Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada

Canada: Hospital beds by function of healthcare was 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
35th
of 44 countries
All-time high
6.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants
in 1976
All-time low
2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants
in 2024
Years of data
48
1976–2024

Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada, 1976–2024

234567197620002024

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Per 1 000 inhabitants.

Analysis

In 2024, hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada stood at 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants. That is the lowest value across all 48 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada peaked at 6.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 1976 and was at its lowest, 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants, in 2024.

Canada ranks 35th of 44 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.

Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada, 1976 to 2024.
Year Per 1 000 inhabitants Change
1976 6.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants
1977 6.88 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.6%
1978 6.87 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.1%
1979 6.79 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.2%
1980 6.75 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.6%
1981 6.86 Per 1 000 inhabitants +1.6%
1982 6.83 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.4%
1983 6.84 Per 1 000 inhabitants +0.1%
1984 6.82 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.3%
1985 6.75 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.0%
1986 6.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.7%
1987 6.61 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.3%
1988 6.49 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.8%
1989 6.34 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.3%
1990 5.99 Per 1 000 inhabitants -5.5%
1991 5.76 Per 1 000 inhabitants -3.8%
1992 5.51 Per 1 000 inhabitants -4.3%
1993 5.41 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.8%
1995 4.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants -13.1%
1996 4.57 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.8%
1997 4.55 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.4%
1998 4.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants -3.7%
1999 3.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants -10.5%
2000 3.77 Per 1 000 inhabitants -3.8%
2001 3.69 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.1%
2002 3.64 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.4%
2003 3.5 Per 1 000 inhabitants -3.8%
2004 3.44 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.7%
2005 3.1 Per 1 000 inhabitants -9.9%
2006 3.02 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.6%
2007 2.96 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.0%
2008 2.85 Per 1 000 inhabitants -3.7%
2009 2.8 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.8%
2010 2.78 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.7%
2011 2.8 Per 1 000 inhabitants +0.7%
2012 2.79 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.4%
2013 2.72 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.5%
2014 2.67 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.8%
2015 2.62 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.9%
2016 2.6 Per 1 000 inhabitants -0.8%
2017 2.53 Per 1 000 inhabitants -2.7%
2018 2.55 Per 1 000 inhabitants +0.8%
2019 2.52 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.2%
2020 2.55 Per 1 000 inhabitants +1.2%
2021 2.58 Per 1 000 inhabitants +1.2%
2022 2.53 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.9%
2023 2.5 Per 1 000 inhabitants -1.2%
2024 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants -4.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 6.87 Per 1 000 inhabitants 6.79 Per 1 000 inhabitants 6.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants 4
1980s 6.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants 6.34 Per 1 000 inhabitants 6.86 Per 1 000 inhabitants 10
1990s 4.98 Per 1 000 inhabitants 3.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants 5.99 Per 1 000 inhabitants 9
2000s 3.28 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.8 Per 1 000 inhabitants 3.77 Per 1 000 inhabitants 10
2010s 2.66 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.52 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.8 Per 1 000 inhabitants 10
2020s 2.51 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.58 Per 1 000 inhabitants 5

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 33 Brazil 2.47 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  2. 34 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.44 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  3. 36 South Africa 2.29 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  4. 37 Denmark 2.07 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  5. 38 Chile 1.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare

See the full ranking of 55 places →

More health data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada?
Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada was 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest hospital beds by function of healthcare recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 6.92 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 1976.
What is the lowest hospital beds by function of healthcare recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 2.38 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024.
How does Canada rank for hospital beds by function of healthcare?
Canada ranks 35th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
Is hospital beds by function of healthcare rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Hospital beds by function of healthcare. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Hospital beds by function of healthcare in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/hospital-beds-by-function-of-healthcare/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Hospital beds by function of healthcare
Unit
Per 1 000 inhabitants
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
55 places, 1,821 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset provides data on the number of total hospitals beds by function of healthcare and by type of care (ie. somatic or psychiatric care). Total hospital beds are all hospital (HP.1) beds which are regularly maintained and staffed and immediately available for the care of admitted patients. They are the sum of the following categories: Curative care (acute care) beds in hospitals Rehabilitative care beds in hospitals Long-term care beds in hospitals All other beds in hospitals not elsewhere classified Bed numbers according to these functional categories are also broken down between: Somatic care beds in hospitals Psychiatric care beds in hospitals Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.