What Canadians think about bilingualism and the Official Languages Act (2021)
Support for the Official Languages Act remains strong across Canada – 87% support (2016: 88%)
| Region | Results (regional changes were within the margins of error) |
|---|---|
| Canada overall | 87% (88% in 2016) |
| British Columbia and the territories | 87% (84% in 2016) |
| Alberta | 80% (90% in 2016) |
| Saskatchewan and Manitoba | 78% (83% in 2016) |
| Ontario | 87% (87% in 2016) |
| Quebec | 95% (92% in 2016) |
| Atlantic | 86% (91% in 2016) |
- 90% of 18- to 34-year-olds support the Official Languages Act
- 89% of 35- to 54-year-olds support the Official Languages Act
- 84% of those 55 and older support the Official Languages Act
| Support according to language of respondents | Strongly support | Somewhat support |
|---|---|---|
| Bilingual | 65% | 27% |
| Unilingual | 48% | 35% |
| French | 67% | 28% |
| English | 53% | 33% |
Most commonly cited reason for support, in all regions:
The Act recognizes Canada’s history, status and culture as a bilingual country.
Canadians agree
- 94% - Federal services should be in English and French
- 84% - Personally in favour of bilingualism for all of Canada
- 82% - The prime minister of Canada should be bilingual
- 79% - Because English and French are part of our history, it makes sense that they have equal status
- 78% - Having two official languages is one of the things that really defines Canada
- 77% - Supreme Court judges should be bilingual
- 77% - In times of crisis, political leaders should speak to Canadians in their preferred official language
- 75% - Major events in Canada like the World Cup should take place in both official languages
Advantages of bilingualism: Percentage of respondents who agree
- Job opportunities: 93% of respondents
- Provide better service: 93% of respondents
- Meet Canadians who speak the other official language: 89% of respondents
- Travel abroad: 88% of respondents
- Become familiar with another culture: 87% of respondents
Survey conducted by Environics for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages in September and October 2021. The telephone survey results (sample: 1,507 respondents) have a margin of error at the national level of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.