Statistics on official languages in Canada
Learn more about official languages in Canada.
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Official languages in Canada [PDF version - 551 kb]
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- The demographic picture varies by province or territory
- French and English are the languages of inclusion
- Official languages and bilingualism are at the heart of Canadian identity
- Bilingualism varies considerably by group
- More and more young people study their second language
- The demographic weight of Francophones is declining
- Supporting minority community institutions enhances their vitality
- The majority of Canadians perceive official languages positively
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The demographic picture varies by province or territory
| Province or territory | French-speaking population | English-speaking population | Bilingual population (English and French) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 2 283 (0.5%) | 501 818 (99.4%) | 25 950 (5.1%) |
| Prince Edward Island | 4 558 (3.0%) | 146 473 (96.1%) | 19 385 (12.7%) |
| Nova Scotia | 27 935 (2.9%) | 928 020 (96.8%) | 98 940 (10.3%) |
| New Brunswick | 231 850 (30.3%) | 531 070 (69.5%) | 260 120 (34.0%) |
| Quebec | 7 074 328 (84.1%) | 1 253 578 (14.9%) | 3 898 980 (46.4%) |
| Ontario | 533 560 (3.8%) | 13 228 670 (93.8%) | 1 519 365 (10.8%) |
| Manitoba | 38 378 (2.9%) | 1 271 893 (95.9%) | 110 435 (8.3%) |
| Saskatchewan | 12 243 (1.1%) | 1 095 598 (98.2%) | 51 970 (4.7%) |
| Alberta | 72 203 (1.7%) | 4 085 898 (96.8%) | 258 335 (6.1%) |
| British Columbia | 65 568 (1.3%) | 4 727 268 (95.5%) | 326 865 (6.6%) |
| Yukon | 1 895 (4.8%) | 37 805 (94.9%) | 5 660 (14.2%) |
| Northwest Territories | 1 213 (3.0%) | 39 133 (96.5%) | 4 295 (10.6%) |
| Nunavut | 623 (1.7%) | 34 003 (92.8%) | 1 390 (3.8%) |
| Total | 8 066 633 (22.0%) | 27 881 228 (76.1%) | 6 581 680 (18.0%) |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census
French and English are the languages of inclusion
| Mother tongue | Percentage |
|---|---|
| French | 20.2% |
| English | 56.6% |
| Other | 23.2% |
In 2021, there were over 200 other languages. The most important, Mandarin, was spoken by 679 255 people (1.9%).
| First official language spoken | Percentage |
|---|---|
| French | 22.0% |
| English | 76.1% |
| Neither English nor French | 1.8% |
French and/or English are spoken by 98.1% of Canadians.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census
Official languages and bilingualism are at the heart of Canadian identity
| Year | French | English | Bilingual (English-French) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 7 691 703 (23.2%) | 24 846 713 (75.0%) | 5 795 575 (17.5%) |
| 2021 | 8 066 633 (22.0%) | 27 881 228 (76.1%) | 6 581 680 (18.0%) |
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2011 and 2021 Censuses
Bilingualism varies considerably by group
| Year | French, Quebec | French, rest of Canada | English, Quebec | English, rest of Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 36.9% | 84.8% | 67.2% | 7.2% |
| 2006 | 36.1% | 83.4% | 69.8% | 7.5% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | 83.3% | 69.0% | 7.2% |
| 2016 | 40.6% | 84.9% | 70.1% | 7.5% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | 85.0% | 69.2% | 7.4% |
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2001 to 2021 Censuses
More and more young people study their second language
- 2.5 million young Canadians study French or English as a second language.
- 482 733 of them are in French immersion programs outside Quebec.
| Year | Number of young Canadians |
|---|---|
| 2010 to 2011 | 341 694 |
| 2011 to 2012 | 356 580 |
| 2012 to 2013 | 372 879 |
| 2013 to 2014 | 392 430 |
| 2014 to 2015 | 409 893 |
| 2015 to 2016 | 428 619 |
| 2016 to 2017 | 449 745 |
| 2017 to 2018 | 463 113 |
| 2018 to 2019 | 477 675 |
| 2019 to 2020 | 487 191 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 482 733 |
French immersion enrolment has increased by 41.3% since 2010 to 2011.
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2010 to 2021
The demographic weight of Francophones is declining
| Year | Canada | Canada outside Quebec |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 27.5% | 6.1% |
| 1981 | 26.3% | 5.1% |
| 1991 | 25.2% | 4.8% |
| 1996 | 24.6% | 4.5% |
| 2001 | 24.1% | 4.4% |
| 2006 | 23.6% | 4.2% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | 4.0% |
| 2016 | 22.8% | 3.8% |
| 2021 | 22.0% | 3.5% |
Sources: Statistics Canada, 1971 to 2021 Censuses
Supporting minority community institutions enhances their vitality
- 38 school boards
- 1 005 schools
- 256 770 students
- 132 community radio stations and newspapers
- 377 community organizations
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2020 to 2021; Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2018; Canadian Heritage, 2022
The majority of Canadians perceive official languages positively
- 76% of Francophones feel that having 2 official languages is an important part of what it means to be Canadian (versus 49% of English-speaking Canadians).
- 85% of Francophones think that learning both official languages contributes to a better understanding among Canadians (versus 59% of English-speaking Canadians).
- 58% of English-speaking Canadians think that the Government of Canada is effective in protecting both official languages (versus 42% of Francophones).
Source: Environics, on behalf of Canadian Heritage, 2022
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