Canada HIV Statistics Summary

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At the end of 2008 there were an estimated 65,000 people in Canada living with HIV - up from 57,000 in 2005. Of these, around 26% were unaware of their infection. It is estimated that between 2,300 and 4,300 new HIV infections occur in Canada each year, though many of these are not reported right away.

From the start of testing in November 1985 until the end of December 2008, there have been 67,422 positive HIV tests reported to CIDPC (Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control). In 2009, there were 2,417 positive test results. This figure includes some persons not featured in the table below since they were under 15 years old; their gender was not reported; or they were reported as transgender.

Positive HIV test reports in adults (15 or over) by exposure category

Exposure category Male Female
2009 Cumulative total
until end December 2009 		2009 Cumulative total
until end December 2009
Men who have sex with men (MSM) 545 19,188 - -
MSM and injection drug use 30 817 - -
Injection drug use 161 4,076 118
 2,106
Blood/blood products 7 623 3 217
Heterosexual contact 202 3,497 199 3,041
Other 21 762
 13 279
No identified risk 83
 2,568 40 563
Risk not reported 710 21,401 236
 5,197
Total 1,759 52,932 609 11,403
Pie chart positive HIV test reports by exposure category

In the period 1985-2001, the men having sex with men category accounted for 62% of adult HIV diagnoses for which exposure category was reported. The equivalent proportion was 31% in 2007. Men who have sex with men (MSM) remains the largest single exposure category.

In recent years around a quarter of new adult HIV diagnoses have been among women. Half of all positive diagnoses in females were in young people aged under 20 years old. Although most exposure to HIV was from heterosexual sex, injecting drug use accounted for over 19% of infections women in 2009.

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By the end of 2009, reports had been received of 21,681 AIDS diagnoses in Canada. This figure includes persons not featured in the table below since they were under 15 years old; their gender was not reported; or they were reported as transgender.

At least 13,449 people with AIDS have died.

AIDS cases in adults (15 or over) by exposure category

Exposure Category Male Female
2009 Cumulative total until end December 2009 2009 Cumulative total
until end December 2009
Men who have sex with men (MSM) 34
 13,476
 - -
MSM and injection drug use 2
 872
 - -
Injection drug use 19
 1,257
 9
 481
Blood/blood products 2
 475
 0
 144
Heterosexual contact 19
 1,898
 11
 1,182
Other 2
 23
 1
 6
No identified risk 4
 669
 0
 68
Risk not reported 99
 713
 21
 169
Total 181 19,383
 42
 2,050
Pie chart positive AIDS test reports by exposure category

Among adult AIDS cases reported with known exposure category, MSM accounts for the largest proportion. The proportion accounted for by MSM fell from above three-quarters in the years prior to 1994, to 40% in 2009. Conversely, the heterosexual exposure category increased from 10% to 24% over the same period. The IDU category has also risen to 24%.

AIDS cases by province/territory

Province/territory 2009 Cumulative total
until end 2009
British Columbia 56
 4,377
Yukon 1 9
Alberta 36 1,462
Northwest Territories 0 19
Nunavut 0 0
Saskatchewan 10
 265
Manitoba 2
 277
Ontario 114 8,546
Quebec - 6,098*
New Brunswick 2 176
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia 3 361
Newfoundland and Labrador 0 91
Total 224 21,681

* Quebec AIDS data have not been available since June 2003

The provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec account for around 85% of the population of Canada and for 95% of the nation's AIDS diagnoses.

Notes

The term "exposure category" refers to the most probable route of transmission of infection.

Nominet Winner 2012