Facts about the English-speaking communities of Quebec (2024)

Most English-mother tongue Quebecers can speak French…

  • English-mother tongue Quebecers represent:
    • 2% of Canada’s population
    • 9% of all bilingual Canadians
    • 27% of all bilingual Canadians with English as a mother tongue
  • 71% of English-mother tongue Quebecers can speak both English and French
  • Among English-speaking survey respondents from Quebec:
    • 92% said they had at least a basic understanding of French
    • Only 2% said they could not understand French at all

And most use it!

  • 65% of English-mother tongue workers in Quebec regularly use French at work
  • Over half of English-mother tongue school-aged children in Quebec have French as a language of instruction at school
  • Among those Quebecers who have both English and French as mother tongues, 87% regularly speak French at home
  • 69% of children in English-French households in Quebec have French as a mother tongue

76% of English-speaking Quebecers have regular contact with Francophones at least once a week... and the vast majority of interactions are positive!

  • As reported by:
    • 89% of Francophones
    • 81% of Anglophones

Most English-speaking Quebecers appreciate French-language culture

  • 55% are interested in French-language cultural products, such as books, music, film or television
  • 58% attend French-language arts and cultural events, such as shows, festivals or exhibitions

Looking to the future…

  • 67% of Anglophones agree that misconceptions about each other are a problem
  • 61% of Francophones agree that misconceptions about each other are a problem
  • Nearly 90% of Quebecers think that encouraging more positive social interactions would help improve relations among Anglophones and Francophones in the province, especially through activities such as:
    • youth exchanges
    • social clubs
    • music
    • sports
    • special interests
  • 77% of Anglophone Quebecers agree that Anglophone Quebecers can play an important role as a bridge between Francophone Quebecers and Anglophones in the rest of Canada
  • 71% of Francophone Quebecers agree that Anglophone Quebecers can play an important role as a bridge between Francophone Quebecers and Anglophones in the rest of Canada

To learn more about the English presence in Quebec, check out our snapshot!