OTTAWA—Provisional estimates from Statistics Canada suggest nearly 14,000 more deaths than expected took place last year, even accounting for the pandemic and an aging population. The early numbers attempt to measure so-called “excess mortality,” which occurs when there are more deaths during a period of time than would be expected. The report estimates 296,373 deaths from January to mid-December 2020, including 13,798 more deaths than expected, or a five percent increase. It’s about seven percent more than the 277,276 deaths seen in 2019. StatCan cautions that Wednesday’s figures are considered “provisional estimates,” noting data was incomplete due to reporting delays and do not include the Yukon. They will be revised as more information comes in, and may not match local reports. StatCan also notes that excess mortality numbers may actually include COVID-19-related deaths that were missed, especially at the start of the pandemic when some people may have died before …