It's easy to think that things were always rosier in the "good old days". In fact the number of licensed amateurs in Canada is growing faster than the overall rate of population growth. A very healthy sign for the hobby in Canada.
Some statistics to ponder:
Annual growth rate in the number of Cdn. licensed hams: 2023 1.7%, 2024 2%, 2025 4.2%
Number of licensed hams in Canada in Aug 2025 = 78,819
Number of Canadian ham clubs in 2025 = 1,566. A decline of 7.5% from the previous year.
The growth rate of licensed amateur population 2024-25 in BC was 3.5%. The average growth rate across all provinces was was 2.6%, roughly double the population growth rate.
Conclusion: The service or hobby (depending how you want to look at it) of amateur radio in Canada is not mouldering away. It's healthy and growing!
Thanks to Dave Goodwin, VE3KG, of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (www.rac.ca) for publishing this information in the Nov/Dec 2025 edition of The Canadian Amateur.