The life expectancy of Canadians has decreased for the third year in a row.

According to the latest Statistics Canada report, the average Canadian’s life expectancy fell to 81.3 years in 2022, a whole year lower than in 2019.

Stats Can says life expectancy declines when there are more deaths, when deaths occur at younger ages, or a combination.

The leading causes of death were cancer and heart disease, while more people died of COVID-19 last year since the pandemic began.

The highest increase in COVID-19 deaths in the country has been in the Atlantic provinces.

In 2022, the rate of deaths from the disease increased across all Canadian regions, except the Prairies.

However, the rate in Atlantic Canada was more than seven times higher last year compared with the year before – the country’s biggest jump.

Stats Can adds that more than 19,700 Canadians died of COVID last year – most of them seniors.