People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada

Canada: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 88,810 people in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
88,810 people
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
90th
of 175 countries
All-time high
88,810 people
in 2024
All-time low
40,941 people
in 2001
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada, 2000–2024

020.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k2000201220242000: 41.2k people2001: 40.9k people2002: 41.2k people2003: 41.4k people2004: 41.7k people2005: 44.1k people2006: 46.6k people2007: 48.9k people2008: 51.2k people2009: 53.6k people2010: 55.9k people2011: 58.3k people2012: 61.1k people2013: 63.9k people2014: 66.7k people2015: 69.5k people2016: 72.5k people2017: 75.6k people2018: 78.7k people2019: 81.9k people2020: 84.8k people2021: 87.5k people2022: 87.8k people2023: 88.4k people2024: 88.8k people

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

In 2024, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada stood at 88,810 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 33.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada peaked at 88,810 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 40,941 people, in 2001.

Canada ranks 90th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada, year by year

Annual values for People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada, 2000 to 2024.
Year people Change
2000 41,185 people
2001 40,941 people -0.6%
2002 41,203 people +0.6%
2003 41,433 people +0.6%
2004 41,656 people +0.5%
2005 44,131 people +5.9%
2006 46,613 people +5.6%
2007 48,904 people +4.9%
2008 51,229 people +4.8%
2009 53,588 people +4.6%
2010 55,935 people +4.4%
2011 58,318 people +4.3%
2012 61,098 people +4.8%
2013 63,920 people +4.6%
2014 66,724 people +4.4%
2015 69,533 people +4.2%
2016 72,496 people +4.3%
2017 75,592 people +4.3%
2018 78,748 people +4.2%
2019 81,904 people +4.0%
2020 84,834 people +3.6%
2021 87,490 people +3.1%
2022 87,849 people +0.4%
2023 88,394 people +0.6%
2024 88,810 people +0.5%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 88,810 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.56 people, 9286.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 45,088 people 40,941 people 53,588 people 10
2010s 68,427 people 55,935 people 81,904 people 10
2020s 87,475 people 84,834 people 88,810 people 5

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 127,952 people compare
  2. 88 Eswatini 115,473 people compare
  3. 89 Cuba 91,833 people compare
  4. 91 Vanuatu 82,984 people compare
  5. 92 Latvia 81,054 people compare
  6. 93 Azerbaijan 59,330 people compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada?
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada was 88,810 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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 88,810 people in 2024.
What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 40,941 people in 2001.
How does Canada rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
Canada ranks 90th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rural-without-improved-sanitation/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 4,269 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.