Canada: Number of Organ Donors, by donor type
YearNo. of deceasedNo. of living
2013553585
2014591553
2015649563
2016760544
2017803535
2018762555
2019820614
2020731490
2021736594
2022827576
  • Region: Canada
  • Time period: 2013 to 2022
  • Published: Dec 2023

Data Analysis and Insights

Updated: Mar 27, 2024 | Published by: Statistico | About Us | Data sources

Trend in Deceased Organ Donors

The number of deceased organ donors in Canada has seen a significant increase from 553 donors in 2013 to 827 donors in 2022, marking a substantial growth over the decade. The highest number was recorded in 2022, indicating a positive trend in deceased organ donations.

Fluctuations in Living Organ Donors

Living organ donors have experienced fluctuations over the years, with the number starting at 585 in 2013, reaching a peak of 614 in 2019, and then adjusting to 576 in 2022. Despite these variations, living donors have consistently contributed significantly to organ donations.

Comparison of Donor Types

Throughout the years, deceased organ donors have generally been fewer than living donors, with a reversal of this trend starting in 2016. Since then, deceased donors have outnumbered living donors, with the gap widening to 251 more deceased donors than living donors in 2022.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic's impact is evident in the decrease of both deceased and living organ donors in 2020. Deceased donors dropped to 731 from 820 in the previous year, and living donors saw a significant decrease to 490, the lowest in the observed period.

Recovery and Growth Post-Pandemic

Post-pandemic recovery is noticeable, with deceased donor numbers rebounding to 736 in 2021 and peaking at 827 in 2022. Living donors also showed resilience with a recovery to 594 in 2021, though not reaching pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating the organ donation sector's ability to bounce back.

Long-term Trends and Year-to-Year Variability

While there has been significant growth in the number of deceased donors over the decade, living donors have shown more year-to-year variability. This trend underscores the complexity of factors influencing individuals' decisions to become living organ donors, as opposed to the more steady increase in deceased donors which may reflect broader societal or policy changes.

Critical Role of Living Donors in 2013-2015

In the early years of the observed period (2013-2015), living donors outnumbered deceased donors, highlighting the critical role they played in organ donations during those years. The transition to more deceased donors than living donors in subsequent years marks a significant shift in the organ donation landscape in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

What trend has been observed in the number of deceased organ donors in Canada?

The number of deceased organ donors in Canada has seen a significant increase from 553 donors in 2013 to 827 donors in 2022.

How has the number of living organ donors varied over the years?

The number of living organ donors has experienced fluctuations, starting at 585 in 2013, peaking at 614 in 2019, and adjusting to 576 in 2022.

What major shift was observed in the pattern of organ donation?

A major shift was observed around 2016, when deceased donors started to outnumber living donors, with a gap of 251 more deceased donors than living donors in 2022.

Terms and Definitions

Organ donation refers to the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (the organ donor) and placing it into another person (the recipient).

A deceased donor is an individual who has been declared dead and whose organs and/or tissues have been donated for transplant. This typically happens after brain death or circulatory death.

A living donor is a person who is alive and chooses to donate an organ or part of an organ to another person. Commonly donated organs by living donors include a kidney or a portion of the liver.

In directed donation, the donor specifies the recipient of the organ or tissue. This is commonly done when the donor and recipient are relatives or close friends.

In non-directed donation, the donor does not specify the recipient. The organ or tissue is given to any suitable person on the waiting list.

An organ transplant refers to the surgical operation that involves the replacement of a patient's diseased organ with a healthy organ from a donor.

A Tissue transplant is a medical procedure in which tissue is surgically removed from one person and transplanted into another person. This includes bone marrow, corneas, heart valves, and skin grafts.

A transplant waitlist is a list of patients waiting to receive an organ transplant. The list is maintained and administered based on factors like blood type, time waiting, medical urgency, and geographical location.

The organ matching system is a process used to ensure that organs from deceased donors are distributed as fairly and efficiently as possible to patients on the transplant waiting list. The system takes into account factors such as medical need, compatibility, and geographical location.
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