Chronic Kidney Disease Deaths Surge in Canada, Urging Action

Canada is witnessing a significant rise in the mortality rate from chronic kidney disease (CKD), which has surged by more than 70 percent since 1990. This alarming trend persists even after adjusting for population growth and aging, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. The increase far exceeds global averages and has prompted health experts to call for a national framework to combat what they describe as a quiet yet escalating crisis.

Dr. Marcello Tonelli, a professor at the University of Calgary and president of the International Society of Nephrology, highlighted the urgency of addressing CKD. “We’re doing a good job of controlling some of the upstream drivers, major causes of kidney disease like high blood pressure and diabetes,” he stated. “But it tells us that for people who already have kidney disease, we’re failing them. We’re not detecting it in time, and we’re not deploying the treatments that we know will reduce mortality and prevent progressive kidney function loss and other adverse outcomes.”

The personal impact of CKD is exemplified by the experience of Sean Delaney, a resident of Sherwood Park. At 54 years old, Delaney manages a daily routine of therapies to maintain his transplanted kidney, a necessity he has faced throughout his life. He lost his first kidney as an infant due to a urinary tract blockage. After years of functioning with one kidney, he required a transplant at 27, receiving a kidney from his younger brother, Peter. “That kidney from him lasted 21 years before I ended up on dialysis again,” Delaney recounted.

The new findings reveal that approximately 4.5 million Canadians, or one in ten, currently live with CKD. Projections suggest this number could rise to over 6.2 million by 2050. The disease often develops without noticeable symptoms, leading to diagnoses that occur only after irreversible damage has taken place. In contrast to Canada’s rising mortality rate, the global average has increased by roughly 6 percent since 1990. CKD is now the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, largely driven by aging populations and increasing rates of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Certain populations are more susceptible to kidney disease, including Indigenous and Black communities, as well as individuals of Asian and South Asian descent. According to Carrie Thibodeau, the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s national director of programs and public policy, these disparities necessitate immediate action.

In response to the growing crisis, the Kidney Foundation of Canada is advocating for the implementation of a national kidney health framework. This framework would emphasize equitable access to care, improved data collection, and enhanced primary care and early intervention. “The most important way of doing that is really to have a blood test and a urine test that you can request from your doctor,” Thibodeau explained. “If we diagnose people earlier, and we intervene earlier, then we have the opportunity to prevent people from ever needing dialysis or a transplant.”

Momentum for coordinated action is building internationally. Earlier this year, the 78th World Health Assembly adopted the first-ever resolution on kidney health. This resolution calls on member states, including Canada, to integrate strategies aimed at strengthening prevention, early detection, treatment access, and national capacity to track progress.

For Delaney, the struggles of relentless fatigue and nausea are now behind him. He embraces life with renewed vigor, spending his time hiking, traveling, and pursuing mountain summits with his grandsons. “Tomorrow’s not promised,” he said. “I’m taking every chance and every opportunity and taking risks that I wouldn’t have otherwise.” Reflecting on his journey, Delaney expresses gratitude for the kidneys that have saved his life and for the second—and now third—chance to live the life he once feared would slip away.