British Columbians continue to live long and healthy lives, according to the 2010 Vital Statistics Annual Report from the Ministry of Health.

Life expectancy in B.C. remains the highest in Canada at 81.7 years for 2006-10, up from 81.4 for 2005-09. B.C.’s population also grew naturally by 13,647 in 2010, or at rate of 2.8 per thousand.

The report states cancer death rates in B.C. are falling, supporting the Province’s leadership in cancer care, prevention and treatment resulting in some of the best cancer outcomes in the world. Heart disease mortality rates are lower and death rates from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis have dropped to 1994 levels.

However, mortality rates for chronic diseases like diabetes have increased slightly from 2009. This further supports the need for the Province’s comprehensive Healthy Families BC strategy, which helps families make the healthy choice the easy choice.

At 55, the number of HIV deaths in B.C. in 2010 is down from 63 in 2009, and the lowest since 1995. This lower figure can be attributed to 30 years of leading-edge research along with community and health system efforts, which have helped turn HIV/AIDS from what was once a deadly epidemic into a chronic but manageable condition.

B.C. is the only province in Canada that is demonstrating a consistent decline in HIV. The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, under the leadership of Dr. Julio Montaner, plays a crucial role in research and treatment, positioning B.C. as a world leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS.