Languages of Canada

Template:Short description Template:Languages of A multitude of languages have always been spoken in Canada. Prior to Confederation, the territories that would become Canada were home to over 70 distinct languages across 12 or so language families. Today, a majority of those indigenous languages are still spoken; however, most are endangered and only about 0.6% of the Canadian population report an indigenous language as their mother tongue.Template:Refn Since the establishment of the Canadian state, English and French have been the co-official languages and are, by far, the most-spoken languages in the country.

According to the 2021 census, English and French are the mother tongues of 56.6% and 20.2% of Canadians respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In total, 86.2% of Canadians have a working knowledge of English, while 29.8% have a working knowledge of French.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Under the Official Languages Act of 1969, both English and French have official status throughout Canada in respect of federal government services and most courts. All federal legislation is enacted bilingually. Provincially, only in New Brunswick are both English and French official to the same extent. French is Quebec's official language,<ref name="qclang">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> although legislation is enacted in both French and English and court proceedings may be conducted in either language. English is the official language of Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, but government services are available in French in many regions of each, particularly in regions and cities where Francophones form the majority. Legislation is enacted in both languages and courts conduct cases in both. In 2022, Nova Scotia recognized Mi'kmawi'simk as the first language of the province,<ref name=FirstLang>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="LangAct">Template:Cite act</ref> and maintains two provincial language secretariats: the Office of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie (French language) and the Office of Gaelic Affairs (Canadian Gaelic). The remaining provinces (British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) do not have an official provincial language {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} but government is primarily English-speaking. Territorially, both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have official indigenous languages alongside French and English: Inuktut (Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun) in Nunavut<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and, in the NWT, nine others (Cree, Dënësųłıné, Dene Yatıé/Zhatıé,Template:Refn Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́ / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́,Template:Refn and Tłįchǫ Yatıì).<ref name="nwtlang">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Canada's official languages commissioner (the federal government official charged with monitoring the two languages) said in 2009, "[I]n the same way that race is at the core of what it means to be American and at the core of an American experience and class is at the core of British experience, I think that language is at the core of Canadian experience."<ref>Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser is quoted in The Hill Times, August 31, 2009, p. 14.</ref> To assist in more accurately monitoring the two official languages, Canada's census collects a number of demolinguistic descriptors not enumerated in the censuses of most other countries, including home language, mother tongue, first official language, and language of work.

Canada's linguistic diversity extends beyond English, French and numerous indigenous languages. "In Canada, 4.7 million people (14.2% of the population) reported speaking a language other than English or French most often at home and 1.9 million people (5.8%) reported speaking such a language on a regular basis as a second language (in addition to their main home language, English or French). In all, 20.0% of Canada's population reported speaking a language other than English or French at home. For roughly 6.4 million people, the other language was an immigrant language, spoken most often or on a regular basis at home, alone or together with English or French whereas for more than 213,000 people, the other language was an indigenous language. Finally, the number of people reporting sign languages as the languages spoken at home was nearly 25,000 people (15,000 most often and 9,800 on a regular basis)."Template:Refn

The two official languages

Home language: rates of language use 1971–2011

File:Language used most often at home 1981-2006.JPG

Languages – Statistics Canada<ref>1981: Statistics Canada, 1981, Population by Selected Mother Tongues and Sex, Showing Official Language and Home Language, for Canada and Provinces, Urban and Rural, (table 2), 1981 Census.
1986: Statistics Canada, 1986, Population by Selected Mother Tongues and Sex, Showing Official Language and Home Language, for Canada and Provinces, Urban and Rural, (table 2), 1986 Census.
1991: Statistics Canada, 1991, 2B Profile, 1991 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 1991 (2b) detailed questionnaire, Provinces to Municipalities (database), using E-Stat (distributor), [1] (accessed 10.05.26).
1996: Statistics Canada, Mother Tongue, Home Languages, Official and Non-official languages, 1996 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 1996 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-Stat (distributor), [2] (accessed 10.05.26).
2001: Statistics Canada, Languages, Mobility and Migration, 2001 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2001 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (Database), Using E-STAT (Distributor). [3] (accessed 10.05.26).
2006: Statistics Canada, Cumulative Profile, 2006 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2006 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor), [4]. Retrieved 10.05.26.</ref>

The percentage of the population speaking English, French or both languages most often at home has declined since 1986; the decline has been greatest for French. The proportion of the population who speak neither English nor French in the home has increased. Geographically, this trend remains constant, as usage of English and French have declined in both English and French speaking regions of the country, but French has declined more rapidly both inside and outside Quebec. The table below shows the percentage of the total Canadian population who speak Canada's official languages most often at home from 1971 to 2006.<ref>Given the large discrepancies in the data for both official languages and neither language in 1971 and 1981, it is reasonable to assume that the manner in which the data collected for these years was different from for 1986–2006</ref> Note that there are nuances between "language most spoken at home", "mother-language" and "first official language": data is collected for all three, which together provide a more detailed and complete picture of language-use in Canada.

Use of English

Template:Further In 2011, just under 21.5 million Canadians, representing 65% of the population, spoke English most of the time at home, while 58% declared it their mother language.<ref name="pop1" /> English is the major language everywhere in Canada except Quebec and Nunavut, and most Canadians (85%) can speak English.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> While English is not the preferred language in Quebec, 36.1% of Québécois can speak English.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nationally, Francophones are five times more likely to speak English than Anglophones are to speak French – 44% and 9% respectively.<ref>Marmen, Louise and Corbeil, Jean-Pierre, "New Canadian Perspectives, Languages in Canada 2001 Census," Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication, Statistics Canada Cat. No. Ch3-2/8-2004, (Canadian Heritage, 2004), pg. 60.</ref> Only 3.2% of Canada's English-speaking population resides in Quebec—mostly in Montreal.Template:Refn

In 2011, 28.4 million Canadians had knowledge of English while only 21.6 million Canadians spoke it most often at home.<ref name="Navigator"/><ref>1931–1991: Statistics Canada, The 1997 Canada Year Book, "3.14 Official Language Knowledge," Catalogue No. 11-402XPE/1997.
1996: Statistics Canada. Population by Knowledge of Official Languages (20% sample data), (table), 1996 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor). [5] (accessed: June 28, 2010).
2001: Statistics Canada. Languages, Mobility and Migration, 2001 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2001 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor). [6] (accessed: June 28, 2010)
2006: Statistics Canada. Languages, Mobility and Migration, 2006 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2006 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor). [7] (accessed: June 28, 2010).</ref>

Use of French

In 2011, just over 7.1 million Canadians spoke French most often at home, this was a rise of 4.2%, although the proportion of people in Canada who spoke French "most often" at home fell slightly from 21.7% to 21.5% . Of these, about 6.1 million or 85% resided in Quebec.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Outside Quebec, the largest French-speaking populations are found in New Brunswick (which is home to 3.1% of Canada's Francophones) and Ontario (4.2%, residing primarily in the eastern and northeastern parts of the province and in Toronto and Ottawa). Overall, 22% of people in Canada declare French to be their mother language, while one in three Canadians speak French and 70% are unilingual Anglophones.Template:Refn Smaller indigenous French-speaking communities exist in some other provinces.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For example, a vestigial community exists on Newfoundland's Port au Port Peninsula, a remnant of the "French Shore" along the island's west coast.

The percentage of the population who speak French both by mother tongue and home language has decreased over the past three decades. Whereas the number of those who speak English at home is higher than the number of people whose mother tongue is English, the opposite is true for Francophones. There are fewer people who speak French at home, than learned French after birth.<ref>Statistics Canada, The Evolving Linguistic Portrait, 2006 Census, Catalogue no. 97-555-XIE, Ottawa, December 2007, pp. 15–16.</ref>

Ethnic diversity is growing in French Canada but still lags behind the English-speaking parts of the country. In 2006, 91.5% of Quebecers considered themselves to be of either "French" or "Canadian" origin. As a result of the growth in immigration, since the 1970s, from countries in which French is a widely used language, 3.4% of Quebecers indicated that they were of Haitian, Belgian, Swiss, Lebanese or Moroccan origin.<ref>Statistics Canada, Place of birth for the immigrant population by period of immigration, 2006 counts and percentage distribution, for Canada, provinces and territories – 20% sample data, 2006 Census of Population . Template:Webarchive</ref> Other groups of non-francophone immigrants (Irish Catholics, Italian, Portuguese, etc.) have also assimilated into French over the generations. The Irish, who started arriving in large numbers in Quebec in the 1830s, were the first such group, which explains why it has been possible for Quebec to have had five premiers of Irish ethnic origin: John Jones Ross (1884–87), Edmund James Flynn (1896–97), Daniel Johnson Sr. (1966–68), Pierre-Marc Johnson (1985), and Daniel Johnson Jr. (1994).

In 1991, due to linguistic assimilation of Francophones outside Quebec, over one million Canadians who claimed English as their mother tongue were of French ethnic origin (1991 Census).

Bilingualism and multilingualism versus English–French bilingualism

{{#invoke:Gallery|gallery}} According to the 2011 census, 98.2% of Canadian residents have knowledge of one or both of the country's two official languages,<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/> Between 2006 and 2011, the number of persons who reported being able to conduct a conversation in both of Canada's official languages increased by nearly 350,000 to 5.8 million. The bilingualism rate of the Canadian population edged up from 17.4% in 2006 to 17.5% in 2011.<ref name="LC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This growth of English-French bilingualism in Canada was mainly due to the increased number of Quebecers who reported being able to conduct a conversation in English and French.<ref name="LC" />

Bilingualism with regard to nonofficial languages also increased, most individuals speaking English plus an immigrant language such as Punjabi or Mandarin.<ref>Bilingualism growing, but not in French and English</ref>

Geographic distribution of English–French bilingualism

Template:Further {{#invoke:Gallery|gallery}} Template:Sticky header

Proportion of bilingual Canadians in Quebec and the rest of Canada compared to overall population distribution 1941–2016

Year	# Bilingual Canadians	% Quebec	% Rest of Canada	Total # Canadians	% Quebec	% Rest of Canada
1941<ref>Dominion Bureau of Statistics, "Table II. Percentage Distribution of the Population Classified According to Sex, by Official Language, For Canada and the Provinces, 1941," Eighth Census of Canada, 1941.</ref><ref>Series A2:Population of Canada, by province, census dates, 1851 to 1976 (retrieved, July 19, 2010).</ref>	1,472,858	59.9%	39.5%	11,506,700	29.0%	71.0%
1951<ref>Dominion Bureau of Statistics, "Table 54. Population by a) official language and sex, and b) mother tongue and sex, for provinces and territories, 1951," Ninth Census of Canada.</ref>	1,727,400	60.1%	39.9%	14,009,400	28.9%	71.1%
1961<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 64. Population by a) official language and sex, and b) mother tongue and sex, for provinces and territories, 1961," 1961 Census of Canada, Catalogue:92-549, Vol: I – Part: 2.</ref>	2,231,200	60.0%	40.0%	18,238,200	28.8%	71.2%
1971<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 26. Population by A) Official Language, B) Language Most Often Spoken at Home, and Sex, For Canada and Provinces, 1971," 1971 Census of Canada, Catalogue 92-726 Vol: 1-Part:3.</ref>	2,900,150	57.4%	42.6%	21,568,310	27.9%	72.1%
1981<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 3. Population by Selected Mother Tongues, age groups and sex, Showing Official Language and Home Language for Canada and Provinces, Urban and Rural, 1981," 1981 Census of Canada, Catalogue 92–910 (Volume 1).</ref>	3,681,955	56.1%	43.9%	24,083,495	26.4%	73.6%
1986<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 7. Population by Official Languages and Sex, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, 1986 Census – 20% Sample Data," 1986 Census, Catalogue 93–103.</ref>	4,056,155	54.9%	45.1%	25,022,005	25.8%	74.2%
1991<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 1A. Population by Knowledge of Official Languages and Sex, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, 1991 – 20% Sample Data," 1991 Census, Catalogue 93–318.</ref>	4,398,655	54.9%	45.1%	26,994,045	25.2%	74.8%
1996<ref>Statistics Canada, "Table 1. Selected Characteristics for Census Subdivisions, 1996 Census – 100% Data and 20% Sample Data," 1996 Census, Catalogue 95-186-XPB.</ref>	4,841,320	55.0%	45.0%	28,528,120	24.2%	75.8%
2001<ref>Statistics Canada, Languages, Mobility and Migration, 2001 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2001 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (Database), Using E-STAT (Distributor). [8] (accessed 10.05.26).</ref>	5,231,575	55.6%	44.0%	29,639,030	24.0%	76.0%
2006<ref>Statistics Canada, Cumulative Profile, 2006 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2006 Census of Population (Provinces, Census Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor), [9], retrieved 10.05.26.</ref>	5,448,850	55.4%	44.6%	31,241,030	23.8%	76.2%
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6,251,485	57.9%	42.1%	34,767,255	23.2%	76.8%

According to the 2011 census, 94.3% of Quebecers have knowledge of French, and 47.2% have knowledge of English.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/> Bilingualism (of the two official languages) is largely limited to Quebec itself, and to a strip of territory sometimes referred to as the "bilingual belt", that stretches east from Quebec into northern New Brunswick and west into parts of Ottawa and northeastern Ontario. 85% of bilingual Canadians live within Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/> A majority of all bilingual Canadians, (57.4%) are themselves Quebecers,<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/> and a high percentage of the bilingual population in the rest of Canada resides in close proximity to the Quebec border.

Similarly, the rate of bilingualism in Quebec has risen higher, and more quickly than in the rest of Canada. In Quebec, the rate of bilingualism has increased from 26% of the population being able to speak English and French in 1951 to 42.5% in 2011.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/> As of 2011, in the rest of Canada (excluding Quebec) the rate of bilingualism was 7.5%.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca"/>

Percentage of French-English bilingualism by province/territory (2016 census)

Province/territory	% of population	Total number	Ref.
Quebec	44.5%	3,586,410	<ref name=canquebec/>
New Brunswick	34%	249,950	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Northwest Territories	14%	4,900	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Prince Edward Island	13%	17,840	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ontario	11.2%	1,490,390	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Nova Scotia	10.5%	95,380	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Yukon	10.3%	4,275	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Manitoba	9%	108,460	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Alberta	7%	264,720	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
British Columbia	7%	314,925	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Saskatchewan	5%	51,560	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Newfoundland and Labrador	5%	25,940	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Nunavut	4.3%	1,525	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Canada—Total	17.9%	6,216,065	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

English–French bilingualism rates

English–French bilingualism is highest among members of local linguistic minorities. It is very uncommon for Canadians to be capable of speaking only the minority official language of their region (French outside Quebec or English in Quebec). Only 1.5% of Canadians are able to speak only the minority official language, and of these most (90%) live in the bilingual belt.<ref name="2006 knolwedge">Statistics Canada. "Cumulative Profile, 2006 – Canada (308 electoral districts)" (table), 2006 Census of Population (Federal Electoral Districts, 2003 Representation Order) (database), using E-STAT (distributor). [10] (accessed: June 28, 2010).</ref>

As the table below shows, rates of bilingualism are much higher among individuals who belong to the linguistic minority group for their region of Canada, than among members of the local linguistic majority. For example, within Quebec around 37% of bilingual Canadians are Francophones, whereas Francophones only represent 4.5% of the population outside Quebec.<ref>O'Keefe, Michael, "Francophone Minorities: Assimilation and Community Vitality, second edition", New Canadian Percpectives, Canadian Heritage, (Cat. no. CH3-2/2001), 2001.</ref>

Rates of French-English bilingualism among linguistic groups.<ref name="bilinguism-rate">Bilingualism Rate in Canada, Site for Language Management in Canada Template:Webarchive (SLMC).</ref>

	Anglophones	Francophones	Allophones
Quebec	66.1%	36.6%	50.4%
Rest of Canada	7.1%	85.1%	5.7%

Official language minority communities

French-speaking Canadians from outside Quebec and English-speaking Quebecers are, together, the official language minority communities. These communities are:

Official language minority communities

Jurisdiction	Community
Template:Flag	Anglo-Quebecers
Template:Flag	Franco-Ontarians / Ontarois
Template:Flag	Franco-Manitobans
Template:Flag	Fransaskois
Template:Flag	Franco-Albertans
Template:Flag	Franco-Colombians
Template:Flag	Franco-Yukonnais
Template:Flag	Franco-Ténois
Template:Flag	Franco-Nunavois
Template:Flag	Franco-Terreneuviens
Template:Flag, Template:Flag, Template:Flag	Acadiens
Template:Flag (Madawaska)	Brayons
File:Metis Blue.png Michif Piyii:{{#if:a|a|[11]}} Template:Flag, Template:Flag, Template:Flag, Template:Flag, Template:Flag, Template:Flag	Métis<ref name=MetisFR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Papen1">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Papen2" >Template:Cite journal</ref>
Notes:Template:Note labelThe Métis homeland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

French outside Quebec

The language continuity index represents the relationship between the number of people who speak French most often at home and the number for whom French is their mother tongue. A continuity index of less than one indicates that French has more losses than gains – that more people with French as a mother tongue speak another language at home. Outside Quebec, New Brunswick has the highest French language continuity ratio. British Columbia and Saskatchewan have the lowest French language continuity ratio and thus the lowest retention of French. From 1971 to 2011, the overall ratio for French language continuity outside Quebec declined from 0.73 to 0.45. Declines were the greatest for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland.

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>O'Keefe, Michael, "Francophone Minorities: Assimilation and Community Vitality, second edition", New Canadian Perspectives, Canadian Heritage, (Cat. no. CH3-2/2001), 2001, pg. 55.</ref>
Province/Territory	1971	1981	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2021
New Brunswick	0.92	0.93	0.93	0.92	0.91	0.91	0.89	0.89
Quebec	-	-	1.01	1.01	1.02	1.03	1.03	1.03
Nunavut	-	-	-	-	0.54	0.57	0.58	0.65
Canada	-	-	0.96	0.96	0.96	0.97	0.97	0.98
Ontario	0.73	0.72	0.63	0.61	0.60	0.60	0.57	0.55
Nova Scotia	0.69	0.69	0.59	0.57	0.56	0.53	0.51	0.46
Prince Edward Island	0.60	0.64	0.53	0.53	0.48	0.49	0.47	0.45
Manitoba	0.65	0.60	0.49	0.47	0.46	0.45	0.42	0.40
Yukon	0.30	0.45	0.43	0.46	0.46	0.49	0.57	0.58
Northwest Territories	0.50	0.51	0.47	0.43	0.39	0.46	0.51	0.54
Newfoundland and Labrador	0.63	0.72	0.47	0.42	0.42	0.36	0.46	0.39
Alberta	0.49	0.49	0.36	0.32	0.33	0.33	0.36	0.35
Saskatchewan	0.50	0.41	0.33	0.29	0.26	0.26	0.26	0.25
British Columbia	0.30	0.35	0.28	0.29	0.29	0.30	0.29	0.30

Non-official languages used in Canada

Indigenous languages

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also

File:Indigenous language speakers in Canada-3.png

Indigenous language speakers in Canada-3

Canada is home to a rich variety of indigenous languages, most of which are spoken nowhere else. There are 14 indigenous language groups in Canada with about 100 distinct languages and dialects, including many sign languages.<ref name="Aboriginal languages">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Almost all indigenous languages in Canada are considered endangered, with the exception of Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, and the Cree varieties Naskapi, Atikamekw, East Cree, and Plains Cree.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Prior to colonization, multilingualism was common across indigenous nations, many of whom often seasonally migrated. However, the reserve system created more permanent stationary bands, which have generally selected only one of their various ancestral languages to try to preserve in the face of increasing Anglicization, Francization,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> or Amslanization (the process by which American Sign Language replaces local sign languages).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In addition, the residential school system attempted to institutionally exterminate languages and cultures from coast to coast to coast. The cruel methods (such as physical and sexual abuse, as well as death rates as high as one in twenty children<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>) resulted in a sharp declines in language use across all nations,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including amongst deaf and signing communities.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>

Robert Falcon Ouellette, a Cree Member of Parliament, played a pivotal role in promoting indigenous languages within the Canadian Parliament and Canadian House of Commons. He was instrumental in obtaining unanimous consent from all political parties to change the standing orders to allow indigenous languages to be spoken in the House of Commons, with full translation services provided. This historic change enabled Ouellette to deliver a speech in Cree, marking the first use of an indigenous language in the House on Jan 28, 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Multiple image Furthermore, Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act passed in 2019, was enacted to support and revitalize indigenous languages across Canada. This legislation, aims to reclaim, revitalize, and maintain indigenous languages through sustainable funding and the establishment of the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages. Ouellette was the chair of the indigenous caucus in the House of Commons and helped ensure it passage before the election of 2019. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>https://lop.parl.ca/staticfiles/PublicWebsite/Home/ResearchPublications/HillStudies/PDF/2015-131-E.pdf Template:Bare URL PDF</ref><ref>https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2019CanLIIDocs3786#!fragment/zoupio-_Toc3Page3/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgGYAFMAc0I4BKADTJspQhACKiQrgCe0AORLhEQmFwIZcxSrUatIAMp5SAIUUAlAKIAZGwDUAggDkAwjeGkwAI2ik7IKCQA Template:Bare URL inline</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Two of Canada's territories give official status to native languages. In Nunavut, Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun, known collectively as Inuktut, are official languages alongside the national languages of English and French, and Inuktitut is a common vehicular language in territorial government.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the Northwest Territories, the Official Languages Act declares that there are eleven different languages: Cree, Dënësųłıné, Dene Yatıé / Dene Zhatıé,Template:Refn English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́ / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́,Template:Refn and Tłįchǫ.<ref name="nwtlang" /> Besides English and French, these languages are not vehicular in government; official status entitles citizens to receive services in them on request and to deal with the government in them.<ref name="online">Template:Cite book Since 2015 demands have been made to recognize all Aboriginal languages as official languages in Canada.</ref>

Awaiting royal assent in October 2022 on Treaty Day, Nova Scotia has affirmed Mi'kmawi'simk as the "First Language" of the province through a bill titled the "Mi'kmaw Language Act" (No. 148). The Act establishes a language committee co-developed and co-run by Miꞌkmaw Kinaꞌmatnewey as well as ensuring "government support for the preservation, revitalization, promotion and protection of the Mi’kmaw language for generations to come," collaboratively developing strategy between the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia and the Government of Nova Scotia.<ref name="LangAct" />

According to the 2016 census, less than one per cent of Canadians (213,225) reported an indigenous language as their mother tongue, and less than one per cent of Canadians (137,515) reported an indigenous language as the language spoken most often at home.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Whilst most Canadian indigenous languages are endangered and their current speaker numbers are frequently low, the number of speakers has grown and even outpaced the number with an indigenous mother tongue, indicating that many people continue to learn the languages even if not initially raised with them.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Given the destruction of indigenous state structures, academics usually classify indigenous peoples of Canada by region into "culture areas", or by their language family.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

• Arctic cultural area (Inuit languages, including Inuit Sign Language)
• Subarctic culture area (Na-Dene and Algonquian languages)
• Eastern Woodlands (Northeast) cultural area (Algonquian and Iroquoian languages)
• Plains cultural area (Algonquian, Plains Sign, and Siouan languages)
• Northwest Plateau cultural area (Ktunaxa, Na-Dene, and Salishan languages, including Secwepemcékst<ref name="BCHSD">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Plateau Sign Language)

• Northwest Coast cultural area (Haida, Salishan, Tsimshianic, and Wakashan languages, possibly including Coast Salish Sign Language<ref name="BCHSD" />)

Indigenous languages	No. of speakers	Mother tongue	Home language
Cree (n.o.s.)Template:RefnTemplate:Ref label	99,950	78,855	47,190
Inuktitut	35,690	32,010	25,290
Ojibwemowin	32,460	11,115	11,115
Innu–Naskapi	11,815	10,970	9,720
Denesuline	11,130	9,750	7,490
Oji-Cree (Anishininimowin)	12,605	8,480	8,480
Mi'kmawi'simk	8,750	7,365	3,985
Siouan languages (Dakota/Nakota)	6,495	5,585	3,780
Atikamekw	5,645	5,245	4,745
Blackfoot	4,915	3,085	3,085
Tłįchǫ	2,645	2,015	1,110
Algonquin (Omàmìwininìmowin)	2,685	1,920	385
Dakelh	2,495	1,560	605
Gitxsanimaax	1,575	1,175	320
Tsilhqot'in	1,400	1,070	435
Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́ / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́Template:Refn	1,235	650	650
Dené Dháh / Dene Yatıé / Dene ZhatıéTemplate:Refn	2,315	600	600
Wəlastəkey latowewakən	790	535	140
Inuinnaqtun	580	370	70
Gwich’in	570	355	25
Kanienʼkéha	615	290	20
Secwepemctsín	1,650	250	250
Nisg̱a'a	1,090	250	250
Tlingit	175	0	0
Atgangmuurngniq	47<ref name="AmsterdamLing">Template:Cite journal</ref>	Unknown	Unknown
Onʌyota'a:ká Sign LanguageTemplate:Ref label	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Plains Sign TalkTemplate:Ref label	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
SecwepemcékstTemplate:Ref label	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Template:RefbeginSource: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census Profile of Federal Electoral Districts (2003 Representation Order): Language, Mobility and Migration and Immigration and Citizenship Ottawa, 2007, pp. 2, 6, 10.<ref name="Aboriginal languages" />
Template:Note labelThere exist numerous Cree languages, such as Plains Cree ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), Woods Cree ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), Swampy Cree (E: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, W: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), Moose Cree ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), and East Cree (N: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} S: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}).
Template:Note labelAlthough small in number,<ref name="BCHSD" /> these languages have been included without data to show the disparity in information between oral and sign languages. The Canadian Association of the Deaf state that, in their opinion, "no fully credible census of Deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing people has ever been conducted in Canada." By extension, there exists no credible data on sign languages, especially of indigenous sign languages.<ref name="CADState">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Refend

Glottolog 4.3 (2020) counted 13 independent indigenous language families and/or isolates in Canada.<ref>Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath & Sebastian Bank, eds., Glottolog, ver. 4.3 (Jena: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 2020).</ref> A potential fourteenth family, that of the sign languages of the Plateau, possibly hosting languages like Secwepemcékst and Ktunaxa Sign Language, remains unlisted by Glottolog. It remains unknown to academia the extent which sign languages are spoken and how they relate to and across linguistic families.<ref name="CADState" />

Pidgins, mixed languages, & trade languages

In Canada, as elsewhere in the world of European colonization, the frontier of European exploration and settlement tended to be a linguistically diverse and fluid place, as cultures using different languages met and interacted. The need for a common means of communication between the indigenous inhabitants and new arrivals for the purposes of trade and (in some cases) intermarriage led to the development of hybrid languages. These languages tended to be highly localized, were often spoken by only a small number of individuals who were frequently capable of speaking another language, and often persisted only briefly, before being wiped out by the arrival of a large population of permanent settlers, speaking either English or French.

Belle Isle Pidgin

Spoken until about 1760, this pidgin was spoken between Breton and Basque fishermen and NunatuKavummiut of NunatuKavut (Labrador).

Bungee

Named from the Ojibwe word bangii meaning "a little bit,"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the meagrely documented Bungi Creole (also known as Bungee, Bungy, Bungie, Bungay, and as the Red River Dialect) is a mixed language predominantly anchored in English that evolved within the Prairie Métis community, specifically the Countryborn or Anglo-Métis. Due to the multicultural nature of the Red River Settlement, Bungi was influenced by Scottish English, Nehiyawewin, Nakawemowin, the Orcadian dialect of Scots, Norn, Scottish Gaelic, and Canadian French.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> The vocabulary and word order were primarily English, but the speech was lilting like that of Gaelic speakers, with pronunciation and structural shifts coming from the Cree languages, such as: shawl becoming sawl, she becoming see, and the popular greeting I’m well, you but?.<ref name="BungeeCAN">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bungi reached its peak in the nineteenth century, with about 5,000 Countryborn native speakers of the dialect in 1870. However, over the next century, standard Canadian English gradually replaced it; and by the late 1980s, only a handful of elderly speakers remained. It is generally considered to be asleep today.<ref name="BungeeCAN" />

Chiac

Spoken in the Maritime provinces (mostly in New Brunswick), Chiac is a creole language with a linguistic base in Acadian French and Maritime English with significant contributions from Mi'kmawi'simk and the Maliseet language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Notable for its code-switching between English and French, it is often popularly considered a variant of Franglais, with examples such as: Espère-moi su'l'corner, j'traverse le ch'min pi j'viens right back (Wait for me at the corner, I'm crossing the road and I'll be right back) and On va amarrer ça d'même pour faire sûr que ça tchenne<ref name="VP">Template:Cite book</ref> (We will tie it like this to make sure it stays).<ref name="VP" /> However, Chiac is not simply a Franglais/Frenglish mix of French and English, as it differs distinctly from other French-English mixed-use cases such as those found amongst Fransaskois or Ontarois.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Chinook Jargon

In British Columbia, Yukon and throughout the Pacific Northwest, a pidgin language known as the Chinook Jargon (also rendered "Chinook Wawa") emerged in the early 19th century that was a combination of Chinookan, Nootka, Chehalis, French and English, with a smattering of words from other languages including Hawaiian and Spanish.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later in that century, it had creolized in the Pacific Northwest. Certain words and expressions remain current in local use, such as skookum, tyee, and saltchuck, while a few have become part of worldwide English ("high mucketymuck" or "high muckamuck" for a high-ranking and perhaps self-important official).

Franglais

A portmanteau language which is said to combine English and French syntax, grammar and lexicons to form a unique interlanguage, is sometimes ascribed to mandatory basic French education in the Canadian anglophone school systems. Many unilingual anglophone Canadians, for instance, will borrow French words into their sentences. Simple words and phrases like "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" (what is that?) or words like "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" (stop) can alternate with their English counterparts. This phenomenon is more common in the eastern half of the country where there is a greater density of Francophone populations. Franglais can also refer to the supposed degradation of the French language thanks to the overwhelming impact Canadian English has on the country's Francophone inhabitants, though many linguists would argue that while English vocabulary can be freely borrowed as a stylistic device, the grammar of French has been resistant to influences from English<ref>Poplack, Shana (1988) {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 43: 23–48.</ref> and the same conservatism holds true in Canadian English grammar,<ref>Poplack, Shana, Walker, James & Malcolmson, Rebecca. 2006. An English "like no other"?: Language contact and change in Quebec. Canadian Journal of Linguistics. 185–213.</ref> even in Quebec City.

Haida Jargon

A pidgin trade language based on Haida, known as Haida Jargon, was used in the 1830s in and around Haida Gwaii. It was used by speakers of English, Haida, Coast Tsimshian, Heiltsuk, and other languages.

Loucheux Jargon

As a result of cultural contact between the Gwich'in (formerly called "Loucheaux") and Europeans (predominately French coureurs des bois and voyageurs), a pidgin language was historically used across Gwich'in Nành, Denendeh.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The language is often called in English "Jargon Loucheux" using the traditional French syntax.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Michif

Michif (also known as Mitchif, Mechif, Michif-Cree, Métif, Métchif, and French Cree) is a mixed language which evolved within the Prairie Métis community that was oriented towards Cree and Franco-Catholic culture. It is based on elements of Cree and French along with elements of Ojibwa and Assiniboine. Michif is today spoken by fewer than 1,000 individuals in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and North Dakota. At its peak, around 1900, Michif was understood by perhaps three times this number.

Nootka Jargon

Based in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and likely one precursor to Chinook Wawa, Nootka Jargon was a trade language derived from Nuučaan̓uł, English, Spanish, and Russian, as well as other local languages.

Slavey Jargon

Also known as "Broken Slavey," this language was spoken until the mid-1900s, abruptly diminishing due to the influx of English into Denendeh and Inuit Nunangat.<ref name="TR">Template:Cite journal</ref> Documentation has also shown that the language was spoken by a range of fur traders, postmasters, and their wives, sisters, and daughters, who were often of Métis descent.<ref name="TR" /> The native languages of speakers who used Slavey Jargon were Denesuline, French, Gwich'in, Inuktitut, and the languages collectively known as "Slavey" (North: Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́, K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́, and Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́; South: Dene Yatıé or Dene Zhatıé and Dené Dháh). The Dene, Inuit, French, British, and Métis who spoke the language did so predominately for preaching the gospel, teasing and harassing clergymen, and for interpersonal relationships.<ref name="TR" /> The use of Slavey Jargon can be characterized as an innovation employed by speakers in order to meet several linguistic goals, such as introductions, advice, and disputes.<ref name="TR" /> Mishler specified, "For all these reasons, Slavey Jargon seems inaccurate to characterize it strictly as a trade jargon" (p. 277).<ref name="TR" />

Spoken predominately in the Liard and Dehcho Countries of Denendeh, the nouns of the language generally consisted of English, Dënësųłınë́ Yatıé, Sahtúgot’įné / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́, and Dene Yatıé/Zhatıé, whereas the verbs and pronouns are derived from French. Adverbs are typically pulled from Dënësųłınë́ and Gwich’in. There is, however, a lot of variation in Slavey Jargon. Gwich’in verbs can be mixed with French nouns or phonemically modified French sentences exist.<ref name="TR" />

Souriquois

Spoken alongside the Basque/Breton–Inuit Belle Isle pidgin was another pidgin language that developed in the 16th century amongst the Basque in coastal areas along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Strait of Belle Isle as the result of contact between Basque whalers and local Algonquian peoples, notably the Mi'kmaq.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The name "Souriquois" has an obscure history and most likely refers to region around Souris and the Basque suffix koa, perhaps from zurikoa “that of the whites."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sign languages

Alongside the numerous and varied oral languages, Canada also boasts several sign languages. Currently, Canada is home to some five or more sign languages (that number rising with the probability that Plains Sign Talk is actually a language family with several languages under its umbrella), belonging to four to six distinct language families, those being: the Francosign family, the BANZSL family, the Plains Sign family, the Inuit Sign isolate, perhaps the Coast Salish Sign isolate, and perhaps a Plateau Sign family composed of Secwepemcékst and Ktunaxa Sign Language.

As with all sign languages around the world that developed naturally, these are natural, human languages distinct from any oral language. As such, American Sign Language (unlike Signed English) is no more a derivation of English than Russian is,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> all being distinct languages from one another. Some languages present here were trade pidgins which were used first as a system of communication across national and linguistic boundaries of First Nations, however, they have since developed into mature languages as children learned them as a first language.

The sign languages of Canada share extremely limited rights within the country in large due to the general population's misinformation on the subject. Ontario is the only province or territory to formally make legal any sign language, enabling the use of American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language (LSQ) and "First Nation Sign Language" (which could refer to Plains Sign Talk, Oneida Sign Language, or any other language) in only the domains of education, legislation and judiciary proceedings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The only other language afforded any other rights is Inuiuuk, which sees interpretation in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There have been efforts to make LSQ an official language of Quebec, but all efforts have failed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

American Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The most utilized sign language in Canada, American Sign Language or ASL, can be found across the country in mostly anglophone regions. The ties with anglophone Canada are not due to ASL and English's similarity, but to cultural similarities and linguistic history (as several ASL words are borrowed from English). As such, ASL can be found in areas where English is not the primary language, such as Montreal or Nunavut. ASL is part of the French Sign Language (Francosign) family, originating on the East Coast of the United States from a mix of Langue des signes françaises (LSF) and other local languages.

Black American Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Amongst the Black communities of Canada, Black American Sign Language (BASL) is also spoken.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Coast Salish Sign Language

There is evidence that Coast Salish citizens speak a distinct sign language.<ref name="BCHSD" />

Hand Talk

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Hand Talk was the primary written language and {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} of North America.<ref name="Glyphs">Template:Cite thesis</ref> It was used for all international relations, trade, and diplomacy across much of the continent until colonization.<ref>Davis, Jeffrey. 2006. "A historical linguistic account of sign language among North American Indian groups." In Multilingualism and Sign Languages: From the Great Plains to Australia; Sociolinguistics of the Deaf community, C. Lucas (ed.), Vol. 12, pp. 3–35. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press</ref> across the continent and the language stretched across the provinces down through Mexico.<ref>Hand Talk: American Indian Sign Language Template:Webarchive.</ref> Its name comes from the language itself ("HANDS" + "TO-TALK-TO") and is preferred by Indigenous communities over other terms like "Plains Sign Language" or "First Nations Sign Languages". In fact, Hand Talk is a complex of several languages, with variants in the Northeast Woodlands, Great Basin, Southwest, and the Great Plains.<ref name="Glyphs"/> It is unknown if Plateau Sign Language is related.

Oneida Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Born out of the Oneida Nation, OSL is a mixed language, descended primarily from both Hand Talk and the Oneida oral language, with some additions from ASL.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Onʌyota'a:ká (or Oneida) Sign Language is a young and growing language, spreading especially amongst deaf Oneida citizens.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BCHSD" />

Inuit Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Inuit Sign Language, also known as Atgangmuurngniq or Uukturausingit, is a critically endangered language with some 50 speakers remaining. It is a language isolate and has only be found by researchers in Nunavut; however, there are theories it extends across the Arctic Circle.<ref name="AmsterdamLing" /> Little is known about its history, but efforts are being made to document and revitalize the language.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Multiple image

Maritime Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Maritime Sign Language is a BANZSL language. It was used as the language of education for Deaf populations in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island before ASL became available in the mid-20th century. It is still remembered by some elderly people but is moribund. The language, living alongside ASL, has produced a unique dialect of ASL in the Maritimes due to mixing of the languages. The exact number of speakers is unknown.

Plateau Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Another international language, Plateau Sign Language was/is spoken in the Columbia Plateau and surrounding regions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho instead of Plains Sign Talk. There are few speakers left, mostly Elders.

Ktunaxa Sign Language

Called ʾa·qanⱡiⱡⱡitnam in the Ktunaxa language,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ktunaxa Sign Language has historically been spoken in Ktunaxa ɁamakaɁis (Ktunaxa Country).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Secwépemc Sign Language

Perhaps related to or descended from the old Plateau Sign Language, Secwepemcékst or Secwépemc Sign Language is spoken by a small number of Secwépemc citizens.<ref name="BCHSD" />

Quebec Sign Language

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Alongside ASL, Quebec Sign Language or LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise) is the second most spoken sign language in the country. Centred mainly around and within Quebec, LSQ can also be found in Ontario, New Brunswick and various other parts of the country, generally around francophone communities due to historical ties to the French language. Although approximately 10% of the population of Quebec is deaf or hard-of-hearing, it is estimated that only 50,000 to 60,000 children use LSQ as their native language. LSQ is part of the Francosign family with ASL. As such, both languages are mutually intelligible.

Sawmill Sign Language

Spoken by the sawmill workers of BC, this sign language was used by predominately hearing staff during work hours and in socializing with co-workers.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Canadian dialects of European languages

Acadian French

Acadian French is a unique form of Canadian French which incorporates not only distinctly Canadian phrases but also nautical terms, English loanwords, linguistic features found only in older forms of French as well as ones found in the Maritimer English dialect.

Brayon French

A sub-dialect of Acadian French, Brayon French is spoken by those in Madawaska County of New Brunswick. The language is a mix of Acadian and Quebec French with influence from the local Mi'kmaw and Maliseet languages, with only slight differentiation from the more standard Acadian French.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Québec French

As the most spoken variety of French in Canada, Québec French contains a significant number of dialects, generally grouped in two: the "old" dialects of the territories at the time of the British conquest and the "new" dialects that arose post-conquest.

Chaouin French

Around 1615 as the coureurs des bois moved past the city of Quebec, those who settled in Ndakinna (Abenaki land) developed unique features still found today, especially in the Bois-Francs region South of the St. Lawrence.

Joual French

Originally the dialect of the French-speaking working class in Montréal, the cultural renaissance connected to the Quiet Revolution have resulted in Joual being spoken by people across the educational and economic spectrum.

Màgoua French

Possibly deriving from the Atikamekw word for "loon" (makwa; standard French: huard), the French spoken by the Magoua community is one of the most conservative French dialects in North America. This basilectal dialect is found in Nitaskinan as the Trois-Rivières region became the first stronghold of the coureurs des bois outside the city of Quebec in 1615. Magoua French preserves the sontaient ("étaient") characteristic of Métis French and Cajun French, has a creole-like past tense particle tà, and has old present-tense contraction of a former verb "to be" that behave in the same manner as subject clitics.

Métis French

Alongside Michif and Bungi, the Métis dialect of French is one of the traditional languages of the Métis people, and the French-dialect source of the Michif language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Métis French is a variety of Canadian French with some added characters Ññ, Áá, Óó, and Ææ (from older French spellings), such as: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} English: "there is no birthmark on this boy."<ref name="Papen1" /> There are also significant amounts of words loaned from indigenous languages such as Ojibwemowin, Dane-zaa Ẕáágéʔ (Beaver), and several Cree languages.<ref name="Papen2" /> Like Michif, Métis French is spoken predominantly in Manitoba as well as adjacent provinces and US states.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As a general rule, Métis individuals tend to speak one or the other, rarely both.<ref name=MetisFR/>

Newfoundland French

Tracing their origins to Continental French fishermen who settled in the late 1800s and early 1900s, rather than the Québécois, Newfoundland French (or français terre-neuvien) refers to the French spoken on the Port au Port Peninsula (part of the so-called “French Shore”) of Newfoundland. Some Acadians of the Maritimes also settled in the area. For this reason, Newfoundland French is most closely related to the Breton and Norman French of nearby St-Pierre-et-Miquelon. Today, heavy contact with Acadian French—and especially widespread bilingualism with Newfoundland English—have taken their toll, and the community is in decline. The degree to which lexical features of Newfoundland French constitute a distinct dialect is not presently known. It is uncertain how many speakers survive; the dialect could be moribund. There is a provincial advocacy organisation Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador, representing both the Peninsular French and Acadian French communities.

Ontarois French

Although quite similar to Quebec French, the dialect of the Ontarois or Franco-Ontarians maintains distinctive features. These include the progressive disappearance of the subjunctive, the use of the possessive á, the transfer of rules from English to French, e.g., "J’ai vu un film sur/à la télévision" which comes from "I saw a film on television", or "Je vais à la maison/chez moi" coming from "I'm going home," and the loaning of English conjunctions such as "so" for ça fait que or alors.

Black English

In what is also called Black Canadian, Afro-Canadian, or African Canadian English, there exist several varieties of English spoken by Black Canadians. The most well-established is the dialect spoken by Afro-Nova Scotians.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In places like Toronto where there is a large population of Afro-Caribbean descendants and newcomers, localized varieties of Black English take on elements of Caribbean English, as well as mixing with African-American Vernacular English (AAVE). Although AAVE is not nearly as widespread in Canada as it is across the United States, Black Canadians have various lines of connection to the dialect. Sometimes that connection is historical, such as with Black Nova Scotians; sometimes it is hegemonic, where Afro-Canadians adopt speech mannerisms from the larger United States; sometimes it is diasporic, where communities of African-American newcomers or African-American descendants coalesce, especially in larger cities.

Afro-Nova Scotian English

African Nova Scotian English is spoken by descendants of Black Nova Scotians, black immigrants from the United States. Though most African American freedom seekers in Canada ended up in Ontario through the Underground Railroad, only the dialect of African Nova Scotians retains the influence of West African pidgin.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the 19th century, African Nova Scotian English would have been indistinguishable from English spoken in Jamaica or Suriname.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, it has been increasingly de-creolized since this time, due to interaction and influence from the white Nova Scotian population. Desegregation of the province's school boards in 1964 further accelerated the process of de-creolization. The language is a relative of the African-American Vernacular English, with significant variations unique to the group's history in the area.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Cambridge">Template:Cite journal</ref> There are noted differences in the dialects of those from Guysborough County (Black Loyalists), and those from North Preston (Black Refugees), the Guysborough group having been in the province three generations earlier.<ref name="Cambridge" />

Howe and Walker use data from early recordings of African Nova Scotian English, Samaná English, and the recordings of former slaves to demonstrate that speech patterns were inherited from nonstandard colonial English.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The dialect was extensively studied in 1992 by Shana Poplack and Sali Tagliamonte from the University of Ottawa.<ref name="Cambridge"/>

A commonality between African Nova Scotian English and African-American Vernacular English is (r)-deletion. This rate of deletion is 57% among Black Nova Scotians, and 60% among African Americans in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, in the surrounding mostly white communities of Nova Scotia, (r)-deletion does not occur.<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref>

Cascadian English

The English language in British Columbia shares numerous features with the neighbouring states of Washington and Oregon, such as the /æɡ/ raising (found words such as bag, vague and bagel). Boreal Cascadian English speakers exhibit more vowel retraction of /æ/ before nasals than people from Toronto, and younger speakers in the Greater Vancouver area do not raise /aʊ/ as much, but keep the drop in intonation, causing "about" to sound slightly like "a baht." The "o" in such words as holy, goal, load, know, etc. is pronounced as a close-mid back rounded vowel, [o], but not as rounded as in the Prairies where there are strong Scandinavian, Slavic and German influences, which can lend to a more stereotypical "Canadian" accent.

Indigenous English

The varieties of English spoken by indigenous people are phonologically influenced by their first or traditional languages. This has resulted in an identifiable dialect spectrum distinct from other Canadian English dialects. Due to the ongoing stigmatization of indigenous cultures, indigenous children could be wrongly diagnosed as having a speech impairment or a learning disability, when what is identified by medical professionals are simply the dialectal features.<ref>Jessica Ball and B. May Bernhardt, "First Nations English dialects in Canada: Implications for speech-language pathology" Template:Webarchive. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, August 2008; 22(8): 570–588</ref>

Some written works use indigenous English dialects. For example, Maria Campbell's book Stories of the Road Allowance People is a collection of Métis folktales. An excerpt from that work illustrates the type of speech used by Elders in rural Métis communities during her research, but some stories were collected in Cree or other languages and translated into dialectical English by Campbell:

Lunenburg English

Spoken in Lunenburg and Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, this moribund dialect is sometimes called "Lunenburg Dutch" due to its rooting in the large Kurpfalzisch and Württembergisch population who settled the town. Although the German language subsided significantly, the English of the town and county continue to be marked by its influence. Indeed, the pronunciation in Lunenburg county is the only Canadian community to be non-rhotic. The accent features Canadian raising and so flight [ˈflʌɪt] has a different vowel from fly [ˈflɑɪ], and the noun house [ˈhoʊs] has a different vowel from the verb house [ˈhɑʊz]. In Lunenburg, the phrase about a boat contains two identical stressed and two identical unstressed vowels: /əˌboʊt ə ˈboʊt/, rather than the Standard Canadian English /əˌbaʊt ə ˈboʊt/, with distinct stressed vowels. Due to German influence, there is a tendency to pronounce /w/ in witch the same as /v/ as in van. Another example is the lack of the dental fricatives /θ/ and /ð/, which are replaced by the alveolar stops /t/ and /d/ (rendering "thank" and "tank" homophonous as /ˈtæŋk/), and the "t" at the end of words is usually silent: "get" becomes "ge."

For example, here is a sample of a conversation between two people:

Maritime English

Spoken across the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI, this English dialect has been influenced by British and Irish English, Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and some Acadian French, as well as by Mi'kmawi'simk.

Newfoundland English

The initial European settlers to Newfoundland were fishermen from the various coastal villages of the English West Country of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and Wiltshire beginning in the 1500s (previously they visited in summer and returned). This set the basic speech patterns for those settlers who fanned out into isolated coves and bays along the island's Template:Convert of coastline to take advantage of the scattered off-shore fishing areas. Labrador, today the greater part of "Newfoundland", was then sparsely settled. The West Country dialects continued to be spoken in isolated coves and fjords of the island thus preserving varied dialects of what is today referred to as Newfoundland English.

It was not until the 1700s that social disruptions in Ireland sent thousands of Irish from the southeastern counties of Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, and Cork and to the Avalon peninsula in the eastern part of Newfoundland where significant Irish influence on the Newfoundland dialects may still be heard.

Some of the Irish immigrants to Newfoundland were native speakers of Irish making Newfoundland the only place outside Europe to have its own Irish dialect. Newfoundland was also the only place outside Europe to have its own distinct name in Irish: Talamh an Éisc, which means 'land of the fish'. The Irish language is now extinct in Newfoundland.

After 400 years, much of the dialectal differences between the isolated settlements has levelled out beginning in the 20th century when faster boats (using gas engines instead of oars or sails), and improved road connections provided easier social contact. As well, influences from mainland North America began to affect the local dialects beginning during WWII when US and Canadian servicemen were stationed in Newfoundland and accelerating after Newfoundland became a Canadian province in 1949. Lack of an official orthography, publications in dialect, speaker attrition and official disinterest in promoting the language has been contributing factors towards a decline of speakers of the older, traditional Newfoundland English in the original settlements.

Ottawa Valley Twang

Ottawa Valley Twang is the accent, sometimes referred to as a dialect of English, that is spoken in the Ottawa Valley, in Ontario.<ref>Ottawa Valley facts Template:Webarchive at Canadian Geographic.ca</ref> The Ottawa Valley is considered to be a linguistic enclave within Ontario.<ref name="one language">Template:Cite book</ref>

Quebec English

The language of English-speaking Quebecers generally aligns to Standard Canadian English, however established ethnic groups retain certain, distinctive lexical features, such as the dialects spoken by Mohawk, Cree, Inuit, Irish, Jewish, Italian, and Greek communities. Isolated fishing villages on the Basse-Côte-Nord speak Newfoundland English, and many Gaspesian English-speakers use Maritime English.

Toronto slang

Spoken within the Greater Toronto Area, Toronto slang is the nuanced, multicultural English spoken in the city. This dialect is heavily influenced by the different communities present, most notably the Jamaican, Trinidadian, Guyanese, and other Caribbean communities and their ways of speaking. There is also influence from West African, East African, and South Asian communities.

Canadian Gaelic

Canadian Gaelic was spoken by many immigrants who settled in Glengarry County (Ontario) and the Maritimes—predominantly in New Brunswick's Restigouche River valley, central and southeastern Prince Edward Island, and across the whole of northern Nova Scotia—particularly Cape Breton. While the Canadian Gaelic dialect has mostly disappeared, regional pockets persist. These are mostly centred on families deeply committed to their Celtic traditions. Nova Scotia currently has 500–1,000 fluent speakers, mostly in northwestern Cape Breton. There have been attempts in Nova Scotia to institute Gaelic immersion on the model of French immersion. As well, formal post-secondary studies in Gaelic language and culture are available through St. Francis Xavier University, Saint Mary's University, and Cape Breton University

In 1890, a private member's bill was tabled in the Canadian Senate, calling for Gaelic to be made Canada's third official language. However, the bill was defeated 42–7.

Newfoundland Irish

Newfoundland is home to the largest population of Irish-descendants in Canada and once hosted a thriving Irish Gaelic linguistic community. Although steep declines around the 20th century meant that the Irish language on the Island hardly remains, there exists today strong interest with consistent efforts to revive the language.

Newfoundland Irish has left an impact on the English spoken on the Island, including terms like scrob "scratch" (Irish {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), sleveen "rascal" (Irish {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) and streel "slovenly person" (Irish {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}), along with grammatical features like the "after" perfect as in "she's already after leavinTemplate:'" (Irish {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As well, both Newfoundland (Talamh an Éisc, Land of the Fish)<ref>Edited by Natasha Sumner and Aidan Doyle (2020), North American Gaels: Speech, Song, and Story in the Diaspora, McGill-Queen's University Press. Page 80.</ref> and St. John's (Baile Sheáin)<ref>Edited by Natasha Sumner and Aidan Doyle (2020), North American Gaels: Speech, Song, and Story in the Diaspora, McGill-Queen's University Press. Page 76.</ref> have distinct names in the Irish-language. The dialect of Irish spoken in Newfoundland is said to resemble the Munster Irish of the 18th century.

Events and institutions are increasingly supporting the language with ever larger Céilithe móra, students participating in Conradh na Gaeilge events, people playing Gaelic sports, and Irish film festivals attracting English- and Irish-speakers alike. There is also an Irish language instructor, appointed every year by the Ireland Canada University Foundation, who works at Memorial University in St. John's,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> where the university's Digital Learning Centre provides resources for learning the Irish language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Newfoundland Welsh

Some Welsh is found in Newfoundland. In part, this is as a result of Welsh settlement since the 17th century. Also, there was an influx of about 1,000 Patagonian Welsh, who migrated to Canada from Argentina after the 1982 Falklands War. Welsh-Argentines are fluent in Spanish as well as English and Welsh.

Canadian Ukrainian

Canada is also home to Canadian Ukrainian, a distinct dialect of the Ukrainian language, spoken mostly in Western Canada by the descendants of first two waves of Ukrainian settlement in Canada who developed in a degree of isolation from their cousins in what was then Austria-Hungary, the Russian Empire, Poland, and the Soviet Union.

Doukhobor Russian

Canada's Doukhobor community, especially in Grand Forks and Castlegar, British Columbia, has kept its distinct dialect of Russian. It has a lot in common with South Russian dialects, showing some common features with Ukrainian. This dialect's versions are becoming extinct in their home regions of Georgia and Russia where the Doukhobors have split into smaller groups.

Deitsch

A variety of West Central German spoken by the Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonites and other descendants of German immigrants in Canada, Pennsylvania Dutch or Deitsch is closely related to the Palatine dialects of the Upper Rhine Valley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Of the estimated 300,000 speakers, most are found across several US states, whilst there is a sizable community within Ontario.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Hutterisch

Centred in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the Hutterite communities maintain a distinct form of the German language descended from Bavarian dialects spoken in Tyrol (by founder Jacob Hutter). The language shifted in the mid-18th century toward a more Carinthian linguistic base upon the deportation of Landler from Austria to Transylvania. There is only about a 50% intelligibility between Pennsylvania Dutch speakers and Hutterisch.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its speaker base belongs to the Schmiedleit, Lehrerleit, and Dariusleit groups with a few speakers among the older generations of Prairieleit (the descendants of those Hutterites who chose not to settle in colonies). Hutterite children who grow up in the colonies first learn and speak Hutterisch before learning English. Of the estimated 34,000 speakers in the world (as of 2003), 85% of them live in 370 communities in Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Canadian adults are generally literate in Early New High German (also called "Biblical German", the predecessor to Standard German used by Martin Luther) that they employ as the written form for Scriptures, however Hutterisch is, for the most part, an unwritten language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Plautdietsch

Plautdietsch is predominantly found in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario where Mennonite communities settled. The Mennonites, or Russian Mennonites as they are sometimes called, descend from Low country Anabaptists who fled from what is today the Netherlands and Belgium in the 16th century to escape persecution and resettled in the Vistula delta.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their language is a fusion of Dutch, West Frisian and Dutch Low Saxon dialects which over time mixed with the East Low German dialects of Werdersch, Nehrungisch and Weichselisch.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Official bilingualism

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Language policy of the federal government

File:Montreal-Place Vauquelin, Note.jpg

A bilingual sign in Montreal

English and French have equal status in federal courts, the Parliament of Canada, as well as in all federal institutions.

The public has the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French. Immigrants who are applying for Canadian citizenship must normally be able to speak either English or French.

The principles of bilingualism in Canada are protected in sections 16 to 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms of 1982 which establishes that:

• French and English are equal to each other as federal official languages;
• Debate in Parliament may take place in either official language;
• Federal laws shall be printed in both official languages, with equal authority;
• Anyone may deal with any court established by Parliament, in either official language;
• Everyone has the right to receive services from the federal government in his or her choice of official language;
• Members of a minority language group of one of the official languages if learned and still understood (i.e., French speakers in a majority English-speaking province, or vice versa) or received primary school education in that language has the right to have their children receive a public education in their language, where numbers warrant.

Canada's Official Languages Act, first adopted in 1969 and updated in 1988, gives English and French equal status throughout federal institutions.

Language policies of Canada's provinces and territories

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Officially bilingual or multilingual: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the three territories

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada's three territories have all given official status to more than one language. In the case of New Brunswick, this means perfect equality. In the other cases, the recognition sometimes amounts to a formal recognition of official languages, but limited services in official languages other than English.

The official languages are:

• New Brunswick: English and French. New Brunswick has been officially bilingual since the 1960s. The province's officially bilingual status has been entrenched in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms since 1982.
• Nova Scotia: Mi'kmawi'simk is considered the province's official "first language."
• Northwest Territories: Cree, Dënësųłıné, Dene Yatıé / Dene Zhatıé,Template:Refn English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́ / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́,Template:Refn and Tłįchǫ.<ref name="nwtlang"/>
• Nunavut: English, Inuktut (Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun), and French.<ref name="nulang"/>
• Yukon: English and French.

Officially French-only: Quebec

Until 1969, Quebec was the only officially bilingual province in Canada and most public institutions functioned in both languages. English was also used in the legislature, government commissions and courts. With the adoption of the Charter of the French Language (also known as "Bill 101") by Quebec's National Assembly in August 1977, however, French became Quebec's sole official language. However, the Charter of the French Language enumerates a defined set of language rights for the English language and for Aboriginal languages, and government services are available, to certain citizens and in certain regions, in English. As well, a series of court decisions have forced the Quebec government to increase its English-language services beyond those provided for under the original terms of the Charter of the French Language. Regional institutions in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec offer services in Inuktitut and Cree.

De facto English only, or limited French-language services: the other eight provinces

Most provinces have laws that make either English or both English and French the official language(s) of the legislature and the courts but may also have separate policies in regards to education and the bureaucracy.

For example, in Alberta, English and French are both official languages of debate in the Legislative Assembly, but laws may be drafted solely in English and there is no legal requirement that they be translated into French. French can be used in some lower courts and education is offered in both languages, but the bureaucracy functions almost solely in English. Therefore, although Alberta is not officially an English-only province, English has a higher de facto status than French. Ontario and Manitoba are similar but allow for more services in French at the local level.Template:Citation needed

Geographic distribution

File:Diversity of languages in Canada.jpg

The following table details the population of each province and territory, with summary national totals, by mother tongue as reported in the Canada 2016 Census.

Province/territory	Total population	English	%	French	%	Other languages	%	Official language(s)
Ontario	13,312,870	9,255,660	69.52%	568,345	4.27%	3,865,780	29.04%	English ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})<ref>Government of Ontario, “About Ontario” (March 7, 2019).</ref>
Quebec	8,066,555	718,985	8.91%	6,377,080	79.06%	1,173,345	14.54%	French<ref name="qclang"/>
British Columbia	4,598,415	3,271,425	71.14%	71,705	1.56%	1,360,815	29.59%	English ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
Alberta	4,026,650	3,080,865	76.51%	86,705	2.15%	952,790	23.66%	English
Manitoba	1,261,615	931,410	73.83%	46,055	3.65%	316,120	25.06%	English
Saskatchewan	1,083,240	910,865	84.09%	17,735	1.64%	173,475	16.01%	English
Nova Scotia	912,300	838,055	91.86%	33,345	3.66%	49,165	5.39%	English ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})Template:Efn
New Brunswick	736,280	481,690	65.42%	238,865	32.44%	25,165	3.42%	English, French
Newfoundland and Labrador	515,680	501,350	97.22%	3,020	0.59%	13,035	2.53%	English ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
Prince Edward Island	141,020	128,975	91.46%	5,395	3.83%	7,670	5.44%	English ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}})
Northwest Territories	41,380	32,545	78.65%	1,365	3.30%	8,295	20.05%	Cree, Dënësųłıné, Dene Yatıé / Zhatıé,Template:Refn English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́ / K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́ / Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́,Template:Refn Tłįchǫ<ref name="nwtlang"/>
Yukon	35,555	29,765	83.72%	1,815	5.10%	4,665	13.12%	English, French
Nunavut	35,695	11,745	32.90%	640	1.79%	24,050	67.38%	Inuit Language (Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun), English, French<ref name="nulang">Consolidation of (S.Nu. 2008, c.10) (NIF) Official Languages ActTemplate:Dead link and Consolidation of Inuit Language Protection ActTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Canada	34,767,255	20,193,340	58.08%	7,452,075	21.43%	7,974,375	22.94%	English, French

Template:RefbeginSource: Statistics Canada, Mother tongue by age (Total), 2016 counts for the population excluding institutional residents of Canada, provinces and territories, 2016 Census .<ref name="pop1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Refend

Knowledge of languages

Template:Bar box The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses, and first appeared on the 1991 Canadian census.Template:Efn The following figures are from the 1991 Canadian census, 2001 Canadian census, 2011 Canadian census, and the 2021 Canadian census. Template:Sticky header

Language	2021<ref name="language2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2011<ref name="language2011">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2001<ref name="language2001">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="language2001B">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1991<ref name="language1991">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	[[Population|Template:Abbr]]	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
English	31,628,570	Template:Percentage	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Percentage	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Percentage	22,505,415	Template:Percentage
French	10,563,235	Template:Percentage	9,960,585<ref name="language2011B"/>	Template:Percentage	9,178,100<ref name="language2001C"/>	Template:Percentage	8,508,960	Template:Percentage
ChineseTemplate:Efn	1,528,860	Template:Percentage	1,297,505	Template:Percentage	1,028,445	Template:Percentage	557,305	Template:Percentage
HindustaniTemplate:Efn	1,176,295	Template:Percentage	576,165	Template:Percentage	366,740	Template:Percentage	163,930	Template:Percentage
Spanish	1,171,450	Template:Percentage	873,395	Template:Percentage	610,580	Template:Percentage	402,430	Template:Percentage
Punjabi	942,170	Template:Percentage	545,730	Template:Percentage	338,720	Template:Percentage	167,925	Template:Percentage
Arabic	838,045	Template:Percentage	470,965	Template:Percentage	290,280	Template:Percentage	164,380	Template:Percentage
Tagalog	737,565	Template:Percentage	491,075	Template:Percentage	244,690	Template:Percentage	136,975	Template:Percentage
Italian	547,655	Template:Percentage	595,600	Template:Percentage	680,970	Template:Percentage	701,910	Template:Percentage
German	419,195	Template:Percentage	525,480	Template:Percentage	635,520	Template:Percentage	684,955	Template:Percentage
Portuguese	336,865	Template:Percentage	266,950	Template:Percentage	264,990	Template:Percentage	254,465	Template:Percentage
PersianTemplate:Efn	330,725	Template:Percentage	196,110	Template:Percentage	111,700	Template:Percentage	49,380	Template:Percentage
Russian	309,235	Template:Percentage	230,755	Template:Percentage	157,455	Template:Percentage	84,050	Template:Percentage
Tamil	237,890	Template:Percentage	179,465	Template:Percentage	111,580	Template:Percentage	37,330	Template:Percentage
Vietnamese	232,800	Template:Percentage	192,070	Template:Percentage	165,645	Template:Percentage	113,115	Template:Percentage
Gujarati	209,410	Template:Percentage	118,950	Template:Percentage	80,835	Template:Percentage	54,210	Template:Percentage
Polish	204,460	Template:Percentage	217,735	Template:Percentage	249,695	Template:Percentage	239,575	Template:Percentage
Korean	203,885	Template:Percentage	149,035	Template:Percentage	91,610	Template:Percentage	40,230	Template:Percentage
Serbo-CroatianTemplate:Efn	155,775	Template:Percentage	154,700	Template:Percentage	153,085	Template:Percentage	100,541	Template:Percentage
Greek	145,060	Template:Percentage	150,620	Template:Percentage	158,800	Template:Percentage	161,320	Template:Percentage
Haitian Creole	134,895	Template:Percentage	128,555	Template:Percentage	76,140	Template:Percentage	49,970	Template:Percentage
Ukrainian	131,655	Template:Percentage	144,260	Template:Percentage	200,520	Template:Percentage	249,535	Template:Percentage
Bengali	120,605	Template:Percentage	69,490	Template:Percentage	34,650	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.1%
Romanian	116,520	Template:Percentage	97,180	Template:Percentage	60,520	Template:Percentage	30,520	Template:Percentage
Dutch	107,985	Template:Percentage	135,085	Template:Percentage	157,875	Template:Percentage	173,290	Template:Percentage
CreeTemplate:Efn	105,850	Template:Percentage	96,690	Template:Percentage	97,200	Template:Percentage	93,825	Template:Percentage
Japanese	98,070	Template:Percentage	74,690	Template:Percentage	65,030	Template:Percentage	45,370	Template:Percentage
Hebrew	83,205	Template:Percentage	70,695	Template:Percentage	63,675	Template:Percentage	52,450	Template:Percentage
Turkish	78,500	Template:Percentage	44,080	Template:Percentage	32,520	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.1%
Malayalam	77,910	Template:Percentage	22,125	Template:Percentage	9,185	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.1%
Hungarian	64,625	Template:Percentage	73,695	Template:Percentage	89,230	Template:Percentage	97,410	Template:Percentage
Ilocano	61,680	Template:Percentage	21,880	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.03%	N/A	<0.1%
Somali	59,005	Template:Percentage	37,115	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.03%	N/A	<0.1%
Swahili	57,295	Template:Percentage	31,690	Template:Percentage	25,300	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.1%
Telugu	54,685	Template:Percentage	12,645	Template:Percentage	N/A	<0.03%	N/A	<0.1%

Knowledge of official languages

Knowledge of Official Languages in Canada

Language	2021<ref name="language2021B">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2016<ref name="language2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2011<ref name="language2011B"/>		2006<ref name="language2006">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2001<ref name="language2001"/><ref name="language2001C"/>		1996<ref name="language1996">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1991<ref name="language1991B">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1981<ref name="language1981">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="language1981B">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	[[Population|Template:Abbr]]	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
English total	31,628,570	Template:Percentage	29,973,590	Template:Percentage	28,360,235	Template:Percentage	26,578,795	Template:Percentage	25,246,220	Template:Percentage	23,975,565	Template:Percentage	22,505,415	Template:Percentage	19,804,855	Template:Percentage
French total	10,563,235	Template:Percentage	10,360,750	Template:Percentage	9,960,585	Template:Percentage	9,590,700	Template:Percentage	9,178,100	Template:Percentage	8,920,405	Template:Percentage	8,508,960	Template:Percentage	7,669,205	Template:Percentage
English only	25,261,655	Template:Percentage	23,757,525	Template:Percentage	22,564,665	Template:Percentage	21,129,945	Template:Percentage	20,014,645	Template:Percentage	19,134,245	Template:Percentage	18,106,760	Template:Percentage	16,122,895	Template:Percentage
French only	4,087,895	Template:Percentage	4,144,685	Template:Percentage	4,165,015	Template:Percentage	4,141,850	Template:Percentage	3,946,525	Template:Percentage	4,079,085	Template:Percentage	4,110,305	Template:Percentage	3,987,245	Template:Percentage
English & French	6,581,680	Template:Percentage	6,216,065	Template:Percentage	5,795,570	Template:Percentage	5,448,850	Template:Percentage	5,231,575	Template:Percentage	4,841,320	Template:Percentage	4,398,655	Template:Percentage	3,681,960	Template:Percentage
Neither English nor French	689,725	Template:Percentage	648,970	Template:Percentage	595,920	Template:Percentage	520,385	Template:Percentage	446,285	Template:Percentage	473,475	Template:Percentage	378,320	Template:Percentage	291,395	Template:Percentage

Speakers by mother tongue

First language	2016		2011		2006		Notes
	[[Population|Template:Abbr]]	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
Single language responses	33,947,610	Template:Percentage	32,481,635	Template:Percentage	30,848,270	Template:Percentage
Official languages	26,627,545	Template:Percentage	25,913,955	Template:Percentage	24,700,425	Template:Percentage
English	19,460,855	Template:Percentage	18,858,980	Template:Percentage	17,882,775	Template:Percentage
French	7,166,700	Template:Percentage	7,054,975	Template:Percentage	6,817,650	Template:Percentage
Non-official languages	7,321,070	Template:Percentage	6,567,680	Template:Percentage	6,147,840	Template:Percentage
Combined Chinese Responses	1,227,680	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Combined responses of Mandarin, Cantonese, Chinese n.o.s. and Min Nan
Mandarin (Standard Chinese)	592,035	Template:Percentage	248,705	Template:Percentage	170,950	Template:Percentage
Cantonese	565,275	Template:Percentage	372,460	Template:Percentage	361,450	Template:Percentage
Punjabi	501,680	Template:Percentage	430,705	Template:Percentage	367,505	Template:Percentage
Spanish	458,850	Template:Percentage	410,670	Template:Percentage	345,345	Template:Percentage
Tagalog (Filipino)	431,385	Template:Percentage	327,445	Template:Percentage	235,615	Template:Percentage
Arabic	419,895	Template:Percentage	327,870	Template:Percentage	261,640	Template:Percentage
German	384,040	Template:Percentage	409,200	Template:Percentage	450,570	Template:Percentage
Italian	375,645	Template:Percentage	407,485	Template:Percentage	455,040	Template:Percentage
Hindustani	321,465	Template:Percentage	263,345	Template:Percentage	224,045	Template:Percentage	Combined responses of Hindi and Urdu
Portuguese	221,535	Template:Percentage	211,335	Template:Percentage	219,275	Template:Percentage
Persian (Farsi)	214,200	Template:Percentage	170,045	Template:Percentage	134,080	Template:Percentage
Urdu	210,820	Template:Percentage	172,800	Template:Percentage	145,805	Template:Percentage
Russian	188,255	Template:Percentage	164,330	Template:Percentage	133,580	Template:Percentage
Polish	181,705	Template:Percentage	191,645	Template:Percentage	211,175	Template:Percentage
Vietnamese	156,430	Template:Percentage	144,880	Template:Percentage	141,625	Template:Percentage
Korean	153,425	Template:Percentage	137,925	Template:Percentage	125,570	Template:Percentage
Tamil	140,720	Template:Percentage	131,265	Template:Percentage	115,880	Template:Percentage	Most of the Canadian Tamils live in Toronto.
Hindi	110,645	Template:Percentage	90,545	Template:Percentage	78,240	Template:Percentage
Gujarati	108,775	Template:Percentage	91,450	Template:Percentage	81,465	Template:Percentage
Greek	106,520	Template:Percentage	108,925	Template:Percentage	117,285	Template:Percentage
Ukrainian	102,485	Template:Percentage	111,540	Template:Percentage	134,500	Template:Percentage
Dutch	99,015	Template:Percentage	110,490	Template:Percentage	128,900	Template:Percentage
Romanian	96,660	Template:Percentage	90,300	Template:Percentage	78,495	Template:Percentage
Bengali	73,125	Template:Percentage	59,370	Template:Percentage	45,685	Template:Percentage
Creoles	72,130	Template:Percentage	61,725	Template:Percentage	53,515	Template:Percentage
Cree, n.o.s.Template:Refn	64,045	Template:Percentage	77,900	Template:Percentage	78,855	Template:Percentage	In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to simply as 'Cree'.
Hungarian	61,235	Template:Percentage	67,920	Template:Percentage	73,335	Template:Percentage	The majority of Hungarian speakers in Canada live in Ontario. A community of Hungarian speakers is found within a part of Windsor, Ontario.
Berber languages (Kabyle)	n/a	n/a	57,855	Template:Percentage	25,578	Template:Percentage
Serbian	57,345	Template:Percentage	56,420	Template:Percentage	51,665	Template:Percentage
Croatian	48,200	Template:Percentage	49,730	Template:Percentage	55,330	Template:Percentage
Japanese	43,640	Template:Percentage	39,985	Template:Percentage	40,200	Template:Percentage
Chinese, n.o.s.Template:Refn	38,575	Template:Percentage	425,210	Template:Percentage	456,705	Template:Percentage
Somali	36,760	Template:Percentage	31,380	Template:Percentage	27,320	Template:Percentage
Inuktitut	35,215	Template:Percentage	33,500	Template:Percentage	32,015	Template:Percentage	In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to as 'Inuktitut, n.i.e.'.Template:Refn
Armenian	33,455	Template:Percentage	29,795	Template:Percentage	30,130	Template:Percentage
Turkish	32,815	Template:Percentage	29,640	Template:Percentage	24,745	Template:Percentage
Min Nan (Chaochow, Teochow, Fukien, Taiwanese)	31,795	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Malayalam	28,570	Template:Percentage	16,080	Template:Percentage	11,925	Template:Percentage
Albanian	26,895	Template:Percentage	23,820	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Ilocano	26,345	Template:Percentage	17,915	Template:Percentage	13,450	Template:Percentage
Amharic	22,465	Template:Percentage	18,020	Template:Percentage	14,555	Template:Percentage
Czech	22,295	Template:Percentage	23,585	Template:Percentage	24,450	Template:Percentage
Khmer (Cambodian)	20,130	Template:Percentage	19,440	Template:Percentage	19,105	Template:Percentage
Bulgarian	20,020	Template:Percentage	19,050	Template:Percentage	16,790	Template:Percentage
Hebrew	19,530	Template:Percentage	18,450	Template:Percentage	17,635	Template:Percentage
Niger–Congo languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	19,140	Template:Percentage	14,075	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Nepali	18,275	Template:Percentage	8,480	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Ojibway	17,885	Template:Percentage	17,625	Template:Percentage	24,190	Template:Percentage
Slovak	17,585	Template:Percentage	17,580	Template:Percentage	18,820	Template:Percentage
Pashto	16,910	Template:Percentage	12,465	Template:Percentage	9,025	Template:Percentage
Macedonian	16,770	Template:Percentage	17,245	Template:Percentage	18,435	Template:Percentage
Tigrigna	16,650	Template:Percentage	10,220	Template:Percentage	7,105	Template:Percentage
Sinhala	16,335	Template:Percentage	14,185	Template:Percentage	10,180	Template:Percentage
Bisayan languages	n/a	n/a	16,240	Template:Percentage	11,240	Template:Percentage
Telugu	15,655	Template:Percentage	9,315	Template:Percentage	6,625	Template:Percentage
Finnish	15,295	Template:Percentage	17,415	Template:Percentage	21,030	Template:Percentage
Yiddish	13,555	Template:Percentage	15,205	Template:Percentage	16,295	Template:Percentage
Akan (Twi)	13,460	Template:Percentage	12,680	Template:Percentage	12,780	Template:Percentage
Swahili	13,375	Template:Percentage	10,090	Template:Percentage	7,935	Template:Percentage
Wu (Shanghainese)	12,920	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oji-Cree	12,855	Template:Percentage	9,835	Template:Percentage	11,690	Template:Percentage
Lao	12,670	Template:Percentage	12,970	Template:Percentage	13,940	Template:Percentage
Danish	12,630	Template:Percentage	14,145	Template:Percentage	18,735	Template:Percentage
Malay	12,275	Template:Percentage	10,910	Template:Percentage	9,490	Template:Percentage
Bosnian	12,210	Template:Percentage	11,685	Template:Percentage	12,790	Template:Percentage
Sindhi	11,860	Template:Percentage	11,330	Template:Percentage	10,355	Template:Percentage
Kurdish	11,705	Template:Percentage	9,805	Template:Percentage	7,660	Template:Percentage
Hakka	10,910	Template:Percentage	5,115	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Dene, n.o.s.Template:Refn	10,700	Template:Percentage	11,215	Template:Percentage	9,745	Template:Percentage
Afrikaans	10,260	Template:Percentage	8,770	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Montagnais (Innu)	10,230	Template:Percentage	10,785	Template:Percentage	10,975	Template:Percentage	In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to as 'Montagnais-Naskapi'.
Slovenian	9,785	Template:Percentage	10,775	Template:Percentage	13,135	Template:Percentage
Taiwanese	n/a	n/a	9,635	Template:Percentage	9,620	Template:Percentage
Serbo-Croatian	9,555	Template:Percentage	10,155	Template:Percentage	12,510	Template:Percentage	All varieties of Serbo-Croatian (Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian) combined would enumerate a total of 127,310 speakers (Template:Percentage of total population).
African languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	n/a	n/a	9,125	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Thai	9,255	Template:Percentage	7,935	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Marathi	8,295	Template:Percentage	5,830	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Bantu languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	n/a	n/a	7,150	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Lithuanian	7,075	Template:Percentage	7,245	Template:Percentage	8,335	Template:Percentage
Swedish	6,840	Template:Percentage	7,350	Template:Percentage	8,220	Template:Percentage
Mi'kmaq	6,690	Template:Percentage	7,635	Template:Percentage	7,365	Template:Percentage
Tibetan	6,165	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Atikamekw	6,150	Template:Percentage	5,820	Template:Percentage	5,250	Template:Percentage
Canadian Gaelic	n/a	n/a	6,015	Template:Percentage	6,015	Template:Percentage
Fukien (Fuzhou dialect)	n/a	n/a	5,925	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Rundi (Kirundi)	5,845	Template:Percentage	3,975	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Maltese	5,565	Template:Percentage	6,220	Template:Percentage	6,405	Template:Percentage
Estonian	5,445	Template:Percentage	6,385	Template:Percentage	8,240	Template:Percentage
Latvian	5,455	Template:Percentage	6,200	Template:Percentage	7,000	Template:Percentage
Kinyarwanda (Rwanda)	5,250	Template:Percentage	3,895	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Indo-Iranian languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	5,180	Template:Percentage	5,255	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Oromo	4,960	Template:Percentage	11,140	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Norwegian	4,615	Template:Percentage	5,800	Template:Percentage	7,225	Template:Percentage
Tibetan languages	n/a	n/a	4,640	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Sino-Tibetan languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	n/a	n/a	4,360	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Sign languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	4,125	Template:Percentage	3,815	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Vlaams (Flemish)	3,895	Template:Percentage	4,690	Template:Percentage	5,660	Template:Percentage
Lingala	3,810	Template:Percentage	3,085	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Burmese	3,585	Template:Percentage	2,985	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Stoney	3,025	Template:Percentage	3,050	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Shanghainese	n/a	n/a	2,920	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Blackfoot	2,815	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	3,085	Template:Percentage
Slavic languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	2,420	Template:Percentage	3,630	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Semitic languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	2,155	Template:Percentage	16,970	Template:Percentage	n/a	n/a
Frisian	2,095	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	2,890	Template:Percentage
Dogrib (Tlicho)	1,645	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	2,020	Template:Percentage
Tibeto-Burman languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	1,405	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux)	1,265	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	5,585	Template:Percentage
Algonquin	1,260	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,920	Template:Percentage
Scottish Gaelic	1,095	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Welsh	1,075	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Carrier	1,030	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,560	<0.01%
Inuinnaqtun (Inuvialuktun)	1,020	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	365	<0.01%
Mohawk	985	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	290	<0.01%
South Slavey	950	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,605	Template:Percentage	Also known as Dene Yatıé or Dene Zhatıé, or Dené Dháh.
Gitxsan (Gitksan)	880	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,180	<0.01%
North Slavey	765	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,065	<0.01%	Also known as Sahtúgot’įné Yatı̨́, K’ashógot’įne Goxedǝ́, and Shíhgot’įne Yatı̨́.
Tsilhqot'in	655	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	1,070	<0.01%	Also spelled Chilcotin.
Celtic languages, n.i.e.Template:Refn	530	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dënësųłıné	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	525	<0.01%
Michif	465	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Shuswap (Secwepemctsin)	445	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	935	<0.01%
Nisga'a	400	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	680	<0.01%
Malecite	300	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	535	<0.01%
Kutchin-Gwich’in (Loucheux)	260	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	360	<0.01%
Tlingit	95	<0.01%	n/a	n/a	80	<0.01%
Other languages	n/a	n/a	77,890	Template:Percentage	172,650	Template:Percentage
Multiple language responses	818,640	Template:Percentage	639,540	Template:Percentage	392,760	Template:Percentage
English and French	165,335	Template:Percentage	144,685	Template:Percentage	98,630	Template:Percentage
English and a non-official language	533,260	Template:Percentage	396,330	Template:Percentage	240,005	Template:Percentage
French and a non-official language	86,145	Template:Percentage	74,430	Template:Percentage	43,335	Template:Percentage
English, French, and a non-official language	33,900	Template:Percentage	24,095	Template:Percentage	10,790	Template:Percentage
Total<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Topic-based tabulations|Detailed Mother Tongue (103), Knowledge of Official Languages, 2006 Census of Canada Template:Webarchive</ref>||34,767,250||Template:Percentage||33,121,175||Template:Percentage||31,241,030||Template:Percentage||

Language used most often at work

Language used most often at work

Language	% of total population (2006)<ref name=languagesatwork2006>Statistics Canada – Language used at work1 by frequency of language used at work and mother tongue, 2006 counts</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
English	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
French	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
Non-official	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
English and French	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
English and non-official	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
OtherTemplate:Efn	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage

Language used most often at home

Language used most often at home

Language	% of total population (2006)<ref>The percentage figures cited are the top languages spoken as a home language in Canada, shown as a percentage of total single responses. Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census Profile of Federal Electoral Districts (2003 Representation Order): Language, Mobility and Migration and Immigration and Citizenship. Ottawa, 2007, pp. 6–10. Data available online at: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
English	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
French	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
Non-official	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
English and non-official	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
English and French	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage
OtherTemplate:Efn	Template:Percentage	Template:Percentage

See also

• Demographics of Canada
• Immigration to Canada
• Franco-Albertans
• Franco-Columbian
• Franco-Manitoban
• Franco-Ontarian
• Fransaskois
• Franco-Ténois
• Franco-Newfoundlander
• Franco-Yukonnais
• Quebec English
• Quebec French
• Newfoundland French
• Italian language in Canada

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Ethnologue report for Canada
• The evolution of language populations in Canada, by mother tongue, from 1901 to 2016 (Statistics Canada)
• The Atlas of Canada – Mother tongue English
• The Atlas of Canada – Mother tongue French
• The Atlas of Canada – English-French Bilingualism
• 2006 Census: Aboriginal data
• Linguistic maps of Canada with 50 indigenous languages
• Language Portal of Canada Template:Webarchive
• Comparative Summary