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The number of nurses working in Quebec is falling behind the steady increase in the province’s population since 2010, a review of census and other data shows.

The situation is worse than at first glance, as the population is not only increasing but it’s aging as well — imposing a greater burden on resources like nursing as never before. The data would appear to buttress arguments by nurses that they’re being forced to take care of not only a growing number of patients, but older Quebecers who have multiple medical conditions at the same time, like diabetes and heart disease.

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Since 2010, the number of nurses practicing in the province inched up by 4.4 per cent to 70,038 last year. By comparison, the province’s population rose by nearly 5.9 per cent during the period, according to the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

And Statistics Canada reports that the proportion of the Quebec population that is at least 65 years old climbed to 18.5 per cent last year from 15.3 in 2010 — an undeniable demographic trend. What’s more, Quebec’s population is greyer than all other provinces except those in Atlantic Canada.