People not using improved drinking water sources in Canada
Canada: People not using improved drinking water sources was 679,492 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People not using improved drinking water sources in Canada, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people not using improved drinking water sources in Canada is 679,492 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 73.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Canada peaked at 679,492 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 137,514 people, in 2001.
That places Canada 65th out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 174,503 people | 137,514 people | 258,480 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 408,539 people | 283,804 people | 542,873 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 633,521 people | 574,393 people | 679,492 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 768.06 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 18.61 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 30.53 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.7994 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 71.72 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.2499 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 133.08 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.1643 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.5773 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 28.85 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved drinking water sources in Canada?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Canada was 679,492 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 679,492 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 137,514 people in 2001.
- How does Canada rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Canada ranks 65th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.