Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census

The letter C inside a yellow triangle - correctionUpdate of the 2016 Census language data

Province of Quebec

Data quality

Data quality note(s): Province of Quebec

  • Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.
  • Global non-response rate (GNR), short-form census questionnaire: 3.7%.

Most common mother tongue languages other than English or French, Quebec, 2016

Language Number Percentage of population with a mother tongue other than English or French Percentage of total population
Arabic 202,520 17.3 2.5
Spanish 157,135 13.4 1.9
Italian 113,155 9.6 1.4
Creole, n.o.s. 65,275 5.6 0.8
Mandarin 45,530 3.9 0.6

Most common languages other than English or French spoken at home1, Quebec, 2016

Language Number Percentage of population who spoke at least one language other than English or French at home Percentage of total population
Arabic 213,055 18.1 2.6
Spanish 181,045 15.4 2.2
Italian 92,135 7.8 1.1
Creole, n.o.s. 78,050 6.6 1.0
Mandarin 48,030 4.1 0.6

Figure 1.1 Official language minority (number and proportion), Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Figure 1.1 description Figure 1.1 Official language minority (number and proportion), Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Figure 1.2 Rate of English-French bilingualism, Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Figure 1.2 description Long description for Figure 1.2 Rate of English-French bilingualism, Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Knowledge of official languages, Quebec, 2011 and 2016

Language 2016 2011
Number Percent Number Percent
Total 8,066,560 100 7,815,955 100
English 372,450 4.6 363,860 4.7
French 4,032,635 50.0 4,047,175 51.8
English and French 3,586,410 44.5 3,328,725 42.6
Neither English nor French 75,065 0.9 76,195 1.0

Mother tongue4, Quebec, 2011 and 2016

Language 2016 2011
Number Percent Number Percent
Total 8,066,555 100 7,815,955 100
English 718,985 8.9 700,410 9.0
French 6,377,080 79.1 6,231,600 79.7
Other languages 1,173,345 14.5 1,049,715 13.4
Aboriginal languages 47,025 0.6 44,535 0.6
Immigrant languages 1,124,020 13.9 1,003,390 12.8

Figure 1.3 Mother tongue other than English or French, Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Figure 1.3 description Long description for Figure 1.3 Mother tongue other than English or French, Quebec, 1991 to 2016

Language spoken at home1, Quebec, 2011 and 2016

Language Only5 Mostly6 Equally7 Regularly8 Total
2016
English 483,295 298,895 183,430 579,695 1,545,310
French 5,741,620 634,045 268,420 381,495 7,025,580
Other languages 316,865 269,020 236,105 353,440 1,175,430
Aboriginal languages 21,335 18,855 2,405 5,955 48,550
Immigrant languages 293,930 249,995 232,020 346,385 1,122,335
2011
English 481,675 285,745 144,945 515,495 1,427,855
French 5,687,000 562,080 201,290 351,525 6,801,900
Other languages 309,900 244,505 173,500 321,670 1,049,575
Aboriginal languages 23,205 15,790 1,075 4,860 44,925
Immigrant languages 285,330 228,565 171,180 315,630 1,000,700

Language of work

English used at work, Quebec, 2006 and 2016

English used at work 2016 2006
Number Percent Number Percent
All instances 1,924,635 42.5 1,719,705 40.4
Only 207,820 4.6 197,545 4.6
Mostly 333,895 7.4 333,110 7.8
Equally with another language 334,375 7.4 199,040 4.7
Regularly (in addition to the main language) 1,048,540 23.1 990,005 23.3
No mention 2,605,135 57.5 2,535,225 59.6
Total population9 4,529,770 100 4,254,925 100

French used at work, Quebec, 2006 and 2016

French used at work 2016 2006
Number Percent Number Percent
All instances 4,273,935 94.4 4,012,740 94.3
Only 2,560,465 56.5 2,492,505 58.6
Mostly 1,051,520 23.2 995,890 23.4
Equally with another language 335,355 7.4 198,635 4.7
Regularly (in addition to the main language) 326,590 7.2 325,710 7.7
No mention 255,835 5.6 242,180 5.7
Total population9 4,529,770 100 4,254,925 100

Languages other than English or French used at work, Quebec, 2006 and 2016

Languages other than English or French used at work 2016 2006
Number Percent Number Percent
All instances 130,690 2.9 118,135 2.8
Only 14,610 0.3 15,495 0.4
Mostly 19,550 0.4 16,825 0.4
Equally with another language 26,280 0.6 18,275 0.4
Regularly (in addition to the main language) 70,255 1.6 67,545 1.6
No mention 4,399,075 97.1 4,136,795 97.2
Total population9 4,529,770 100 4,254,925 100

Symbols:

···
not applicable
··
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement
r
revised
E
use with caution

Source:

Statistics Canada. 2017. Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-404-X2016001. Ottawa, Ontario. Data products, 2016 Census.

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