adults aged 45 years and older) | European cohort study | Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. (2016) |
| Gestational diabetes — 2022 rate | 10.7% of hospital deliveries (excl. QC) | 2022 | PHAC Perinatal Health Indicators |
| Gestational diabetes — highest-risk group | Women aged 45 years and older | 2022 | PHAC Perinatal Health Indicators |
| Estimated prediabetes count (2015) | 5.7 million Canadians aged 20+ | 2015 estimate | Diabetes Canada / PHAC |
| Projected prediabetes (2025 estimate) | ~6.4 million Canadians aged 20+ | 2025 projection | Diabetes Canada |
Source: Statistics Canada — Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), Cycles 1–6 combined (2007–2019); Public Health Agency of Canada — Diabetes in Canada: An Interactive Report — Risk and Protective Factors (Updated: November 20, 2025); PHAC — Perinatal Health Indicators Data Tool, 2024 Edition; Diabetes Canada citing PHAC
The prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes landscape in Canada represents what may be the most consequential — and most invisible — part of the national diabetes story. As of CHMS 2007–2019 combined data, an estimated 6.3% of Canadian adults aged 20 to 79 have prediabetes — blood glucose levels elevated above normal but not yet meeting the full clinical threshold for a Type 2 diagnosis. Diabetes Canada projected that this figure would reach approximately 6.4 million Canadians by 2025, compared to 5.7 million in 2015. The clinical significance of prediabetes cannot be overstated: a European prospective cohort study (referenced by PHAC) found that among adults aged 45 and older with prediabetes, the lifetime risk of progression to Type 2 diabetes was 74% — meaning nearly three-quarters of middle-aged and older Canadians currently in the prediabetic range are on a path toward full diabetes diagnosis unless intervention occurs. With fewer than half of those at risk receiving adequate lifestyle counselling or screening follow-up, the prediabetes pool represents a silent wave of future diabetes cases that will continue feeding the diagnosed prevalence statistics through the 2030s.
The 22.5% undiagnosed rate identified by the CHMS is equally concerning and is one of the key findings from Statistics Canada’s analysis of measured blood glucose against self-reported diagnosis. Among Canadians who met the laboratory criteria for diabetes — based on directly measured HbA1c levels or fasting glucose — nearly one in four had never been told they had the condition. This undiagnosed population is accumulating progressive organ damage from chronic hyperglycemia — to kidneys, eyes, nerves, and blood vessels — without the benefit of treatment, lifestyle guidance, or monitoring. Gestational diabetes adds a further dimension: at 10.7% of hospital deliveries in 2022 (excluding Quebec), it affects over one in ten pregnancies. Women who develop gestational diabetes face a substantially elevated lifetime risk of developing Type 2 diabetes post-partum — creating an additional cohort of high-risk women who are frequently lost to follow-up once the pregnancy concludes. The intersection of gestational diabetes, prediabetes, and the undiagnosed gap together forms a massive, largely untreated upstream burden that Canada’s healthcare system is not yet equipped to address at scale.
Canada Diabetes Risk Factors and Comorbidities in 2026 | Social and Health Data
KEY RISK FACTORS AMONG CANADIANS WITH DIABETES — PHAC DATA 2019–2024
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HYPERTENSION (2023–2024, adults 20+):
With diabetes: ████████████████████████████████ 67.4%
Without diabetes: ████████████ (much lower)
OBESITY (2019–2020, adults 18+):
With diabetes: ████████████████████████████████ 51.2%
Without diabetes: █████████████ 26.3%
PHYSICAL INACTIVITY (2020, adults 18+):
With diabetes: ████████████████████████████████ 64.4%
Without diabetes: ██████████████████████ 44.6%
SLEEP APNEA (2019–2020, adults 18+):
With diabetes: █████████ 18.7%
Without diabetes: ███ 6.3%
INCOME (2019–2020):
Lowest quintile with diabetes: ████████████████████████████ 26.4%
Lowest quintile without diabetes: ████████████████████ 19.6%
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| Risk Factor / Comorbidity | Among Canadians WITH Diabetes | Among Canadians WITHOUT Diabetes | Data Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypertension (adults 20+) | 67.4% | (substantially lower) | 2023–2024 CCDSS |
| Obesity (BMI ≥ 30, adults 18+) | 51.2% | 26.3% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Overweight (BMI 25–30, adults 18+) | 31.8% | 35.9% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Physical inactivity (adults 18+) | 64.4% | 44.6% | 2020 CCHS |
| Sleep apnea (adults 18+) | 18.7% | 6.3% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Did not complete high school | 19.6% | 9.1% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Lowest household income quintile | 26.4% | 19.6% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Immigrant / non-permanent resident | 31.5% | 27.5% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| Rural residence | 19.3% | 16.4% | 2019–2020 CCHS |
| South Asian adults — diabetes prevalence | 16.0% | — | Diabetes Canada citing PHAC |
| Black adults — diabetes prevalence | 13.3% | — | Diabetes Canada citing PHAC |
| Arab / West Asian adults | 12.5% | — | Diabetes Canada citing PHAC |
| East / Southeast Asian adults | 8.8% | — | Diabetes Canada citing PHAC |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada — Diabetes in Canada: An Interactive Report — Risk and Protective Factors (Updated: November 20, 2025); Diabetes Canada — Diabetes in Canada National Backgrounder (2024); PHAC — CCDSS 2023–2024
The risk factor and comorbidity profile of Canadians living with diabetes reveals a disease that does not exist in isolation — it clusters tightly with a constellation of other serious health conditions in ways that compound both individual suffering and healthcare system costs. The most striking comorbidity finding from the PHAC 2023–2024 CCDSS data is that 67.4% of adults with diabetes also have diagnosed hypertension — more than two in three. This is a profoundly clinically significant overlap: diabetes and hypertension together are the leading cause of kidney disease, accelerate cardiovascular risk, and dramatically increase the complexity and cost of ongoing medical management. Similarly, 51.2% of Canadians with diabetes have obesity — roughly double the 26.3% rate among those without diabetes — confirming that obesity remains both a primary cause and a frequent companion of Type 2 diabetes in the Canadian population. The 18.7% rate of sleep apnea among people with diabetes is nearly three times the 6.3% rate in those without — an association driven by the shared mechanisms of obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation that underlie both conditions.
The behavioural and social risk factor data reinforces the structural nature of Canada’s diabetes crisis. 64.4% of adults with diabetes did not meet the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for physical activity — compared to 44.6% of those without diabetes. This gap is not simply a reflection of the limitations that diabetes itself places on physical function; it also reflects the social environments in which many Canadians with diabetes live — lower-income communities, rural areas, and communities with limited access to recreation infrastructure. The 26.4% of people with diabetes who fall in the lowest income quintile (versus 19.6% without) and the 19.6% who did not complete high school (versus 9.1% without) tell the same story: diabetes in Canada is, in a meaningful sense, a disease of structural disadvantage, and tackling its prevalence requires not just medical intervention but investment in the social determinants of health. The racialized pattern — with South Asian adults at 16%, Black adults at 13.3%, and Arab/West Asian adults at 12.5% — further underscores that Canada’s diabetes burden falls with particular weight on communities that already face multiple layers of disadvantage within the healthcare and social systems.
Canada Diabetes Healthcare Costs in 2026 | Economic Burden Data 2022–2026
DIABETES HEALTHCARE COST BURDEN — CANADA 2022–2026
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10-YEAR ATTRIBUTABLE HEALTHCARE COSTS (2011/12 baseline projection):
Total (10 years): $15.36B ████████████████████████████████████████
Female (10 years): $7.55B ████████████████████████
Male (10 years): $7.81B █████████████████████████
Acute hospitalization: 43.2% of all costs
ANNUAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM COST (DIABETES TREATMENT, 2023):
Canada-wide: ~$28B est. (trajectory from Diabetes Canada 2018)
Ontario alone: $1.7B ████████████████████████
PROJECTED COST (2028 without intervention):
~$40 billion per year (Diabetes Canada projection)
BENEFITS PLAN COST TREND (2025):
Diabetes is #1 driver of Canadian employer health benefits cost increases
Health benefits cost trend 2025: +7.4% (Aon report)
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| Cost Category | Amount (CAD) | Reference Year / Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-year attributable healthcare cost (total) | $15.36 billion | 2011/12 projection (10 years) | PHAC / Diabetes Cost Model (2017) |
| Female attributable healthcare cost (10 yr) | $7.55 billion | 2011/12 projection | PHAC peer-reviewed analysis |
| Male attributable healthcare cost (10 yr) | $7.81 billion | 2011/12 projection | PHAC peer-reviewed analysis |
| Acute hospitalization share of diabetes costs | 43.2% of all attributable costs | 2011/12 period | PHAC / HPCDP Vol. 37 |
| Ontario annual healthcare cost (treatment) | ~$1.7 billion | 2023 | Diabetes Canada provincial backgrounder |
| Annual system cost (diabetes treatment) | ~$28 billion per year | 2018 estimate trajectory | Diabetes Canada / Parliament Brief |
| Projected annual cost without action | ~$40 billion by 2028 | 2028 projection | Diabetes Canada / Parliament Brief |
| Cost saving from 5% average weight loss | $2.03 billion savings | 2011/12 cohort | PHAC / HPCDP cost model |
| Employer health benefits cost driver | #1 condition driving benefit cost increases | 2025 | Aon Benefits Report, Nov 2024 |
| Health benefits cost trend (Canada, 2025) | +7.4% (GLP-1 drugs added ~+1.2%) | 2025 | Aon Benefits Report, Nov 2024 |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada / HPCDP — “The Cost of Diabetes in Canada Over 10 Years” (Vol. 37, No. 2, 2017); Diabetes Canada — Parliamentary Brief, 2018; Diabetes Canada — Healthcare System Costs for Diabetes Treatment, by Province (2023); Aon — Canadian Health Benefits Cost Trend Report (November 2024); Statista citing Diabetes Canada provincial data
The economic burden of diabetes in Canada in 2026 is among the most substantial of any single chronic condition in the national healthcare system. The most rigorously calculated figure comes from a PHAC-sponsored cost model published in the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada journal, which estimated the 10-year total healthcare cost attributable to diabetes at $15.36 billion (split roughly evenly between males at $7.81B and females at $7.55B), with acute hospitalizations accounting for 43.2% of that total burden — confirming that preventable hospital admissions from uncontrolled diabetes and its complications are by far the largest single cost driver. The same model found that a population-level intervention resulting in just 5% average body weight reduction among high-risk Canadians would save $2.03 billion in healthcare costs — making diabetes prevention one of the most cost-effective public health investments available.
Looking at the broader trajectory, Diabetes Canada’s 2018 Parliamentary Brief estimated that diabetes was already costing the healthcare system approximately $28 billion annually and projected that this would approach $40 billion per year by 2028 without meaningful systemic intervention. As of 2026, the system is tracking broadly in line with that trajectory. Ontario’s healthcare system alone spent approximately $1.7 billion on diabetes treatment in 2023 — the single largest provincial diabetes spend in Canada. On the employer side, Aon’s Canadian Health Benefits Cost Trend Report (November 2024) identified diabetes as the top driver of health benefits plan cost increases for 2025, with the broader health benefits cost trend rising to 7.4% in 2025 (up from 5% in 2024). The emergence of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (such as semaglutide, used for both diabetes management and weight loss) has added approximately 1.2 percentage points to the expected 2025 benefits trend in Canada — underscoring how new treatment modalities, while clinically promising, are creating significant additional pressure on both public and private payer budgets across the country.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
