THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Canadian women gave birth to 367,864 babies in 2007, 13,247 or 3.7-per-cent more than in 2006.
That's the fastest annual increase since 1989.
Statistics Canada reports the number of births rose in all age groups, particularly among mothers aged 30 to 34, and in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island and Yukon.
The agency says the total fertility rate, or the average number of children per woman, increased to 1.66 in 2007 from 1.59 in 2006.
While this was the highest total fertility rate since 1992, Statscan says it remained well below replacement level of 2.1 children per woman: That's the fertility rate that must be maintained to replace the population in the absence of migration. >>> Canadian Press, Ottawa | Tuesday, September 22, 2009
