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Mother Tongue

Mother tongue language distribution, highlighting non-official language diversity. — 2011 Census of Population

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EnglishFrenchMandarinCantonesePunjabiTagalogSpanishArabicOther Non-Official

Opacity indicates share of population — darker means a higher percentage.

Predominant Language

Most common mother tongue, shaded by percentage of population

Distribution by riding

Most common mother tongue by federal riding, 2011 Census. English in 233 of 308 ridings, French in 75. Highest share: 99.4% (English, Avalon).

Colour

  • Median riding 82.9%

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Vertical axis: Share of the largest group (%)

Each dot is one federal riding (308 with a figure; 2003 Representation Order), placed by its value and spread across the axis so that dots do not overlap. The line marks the median riding (82.9%). Colour: the largest group, as on the map; position: that group’s share.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population.

Highest and lowest ridings

Most common mother tongue by federal riding, 2011 Census. 308 ridings ranked from highest (1) to lowest; tied values share a rank. Bars start at zero on one scale; the vertical line marks the median riding (82.9%).

10 highest

The 10 ridings with the highest values: most common mother tongue, 2011 Census
RankRidingBarShare
1AvalonNLEnglish99.4%
2Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—WindsorNLEnglish99.2%
2Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—MatapédiaQCFrench99.2%
2Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-LoupQCFrench99.2%
5Humber—St. Barbe—Baie VerteNLEnglish99.1%
5Roberval—Lac-Saint-JeanQCFrench99.1%
7BeauceQCFrench98.9%
7Jonquière—AlmaQCFrench98.9%
7Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les BasquesQCFrench98.9%
10Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-NordQCFrench98.7%

10 lowest

The 10 ridings with the lowest values: most common mother tongue, 2011 Census, lowest first
RankRidingBarShare
308NunavutNUEnglish28.4%
307Scarborough—AgincourtONEnglish30.2%
306Saint-Laurent—CartiervilleQCFrench31.7%
305Vancouver SouthBCEnglish32.1%
304Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelQCFrench32.8%
303Mont-RoyalQCEnglish33.0%
302RichmondBCEnglish33.3%
301Markham—UnionvilleONEnglish34.2%
300WillowdaleONEnglish35.1%
299Pierrefonds—DollardQCEnglish35.5%
All 308 ridings, ranked
All ridings ranked by most common mother tongue, 2011 Census, highest first
RankRidingProvince or territoryLargest groupShare
1AvalonNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish99.4%
2Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—WindsorNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish99.2%
2Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—MatapédiaQuebecFrench99.2%
2Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-LoupQuebecFrench99.2%
5Humber—St. Barbe—Baie VerteNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish99.1%
5Roberval—Lac-Saint-JeanQuebecFrench99.1%
7BeauceQuebecFrench98.9%
7Jonquière—AlmaQuebecFrench98.9%
7Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les BasquesQuebecFrench98.9%
10Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-NordQuebecFrench98.7%
11Random—Burin—St. George'sNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish98.6%
12Chicoutimi—Le FjordQuebecFrench98.4%
12Lévis—BellechasseQuebecFrench98.4%
14Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-ChaudièreQuebecFrench98.3%
15Mégantic—L'ÉrableQuebecFrench98.2%
16Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—BécancourQuebecFrench98.1%
17Berthier—MaskinongéQuebecFrench98.0%
18St. John's South—Mount PearlNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish97.8%
19Portneuf—Jacques-CartierQuebecFrench97.3%
20Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit ValleyNova ScotiaEnglish97.2%
20South Shore—St. Margaret'sNova ScotiaEnglish97.2%
22DrummondQuebecFrench96.9%
22Saint-Hyacinthe—BagotQuebecFrench96.9%
22Trois-RivièresQuebecFrench96.9%
25Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-CharlesQuebecFrench96.8%
25Louis-Saint-LaurentQuebecFrench96.8%
27St. John's EastNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish96.5%
28Central NovaNova ScotiaEnglish96.4%
29Kings—HantsNova ScotiaEnglish96.2%
30Verchères—Les PatriotesQuebecFrench96.1%
31CardiganPrince Edward IslandEnglish95.9%
31MalpequePrince Edward IslandEnglish95.9%
31Richmond—ArthabaskaQuebecFrench95.9%
34Rivière-du-NordQuebecFrench95.8%
35Abitibi—TémiscamingueQuebecFrench95.7%
36Sackville—Eastern ShoreNova ScotiaEnglish95.6%
37Saint-JeanQuebecFrench95.3%
38Beauport—LimoilouQuebecFrench95.2%
39Saint-Maurice—ChamplainQuebecFrench94.9%
40Fundy RoyalNew BrunswickEnglish94.7%
41RepentignyQuebecFrench94.6%
41SheffordQuebecFrench94.6%
43Chambly—BorduasQuebecFrench94.5%
43New Brunswick SouthwestNew BrunswickEnglish94.5%
45Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockOntarioEnglish94.4%
45Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and AddingtonOntarioEnglish94.4%
45MontcalmQuebecFrench94.4%
48JolietteQuebecFrench94.1%
48Prince Edward—HastingsOntarioEnglish94.1%
50PeterboroughOntarioEnglish93.6%
51Parry Sound—MuskokaOntarioEnglish93.5%
52Northumberland—Quinte WestOntarioEnglish93.3%
53Laurentides—LabelleQuebecFrench93.2%
53Souris—Moose MountainSaskatchewanEnglish93.2%
55Leeds—GrenvilleOntarioEnglish92.9%
55Sydney—VictoriaNova ScotiaEnglish92.9%
57Bruce—Grey—Owen SoundOntarioEnglish92.8%
57Dartmouth—Cole HarbourNova ScotiaEnglish92.8%
59QuébecQuebecFrench92.7%
60DurhamOntarioEnglish92.3%
61Terrebonne—BlainvilleQuebecFrench92.0%
62Huron—BruceOntarioEnglish91.6%
62Nanaimo—CowichanBritish ColumbiaEnglish91.6%
62Regina—Lumsden—Lake CentreSaskatchewanEnglish91.6%
62Vancouver Island NorthBritish ColumbiaEnglish91.6%
66Saint JohnNew BrunswickEnglish91.4%
66SherbrookeQuebecFrench91.4%
68Louis-HébertQuebecFrench91.2%
69Kootenay—ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaEnglish91.0%
69Regina—Qu'AppelleSaskatchewanEnglish91.0%
71Renfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeOntarioEnglish90.8%
72Argenteuil—Papineau—MirabelQuebecFrench90.7%
72Sarnia—LambtonOntarioEnglish90.7%
74Lambton—Kent—MiddlesexOntarioEnglish90.5%
74YellowheadAlbertaEnglish90.5%
76Cape Breton—CansoNova ScotiaEnglish90.4%
76Simcoe NorthOntarioEnglish90.4%
78Okanagan—ShuswapBritish ColumbiaEnglish90.3%
78Prince George—Peace RiverBritish ColumbiaEnglish90.3%
80OxfordOntarioEnglish90.2%
80Simcoe—GreyOntarioEnglish90.2%
82Kamloops—Thompson—CaribooBritish ColumbiaEnglish90.1%
82WetaskiwinAlbertaEnglish90.1%
84Red DeerAlbertaEnglish89.9%
85Thunder Bay—Rainy RiverOntarioEnglish89.7%
86BrantOntarioEnglish89.6%
87Haldimand—NorfolkOntarioEnglish89.5%
87Nanaimo—AlberniBritish ColumbiaEnglish89.5%
89EgmontPrince Edward IslandEnglish89.4%
90CharlottetownPrince Edward IslandEnglish89.2%
91Beauharnois—SalaberryQuebecFrench89.0%
91Cariboo—Prince GeorgeBritish ColumbiaEnglish89.0%
91Vegreville—WainwrightAlbertaEnglish89.0%
94Wellington—Halton HillsOntarioEnglish88.9%
95PalliserSaskatchewanEnglish88.6%
96Esquimalt—Juan de FucaBritish ColumbiaEnglish88.5%
97BarrieOntarioEnglish88.3%
97Prince AlbertSaskatchewanEnglish88.3%
99Wild RoseAlbertaEnglish88.1%
100Battlefords—LloydminsterSaskatchewanEnglish88.0%
100Chilliwack—Fraser CanyonBritish ColumbiaEnglish88.0%
100Okanagan—CoquihallaBritish ColumbiaEnglish88.0%
100OshawaOntarioEnglish88.0%
104Yorkton—MelvilleSaskatchewanEnglish87.8%
105Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-MadeleineQuebecFrench87.7%
105MacleodAlbertaEnglish87.7%
107LabradorNewfoundland and LabradorEnglish87.6%
107Sault Ste. MarieOntarioEnglish87.6%
109HalifaxNova ScotiaEnglish87.5%
109Halifax WestNova ScotiaEnglish87.5%
111Perth—WellingtonOntarioEnglish87.4%
111Skeena—Bulkley ValleyBritish ColumbiaEnglish87.4%
113CrowfootAlbertaEnglish87.3%
113Longueuil—Pierre-BoucherQuebecFrench87.3%
113Rivière-des-Mille-ÎlesQuebecFrench87.3%
116FrederictonNew BrunswickEnglish87.2%
117GatineauQuebecFrench87.0%
118Charleswood—St. James—AssiniboiaManitobaEnglish86.9%
119York—SimcoeOntarioEnglish86.8%
120Selkirk—InterlakeManitobaEnglish86.7%
121Kingston and the IslandsOntarioEnglish86.6%
121Westlock—St. PaulAlbertaEnglish86.6%
123British Columbia Southern InteriorBritish ColumbiaEnglish86.4%
124Kelowna—Lake CountryBritish ColumbiaEnglish86.3%
125Brandon—SourisManitobaEnglish85.8%
126Compton—StansteadQuebecFrench85.7%
127BlackstrapSaskatchewanEnglish85.6%
127Elgin—Middlesex—LondonOntarioEnglish85.6%
129Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—MissionBritish ColumbiaEnglish85.2%
129Whitby—OshawaOntarioEnglish85.2%
131VictoriaBritish ColumbiaEnglish85.0%
132Dufferin—CaledonOntarioEnglish84.9%
132LethbridgeAlbertaEnglish84.9%
134Acadie—BathurstNew BrunswickFrench84.8%
134Cypress Hills—GrasslandsSaskatchewanEnglish84.8%
136YukonYukonEnglish84.7%
137EssexOntarioEnglish84.6%
137La Pointe-de-l'ÎleQuebecFrench84.6%
139Saanich—Gulf IslandsBritish ColumbiaEnglish84.4%
140Edmonton—Sherwood ParkAlbertaEnglish84.3%
140Niagara West—GlanbrookOntarioEnglish84.3%
142LangleyBritish ColumbiaEnglish84.2%
142West NovaNova ScotiaEnglish84.2%
144Saskatoon—HumboldtSaskatchewanEnglish84.1%
145BurlingtonOntarioEnglish84.0%
146WascanaSaskatchewanEnglish83.9%
147Dauphin—Swan River—MarquetteManitobaEnglish83.7%
147Saskatoon—WanuskewinSaskatchewanEnglish83.7%
149ManicouaganQuebecFrench83.6%
150Saskatoon—Rosetown—BiggarSaskatchewanEnglish83.5%
151Calgary SoutheastAlbertaEnglish83.2%
152KenoraOntarioEnglish83.1%
153Thunder Bay—Superior NorthOntarioEnglish83.0%
154Brome—MissisquoiQuebecFrench82.9%
154Medicine HatAlbertaEnglish82.9%
156Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—WestdaleOntarioEnglish82.7%
156Madawaska—RestigoucheNew BrunswickFrench82.7%
158Marc-Aurèle-FortinQuebecFrench82.5%
158Saint-Bruno—Saint-HubertQuebecFrench82.5%
158WellandOntarioEnglish82.5%
161Niagara FallsOntarioEnglish82.2%
162CambridgeOntarioEnglish81.5%
162St. CatharinesOntarioEnglish81.5%
164Chatham-Kent—EssexOntarioEnglish81.3%
164Tobique—MactaquacNew BrunswickEnglish81.3%
166Winnipeg South CentreManitobaEnglish81.2%
167Edmonton—Spruce GroveAlbertaEnglish80.6%
168Fort McMurray—AthabascaAlbertaEnglish80.4%
168London WestOntarioEnglish80.4%
170GuelphOntarioEnglish80.3%
170Peace RiverAlbertaEnglish80.3%
172Elmwood—TransconaManitobaEnglish79.6%
173Nipissing—TimiskamingOntarioEnglish79.4%
174West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky CountryBritish ColumbiaEnglish79.0%
175London North CentreOntarioEnglish78.8%
175South Surrey—White Rock—CloverdaleBritish ColumbiaEnglish78.8%
177Châteauguay—Saint-ConstantQuebecFrench78.5%
178Ajax—PickeringOntarioEnglish78.2%
179London—FanshaweOntarioEnglish78.0%
180Edmonton—St. AlbertAlbertaEnglish77.8%
181Calgary Centre-NorthAlbertaEnglish77.7%
182Rosemont—La Petite-PatrieQuebecFrench77.6%
183Carleton—Mississippi MillsOntarioEnglish77.5%
183Western ArcticNorthwest TerritoriesEnglish77.5%
185Newmarket—AuroraOntarioEnglish77.4%
186HochelagaQuebecFrench77.3%
187Edmonton—StrathconaAlbertaEnglish76.9%
188Calgary WestAlbertaEnglish76.1%
189Pickering—Scarborough EastOntarioEnglish75.7%
190Windsor—TecumsehOntarioEnglish75.6%
191Saint-LambertQuebecFrench75.5%
192PontiacQuebecFrench75.4%
193Stormont—Dundas—South GlengarryOntarioEnglish75.0%
194Calgary CentreAlbertaEnglish74.6%
195Kitchener—ConestogaOntarioEnglish74.3%
196Kitchener CentreOntarioEnglish74.0%
196OakvilleOntarioEnglish74.0%
198North VancouverBritish ColumbiaEnglish73.7%
199Edmonton CentreAlbertaEnglish73.6%
199Kitchener—WaterlooOntarioEnglish73.6%
201Hamilton MountainOntarioEnglish73.2%
202Hamilton CentreOntarioEnglish73.1%
203Calgary SouthwestAlbertaEnglish72.9%
204Edmonton—LeducAlbertaEnglish72.6%
205Nepean—CarletonOntarioEnglish72.4%
206Laurier—Sainte-MarieQuebecFrench72.3%
207Saint BonifaceManitobaEnglish71.7%
208Kildonan—St. PaulManitobaEnglish71.6%
209HaltonOntarioEnglish71.3%
210Calgary EastAlbertaEnglish70.7%
211Ottawa CentreOntarioEnglish70.6%
212Hamilton East—Stoney CreekOntarioEnglish70.3%
212Winnipeg SouthManitobaEnglish70.3%
214MiramichiNew BrunswickEnglish70.2%
215Beaches—East YorkOntarioEnglish70.0%
215SudburyOntarioEnglish70.0%
217St. Paul'sOntarioEnglish69.4%
218Hull—AylmerQuebecFrench69.3%
219Vaudreuil-SoulangesQuebecFrench69.0%
220Alfred-PellanQuebecFrench68.6%
221Portage—LisgarManitobaEnglish67.9%
222ProvencherManitobaEnglish67.3%
223Edmonton EastAlbertaEnglish67.2%
224AbbotsfordBritish ColumbiaEnglish67.0%
224Winnipeg CentreManitobaEnglish67.0%
226Windsor WestOntarioEnglish66.7%
227Mississauga SouthOntarioEnglish66.0%
228New Westminster—CoquitlamBritish ColumbiaEnglish65.5%
229Edmonton—Mill Woods—BeaumontAlbertaEnglish65.4%
229Ottawa West—NepeanOntarioEnglish65.4%
231LavalQuebecFrench65.3%
232Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverSaskatchewanEnglish64.7%
233Algoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingOntarioEnglish64.6%
234Vancouver CentreBritish ColumbiaEnglish64.3%
235Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—EeyouQuebecFrench64.0%
236Toronto—DanforthOntarioEnglish63.7%
237Calgary—Nose HillAlbertaEnglish63.6%
238Brossard—La PrairieQuebecFrench63.5%
239Eglinton—LawrenceOntarioEnglish63.1%
240Parkdale—High ParkOntarioEnglish63.0%
241Delta—Richmond EastBritish ColumbiaEnglish62.8%
242Timmins—James BayOntarioEnglish62.1%
243ChurchillManitobaEnglish62.0%
243Vancouver QuadraBritish ColumbiaEnglish62.0%
245Port Moody—Westwood—Port CoquitlamBritish ColumbiaEnglish61.8%
246Toronto CentreOntarioEnglish61.7%
246Winnipeg NorthManitobaEnglish61.7%
248Trinity—SpadinaOntarioEnglish60.2%
249Etobicoke—LakeshoreOntarioEnglish59.7%
249Glengarry—Prescott—RussellOntarioFrench59.7%
251Moncton—Riverview—DieppeNew BrunswickEnglish59.4%
252Scarborough SouthwestOntarioEnglish59.3%
253Jeanne-Le BerQuebecFrench58.6%
254BeauséjourNew BrunswickFrench58.3%
255Vancouver EastBritish ColumbiaEnglish57.7%
256Brampton WestOntarioEnglish57.6%
257Nickel BeltOntarioEnglish56.3%
258AhuntsicQuebecFrench56.2%
258Honoré-MercierQuebecFrench56.2%
258Ottawa SouthOntarioEnglish56.2%
261Scarborough—GuildwoodOntarioEnglish56.1%
262Mississauga—StreetsvilleOntarioEnglish55.7%
263Brampton—SpringdaleOntarioEnglish55.1%
264Ottawa—OrléansOntarioEnglish54.7%
265Don Valley WestOntarioEnglish54.4%
266Etobicoke CentreOntarioEnglish54.1%
267BourassaQuebecFrench54.0%
268Oak Ridges—MarkhamOntarioEnglish52.2%
269Fleetwood—Port KellsBritish ColumbiaEnglish51.6%
270Ottawa—VanierOntarioEnglish50.6%
271Laval—Les ÎlesQuebecFrench50.3%
272York South—WestonOntarioEnglish49.9%
273Calgary NortheastAlbertaEnglish49.7%
274Bramalea—Gore—MaltonOntarioEnglish49.3%
275Mississauga—ErindaleOntarioEnglish49.2%
276PapineauQuebecFrench48.5%
277Burnaby—DouglasBritish ColumbiaEnglish47.8%
278Lac-Saint-LouisQuebecEnglish47.6%
278Scarborough CentreOntarioEnglish47.6%
278ThornhillOntarioEnglish47.6%
281DavenportOntarioEnglish47.5%
281VaughanOntarioEnglish47.5%
283Surrey NorthBritish ColumbiaEnglish46.2%
284Etobicoke NorthOntarioEnglish45.5%
285LaSalle—ÉmardQuebecFrench45.4%
286Newton—North DeltaBritish ColumbiaEnglish44.6%
287York WestOntarioEnglish44.0%
288OutremontQuebecFrench43.9%
289Burnaby—New WestminsterBritish ColumbiaEnglish43.4%
290Don Valley EastOntarioEnglish42.1%
291Mississauga—Brampton SouthOntarioEnglish41.6%
292Vancouver KingswayBritish ColumbiaEnglish40.5%
292York CentreOntarioEnglish40.5%
294Richmond HillOntarioEnglish40.4%
295Mississauga East—CooksvilleOntarioEnglish39.6%
296Scarborough—Rouge RiverOntarioEnglish37.4%
297Westmount—Ville-MarieQuebecEnglish36.9%
298Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—LachineQuebecFrench36.5%
299Pierrefonds—DollardQuebecEnglish35.5%
300WillowdaleOntarioEnglish35.1%
301Markham—UnionvilleOntarioEnglish34.2%
302RichmondBritish ColumbiaEnglish33.3%
303Mont-RoyalQuebecEnglish33.0%
304Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelQuebecFrench32.8%
305Vancouver SouthBritish ColumbiaEnglish32.1%
306Saint-Laurent—CartiervilleQuebecFrench31.7%
307Scarborough—AgincourtOntarioEnglish30.2%
308NunavutNunavutEnglish28.4%

Share: the percentage in the largest group, the group shown on the map. Riding names link to the riding's dissemination-area map for this topic.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population. Adapted from Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2011. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.