Between 2013 and 2023, the number of acute care hospital beds in Canada declined steadily from 2.08 to 1.81 beds per thousand persons. The ear-over-year variations ranged from a low of -0.49% in 2016 to a high of -2.54% in 2020, with temporary positive growth of 1.52% in 2018. The CAGR for this period shows an average annual decrease of -1.98% over the last five years. Forecasts from 2024 to 2028 project a continued decline, with a forecasted CAGR of -1.76% and an overall reduction rate of -8.47% between 2023 and 2028.

Future trends to watch for:

Continued pressure on acute care services due to population growth and aging demographics.
Potential policy shifts aimed at increasing bed capacity or optimizing existing resources.
Technological advancements in telemedicine and out-patient care that may mitigate the need for acute care beds.