Editing Languages of Canada (section)

===Bilingualism and multilingualism versus English–French bilingualism===
{{gallery
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|File:Knowledge of official languages.JPG|Ability of Canadians to speak English and French 1931–2001<ref name="knowledge">
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). [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] (accessed: June 28, 2010).<br />
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). [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] (accessed: June 28, 2010)<br />
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). [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] (accessed: June 28, 2010).</ref>
|File:Bilingualism in Canada, Quebec, ROC.JPG|Rate of bilingualism (French and English) in Quebec and the rest of Canada, 1941–2006<ref>
1941: 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.<br />
1951: 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.<br />
1961: 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.<br />
1971: 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.<br />
1981: 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).<br />
1986: 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.<br />
1991: 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.<br />
1996: Statistics Canada, "Table 1. Selected Characteristics for Census Subdivisions, 1996 Census – 100% Data and 20% Sample Data," 1996 Census, Catalogue 95-186-XPB.<br />
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). [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] (accessed 10.05.26).<br />
2006: Statistics Canada, Cumulative Profice, 2006 – Provinces and Territories in Canada (table), 2006 Census of Population (Provinces, Sensus Divisions, Municipalities) (database), Using E-STAT (distributor), [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] Retrieved 10.05.26.</ref>
}}
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&nbsp;million. The bilingualism rate of the Canadian population edged up from 17.4% in 2006 to 17.5% in 2011.<ref name="LC">{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/98-314-x/98-314-x2011001-eng.cfm|title=Linguistic Characteristics of Canadians|access-date=May 18, 2020}}</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>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/bilingualism-growing-but-not-in-french-and-english-1.1176469 Bilingualism growing, but not in French and English]</ref>

====Geographic distribution of English–French bilingualism====
{{Further|Bilingual belt}}
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|File:Geographical distribution of bilingual Canadians, as proportion of overall population.JPG|Geographical distribution of bilingual Canadians as compared to total Canadian population 1941–2006. (sources in table below)|Image:Bilinguisme au Canada-fr.svg|[[Bilingual belt|The Bilingual Belt]]. In most of Canada, either English or French is predominant. Only in the intermittent "belt" stretching between northern Ontario and northern New Brunswick, and in a few other isolated pockets, do the two languages mix on a regular basis.{{Legend|#FFE400|English}}{{Legend|#D8A820|English and French (Bilingual Belt)}}{{Legend|#B07400|French}}{{Legend|#F5F5DC|Sparsely populated areas (&lt;&nbsp;0.4 persons per km<sup>2</sup>)}}
}}
{{sticky header}} 
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style=text-align:center" style="margin:1em auto;"
|+ style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.0em; margin-bottom: 0.5em" | 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>[http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-516-x/sectiona/A2_14-eng.csv 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). [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm] (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), [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2012000-eng.htm], retrieved 10.05.26.</ref>|| 5,448,850 || 55.4% || 44.6% || 31,241,030 || 23.8% || 76.2%
|-
|2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/lang/Table.cfm?Lang=E&T=21&Geo=00|title=Knowledge of official languages by age (Total), 2016 counts for the population excluding institutional residents of Canada, provinces and territories, 2016 Census – 100% Data|date=August 2, 2017|website=Statistics Canada}}</ref>
|6,251,485
|57.9%
|42.1%
|34,767,255
|23.2%
|76.8%
|}
According to the [[Canada 2011 Census|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"/>

{{sticky header}} 
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style=text-align:right" style="margin:1em auto;"
|+ Percentage of French-English bilingualism by province/territory (2016 census)
|-
!Province/territory
!% of population
!Total number
!class="unsortable"|Ref.
|-
|align="left"|Quebec
|44.5%
|3,586,410
|<ref name=canquebec/>
|-
|align="left"|New Brunswick
|34%
|249,950
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-new-brunswick|title=Infographic: The French presence in New Brunswick|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123132602/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-new-brunswick|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Northwest Territories
|14%
|4,900
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-northwest-territories|title=Infographic: The French presence in Northwest Territories|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724145719/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-northwest-territories|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Prince Edward Island
|13%
|17,840
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-prince-edward-island|title=Infographic: The French presence in Prince Edward Island|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724144330/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-prince-edward-island|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Ontario
|11.2%
|1,490,390
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-ontario|title=Infographic: The French presence in Ontario|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724144854/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-ontario|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Nova Scotia
|10.5%
|95,380
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-nova-scotia|title=Infographic: The French presence in Nova Scotia|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724144445/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-nova-scotia|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Yukon
|10.3%
|4,275
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-yukon|title=Infographic: The French presence in Yukon|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724145551/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-yukon|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Manitoba
|9%
|108,460
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-manitoba|title=Infographic: The French presence in Manitoba|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=25 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425005951/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-manitoba|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Alberta
|7%
|264,720
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-alberta|title=Infographic: The French presence in Alberta|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=25 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425120750/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-alberta|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|British Columbia
|7%
|314,925
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-british-columbia|title=Infographic: The French presence in British Columbia|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=25 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425120959/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-british-columbia|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Saskatchewan
|5%
|51,560
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-saskatchewan|title=Infographic: The French presence in Saskatchewan|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=10 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610024940/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-saskatchewan|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Newfoundland and Labrador
|5%
|25,940
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-newfoundland-labrador|title=Infographic: The French presence in Newfoundland and Labrador|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Nunavut
|4.3%
|1,525
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-nunavut|title=Infographic: The French presence in Nunavut|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=13 September 2018|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724145842/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/infographics/french-presence-nunavut|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align="left"|'''Canada'''—''Total''
|17.9%
|6,216,065
|<ref name=canquebec>{{cite web|url=https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/canada|title=Fast figures on Canada's official languages (2016)|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages|website=www.clo-ocol.gc.ca|date=4 July 2019|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724003019/https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/statistics/canada|url-status=dead}}</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). [http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/preview-avantgout/pop-stand-normal/cumul-eng.cfm] (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>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|+ Rates of French-English bilingualism among linguistic groups.<ref name="bilinguism-rate">[http://www.salic-slmc.ca/showpage.asp?file=langues_en_presence/langues_off/taux_biling&language=en&updatemenu=true Bilingualism Rate in Canada, Site for Language Management in Canada]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213165703/http://www.salic-slmc.ca/showpage.asp?file=langues_en_presence%2Flangues_off%2Ftaux_biling&language=en&updatemenu=true |date=February 13, 2009 }} (SLMC).</ref>
|-
!
! [[English Canadians|Anglophones]]
! [[French Canadians|Francophones]]
! [[Allophone (Quebec)|Allophones]]
|-
! [[Quebec]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 66.1%
| style="text-align:center;"| 36.6%
| style="text-align:center;"| 50.4%
|-
! [[English Canada|Rest of Canada]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 7.1%
| style="text-align:center;"| 85.1%
| style="text-align:center;"| 5.7%
|}