Language

Official language knowledge and bilingualism rates. — 2021 Census of Population

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EnglishFrenchBilingualNeither Official

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

Predominant Language

Most common official language knowledge, shaded by percentage of population

Distribution by riding

Most common knowledge of the official languages by federal riding, 2021 Census. English only in 260 of 343 ridings, English and French in 43, French only in 40. Highest share: 98.2% (English only, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River).

Colour

Find a riding

Median riding 89.5%

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Vertical axis: Share of the largest group (%)

Each dot is one federal riding (343 with a figure; 2023 Representation Order), placed by its value and spread across the axis so that dots do not overlap. The line marks the median riding (89.5%). Colour: the largest group, as on the map; position: that group’s share.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population.

Highest and lowest ridings

Most common knowledge of the official languages by federal riding, 2021 Census. 343 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 (89.5%).

10 highest

The 10 ridings with the highest values: most common knowledge of the official languages, 2021 Census
Rank	Riding	Share
1	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverSKEnglish only	98.2%
2	Terra Nova—The PeninsulasNLEnglish only	98.0%
3	Yorkton—MelvilleSKEnglish only	97.6%
4	Churchill—Keewatinook AskiMBEnglish only	97.3%
5	Central NewfoundlandNLEnglish only	97.2%
6	Souris—Moose MountainSKEnglish only	97.1%
7	Battle River—CrowfootABEnglish only	97.0%
8	Swift Current—Grasslands—KindersleySKEnglish only	96.7%
9	Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow LakeSKEnglish only	96.6%
10	Long Range MountainsNLEnglish only	96.4%

10 lowest

The 10 ridings with the lowest values: most common knowledge of the official languages, 2021 Census, lowest first
Rank	Riding	Share
343	Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—EeyouQCFrench only	43.1%
341	Ottawa—Vanier—GloucesterONEnglish only	47.7%
341	Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelQCEnglish and French	47.7%
340	Kapuskasing—Timmins—MushkegowukONEnglish only	49.5%
338	Moncton—DieppeNBEnglish only	49.8%
338	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—VerchèresQCFrench only	49.8%
337	Beloeil—ChamblyQCEnglish and French	50.1%
336	Québec CentreQCEnglish and French	50.2%
334	Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—HuntingdonQCFrench only	50.5%
334	Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-NapiervilleQCEnglish and French	50.5%

All 343 ridings, ranked

All ridings ranked by most common knowledge of the official languages, 2021 Census, highest first
Rank	Riding	Province or territory	Largest group	Share
1	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Saskatchewan	English only	98.2%
2	Terra Nova—The Peninsulas	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	98.0%
3	Yorkton—Melville	Saskatchewan	English only	97.6%
4	Churchill—Keewatinook Aski	Manitoba	English only	97.3%
5	Central Newfoundland	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	97.2%
6	Souris—Moose Mountain	Saskatchewan	English only	97.1%
7	Battle River—Crowfoot	Alberta	English only	97.0%
8	Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley	Saskatchewan	English only	96.7%
9	Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake	Saskatchewan	English only	96.6%
10	Long Range Mountains	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	96.4%
11	Haldimand—Norfolk	Ontario	English only	96.3%
12	Ponoka—Didsbury	Alberta	English only	96.0%
12	Riding Mountain	Manitoba	English only	96.0%
14	Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner	Alberta	English only	95.9%
14	Regina—Qu'Appelle	Saskatchewan	English only	95.9%
16	Sydney—Glace Bay	Nova Scotia	English only	95.7%
17	Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek	Saskatchewan	English only	95.6%
18	Bow River	Alberta	English only	95.5%
19	Cariboo—Prince George	British Columbia	English only	95.4%
19	Perth—Wellington	Ontario	English only	95.4%
21	Avalon	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	95.3%
21	Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies	British Columbia	English only	95.3%
23	Huron—Bruce	Ontario	English only	95.2%
23	Oxford	Ontario	English only	95.2%
25	Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola	British Columbia	English only	95.1%
25	Parkland	Alberta	English only	95.1%
27	Chilliwack—Hope	British Columbia	English only	95.0%
27	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes	Ontario	English only	95.0%
27	Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan	Saskatchewan	English only	95.0%
30	Skeena—Bulkley Valley	British Columbia	English only	94.8%
31	Foothills	Alberta	English only	94.7%
31	Kenora—Kiiwetinoong	Ontario	English only	94.7%
33	Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations	Ontario	English only	94.5%
33	Elgin—St. Thomas—London South	Ontario	English only	94.5%
33	Lethbridge	Alberta	English only	94.5%
36	Brandon—Souris	Manitoba	English only	94.3%
36	Cumberland—Colchester	Nova Scotia	English only	94.3%
36	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Ontario	English only	94.3%
39	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Ontario	English only	94.2%
39	Prince Albert	Saskatchewan	English only	94.2%
39	Red Deer	Alberta	English only	94.2%
42	Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North	Ontario	English only	94.1%
43	Thunder Bay—Rainy River	Ontario	English only	94.0%
44	Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga	Ontario	English only	93.9%
45	Central Nova	Nova Scotia	English only	93.8%
45	Middlesex—London	Ontario	English only	93.8%
45	Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman	Manitoba	English only	93.8%
48	Peace River—Westlock	Alberta	English only	93.7%
49	Leduc—Wetaskiwin	Alberta	English only	93.6%
49	Niagara West	Ontario	English only	93.6%
51	Grande Prairie	Alberta	English only	93.5%
51	Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong	Ontario	English only	93.5%
51	Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee	British Columbia	English only	93.5%
54	Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies	British Columbia	English only	93.4%
54	Lakeland	Alberta	English only	93.4%
56	Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies	British Columbia	English only	93.3%
56	Northumberland—Clarke	Ontario	English only	93.3%
56	Saskatoon West	Saskatchewan	English only	93.3%
56	Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay	British Columbia	English only	93.3%
60	Dufferin—Caledon	Ontario	English only	93.2%
60	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Ontario	English only	93.2%
60	Hamilton Mountain	Ontario	English only	93.2%
60	Kings—Hants	Nova Scotia	English only	93.2%
60	Oshawa	Ontario	English only	93.2%
60	Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan	Alberta	English only	93.2%
60	Winnipeg North	Manitoba	English only	93.2%
67	Calgary East	Alberta	English only	93.1%
67	South Shore—St. Margarets	Nova Scotia	English only	93.1%
69	Calgary Shepard	Alberta	English only	93.0%
69	York—Durham	Ontario	English only	93.0%
71	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Ontario	English only	92.9%
71	Cambridge	Ontario	English only	92.9%
71	Courtenay—Alberni	British Columbia	English only	92.9%
71	Cowichan—Malahat—Langford	British Columbia	English only	92.9%
75	Cape Spear	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	92.8%
75	Kitchener—Conestoga	Ontario	English only	92.8%
75	Nanaimo—Ladysmith	British Columbia	English only	92.8%
75	Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge	British Columbia	English only	92.8%
75	Simcoe—Grey	Ontario	English only	92.8%
80	Barrie South—Innisfil	Ontario	English only	92.7%
80	Cloverdale—Langley City	British Columbia	English only	92.7%
80	Peterborough	Ontario	English only	92.7%
83	Kildonan—St. Paul	Manitoba	English only	92.6%
83	Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	92.6%
83	New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury	Ontario	English only	92.6%
86	Edmonton Northwest	Alberta	English only	92.5%
86	St. Catharines	Ontario	English only	92.5%
88	Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna	British Columbia	English only	92.4%
89	Brampton Centre	Ontario	English only	92.3%
89	Calgary Heritage	Alberta	English only	92.3%
89	Calgary Midnapore	Alberta	English only	92.3%
89	Kelowna	British Columbia	English only	92.3%
89	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Ontario	English only	92.3%
89	Langley Township—Fraser Heights	British Columbia	English only	92.3%
95	Fort McMurray—Cold Lake	Alberta	English only	92.2%
95	Simcoe North	Ontario	English only	92.2%
97	Bay of Quinte	Ontario	English only	92.1%
97	Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake	Ontario	English only	92.1%
97	Regina—Lewvan	Saskatchewan	English only	92.1%
100	London—Fanshawe	Ontario	English only	92.0%
101	Edmonton Manning	Alberta	English only	91.9%
101	Edmonton West	Alberta	English only	91.9%
101	North Island—Powell River	British Columbia	English only	91.9%
104	Brampton—Chinguacousy Park	Ontario	English only	91.8%
104	Portage—Lisgar	Manitoba	English only	91.8%
104	Wellington—Halton Hills North	Ontario	English only	91.8%
107	Airdrie—Cochrane	Alberta	English only	91.7%
107	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	Ontario	English only	91.7%
107	Saskatoon South	Saskatchewan	English only	91.7%
107	Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park	Ontario	English only	91.7%
111	Regina—Wascana	Saskatchewan	English only	91.6%
112	Bowmanville—Oshawa North	Ontario	English only	91.5%
112	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Ontario	English only	91.5%
112	Edmonton Gateway	Alberta	English only	91.5%
115	Scarborough—Woburn	Ontario	English only	91.3%
116	Kitchener Centre	Ontario	English only	91.2%
116	Saskatoon—University	Saskatchewan	English only	91.2%
118	Calgary Crowfoot	Alberta	English only	91.1%
119	Edmonton Centre	Alberta	English only	91.0%
119	Edmonton Griesbach	Alberta	English only	91.0%
119	Etobicoke North	Ontario	English only	91.0%
119	Pickering—Brooklin	Ontario	English only	91.0%
123	Abbotsford—South Langley	British Columbia	English only	90.9%
123	Calgary Skyview	Alberta	English only	90.9%
123	Edmonton Southeast	Alberta	English only	90.9%
123	St. Albert—Sturgeon River	Alberta	English only	90.9%
123	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Ontario	English only	90.9%
123	Winnipeg West	Manitoba	English only	90.9%
129	Burlington	Ontario	English only	90.8%
129	Calgary McKnight	Alberta	English only	90.8%
129	Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford	British Columbia	English only	90.8%
129	Yellowhead	Alberta	English only	90.8%
133	Milton East—Halton Hills South	Ontario	English only	90.7%
133	Scarborough Southwest	Ontario	English only	90.7%
135	Calgary Nose Hill	Alberta	English only	90.6%
135	Elmwood—Transcona	Manitoba	English only	90.6%
135	Whitby	Ontario	English only	90.6%
135	York Centre	Ontario	English only	90.6%
139	Ajax	Ontario	English only	90.5%
139	Brampton West	Ontario	English only	90.5%
139	Mississauga—Malton	Ontario	English only	90.5%
142	Edmonton Riverbend	Alberta	English only	90.4%
142	Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke	British Columbia	English only	90.4%
142	London Centre	Ontario	English only	90.4%
142	Winnipeg Centre	Manitoba	English only	90.4%
146	Hamilton Centre	Ontario	English only	90.3%
146	London West	Ontario	English only	90.3%
146	Niagara South	Ontario	English only	90.3%
146	Nunavut	Nunavut	English only	90.3%
146	York South—Weston—Etobicoke	Ontario	English only	90.3%
151	Humber River—Black Creek	Ontario	English only	90.2%
152	Burlington North—Milton West	Ontario	English only	90.1%
152	King—Vaughan	Ontario	English only	90.1%
154	Brampton North—Caledon	Ontario	English only	90.0%
155	Mississauga Centre	Ontario	English only	89.9%
156	Brampton South	Ontario	English only	89.8%
156	Fleetwood—Port Kells	British Columbia	English only	89.8%
156	Port Moody—Coquitlam	British Columbia	English only	89.8%
159	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Ontario	English only	89.7%
159	New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville	British Columbia	English only	89.7%
159	Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East	Ontario	English only	89.7%
159	St. John's East	Newfoundland and Labrador	English only	89.7%
163	Calgary Signal Hill	Alberta	English only	89.6%
163	Delta	British Columbia	English only	89.6%
163	Guelph	Ontario	English only	89.6%
163	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Ontario	English only	89.6%
163	Mississauga—Streetsville	Ontario	English only	89.6%
163	Saanich—Gulf Islands	British Columbia	English only	89.6%
163	Thunder Bay—Superior North	Ontario	English only	89.6%
163	Waterloo	Ontario	English only	89.6%
171	Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam	British Columbia	English only	89.5%
171	South Surrey—White Rock	British Columbia	English only	89.5%
173	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Ontario	English only	89.4%
174	Etobicoke Centre	Ontario	English only	89.2%
175	Newmarket—Aurora	Ontario	English only	89.0%
175	Surrey Centre	British Columbia	English only	89.0%
177	Burnaby North—Seymour	British Columbia	English only	88.8%
178	Brampton East	Ontario	English only	88.7%
179	Northwest Territories	Northwest Territories	English only	88.6%
180	Windsor West	Ontario	English only	88.5%
181	Calgary Confederation	Alberta	English only	88.4%
182	Sackville—Bedford—Preston	Nova Scotia	English only	88.3%
182	Thornhill	Ontario	English only	88.3%
184	Burnaby Central	British Columbia	English only	88.2%
185	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario	English only	88.1%
185	Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore	Ontario	English only	88.1%
187	Essex	Ontario	English only	88.0%
188	Eglinton—Lawrence	Ontario	English only	87.9%
188	North Vancouver—Capilano	British Columbia	English only	87.9%
188	Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma	Ontario	English only	87.9%
191	Dartmouth—Cole Harbour	Nova Scotia	English only	87.8%
191	Edmonton Strathcona	Alberta	English only	87.8%
191	Winnipeg South Centre	Manitoba	English only	87.8%
194	Willowdale	Ontario	English only	87.7%
195	Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish	Nova Scotia	English only	87.6%
195	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes	Ontario	English only	87.6%
197	Cardigan	Prince Edward Island	English only	87.5%
197	West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country	British Columbia	English only	87.5%
199	Markham—Stouffville	Ontario	English only	87.4%
200	Calgary Centre	Alberta	English only	87.3%
200	Malpeque	Prince Edward Island	English only	87.3%
202	Surrey Newton	British Columbia	English only	87.2%
202	Vancouver Centre	British Columbia	English only	87.2%
204	Don Valley North	Ontario	English only	87.1%
204	Halifax West	Nova Scotia	English only	87.1%
206	Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke	Ontario	English only	87.0%
206	Lanark—Frontenac	Ontario	English only	87.0%
208	Saint John—St. Croix	New Brunswick	English only	86.9%
209	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Ontario	English only	86.8%
209	Oakville East	Ontario	English only	86.8%
211	Oakville West	Ontario	English only	86.5%
212	Tobique—Mactaquac	New Brunswick	English only	86.4%
212	Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby	British Columbia	English only	86.4%
214	Richmond Hill South	Ontario	English only	86.3%
215	Don Valley West	Ontario	English only	86.1%
216	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario	English only	85.9%
216	Spadina—Harbourfront	Ontario	English only	85.9%
216	Winnipeg South	Manitoba	English only	85.9%
219	Beaches—East York	Ontario	English only	85.8%
220	Richmond East—Steveston	British Columbia	English only	85.7%
220	Victoria	British Columbia	English only	85.7%
222	Charlottetown	Prince Edward Island	English only	85.5%
223	Toronto Centre	Ontario	English only	85.4%
224	Yukon	Yukon	English only	85.2%
225	Richmond Centre—Marpole	British Columbia	English only	85.1%
225	Vancouver Granville	British Columbia	English only	85.1%
227	Egmont	Prince Edward Island	English only	84.5%
227	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario	English only	84.5%
229	Vancouver Kingsway	British Columbia	English only	84.3%
230	Markham—Unionville	Ontario	English only	84.2%
231	Halifax	Nova Scotia	English only	84.1%
232	Provencher	Manitoba	English only	83.4%
232	Vancouver Quadra	British Columbia	English only	83.4%
234	Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park	Ontario	English only	83.2%
235	Lac-Saint-Jean	Quebec	French only	83.1%
236	Vancouver East	British Columbia	English only	83.0%
237	Saint John—Kennebecasis	New Brunswick	English only	82.8%
238	Davenport	Ontario	English only	82.7%
239	Scarborough North	Ontario	English only	82.6%
240	Scarborough—Agincourt	Ontario	English only	82.5%
241	Markham—Thornhill	Ontario	English only	82.2%
242	Toronto—Danforth	Ontario	English only	81.9%
243	University—Rosedale	Ontario	English only	81.0%
244	Fundy Royal	New Brunswick	English only	80.3%
245	Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata	Quebec	French only	79.9%
246	Jonquière	Quebec	French only	78.7%
247	Acadie—Annapolis	Nova Scotia	English only	78.3%
248	St. Boniface—St. Vital	Manitoba	English only	78.0%
249	Rimouski—La Matapédia	Quebec	French only	77.6%
250	Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière	Quebec	French only	77.1%
251	Saint-Maurice—Champlain	Quebec	French only	75.8%
252	Chicoutimi—Le Fjord	Quebec	French only	75.5%
253	Beauce	Quebec	French only	74.9%
254	Fredericton—Oromocto	New Brunswick	English only	74.6%
255	Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan	Quebec	French only	73.8%
256	Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak	Quebec	French only	73.2%
257	Miramichi—Grand Lake	New Brunswick	English only	72.9%
257	Nipissing—Timiskaming	Ontario	English only	72.9%
259	Berthier—Maskinongé	Quebec	French only	72.8%
260	Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton	Quebec	French only	71.5%
261	Lac-Saint-Louis	Quebec	English and French	71.1%
262	Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj	Quebec	French only	70.7%
263	Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis	Quebec	French only	70.2%
264	Kanata	Ontario	English only	69.9%
265	Richmond—Arthabaska	Quebec	French only	69.8%
266	Drummond	Quebec	French only	69.6%
267	Carleton	Ontario	English only	69.4%
268	Ottawa West—Nepean	Ontario	English only	69.2%
269	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount	Quebec	English and French	69.1%
270	Laurier—Sainte-Marie	Quebec	English and French	68.8%
270	Nepean	Ontario	English only	68.8%
270	Vaudreuil	Quebec	English and French	68.8%
273	Abitibi—Témiscamingue	Quebec	French only	68.5%
273	Montmorency—Charlevoix	Quebec	French only	68.5%
275	Sudbury	Ontario	English only	68.3%
276	Joliette—Manawan	Quebec	French only	68.1%
277	Hull—Aylmer	Quebec	English and French	67.0%
278	Outremont	Quebec	English and French	66.0%
279	Pierrefonds—Dollard	Quebec	English and French	65.8%
280	Trois-Rivières	Quebec	French only	65.6%
281	Beauséjour	New Brunswick	English and French	65.3%
282	Prescott—Russell—Cumberland	Ontario	English and French	65.1%
283	Brossard—Saint-Lambert	Quebec	English and French	64.5%
283	Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie	Quebec	English and French	64.5%
285	Laval—Les Îles	Quebec	English and French	64.3%
286	Gatineau	Quebec	English and French	64.2%
287	Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles	Quebec	French only	63.7%
288	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs	Quebec	English and French	63.2%
289	LaSalle—Émard—Verdun	Quebec	English and French	63.0%
290	Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier	Quebec	French only	62.9%
291	Beauport—Limoilou	Quebec	French only	62.1%
291	Montcalm	Quebec	French only	62.1%
293	Lévis—Lotbinière	Quebec	French only	62.0%
293	Shefford	Quebec	French only	62.0%
295	Ottawa South	Ontario	English only	61.7%
295	Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry	Ontario	English only	61.7%
297	Rivière-du-Nord	Quebec	French only	61.3%
298	Mount Royal	Quebec	English and French	61.2%
299	Marc-Aurèle-Fortin	Quebec	English and French	60.9%
300	Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi	Quebec	English and French	60.6%
301	Laurentides—Labelle	Quebec	French only	60.0%
302	Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle	Quebec	English and French	59.8%
303	Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk	Quebec	French only	59.7%
304	Saint-Laurent	Quebec	English and French	59.6%
305	Madawaska—Restigouche	New Brunswick	English and French	58.9%
306	Ahuntsic-Cartierville	Quebec	English and French	58.7%
307	Alfred-Pellan	Quebec	English and French	58.0%
307	Vimy	Quebec	English and French	58.0%
309	Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie	Quebec	English and French	57.8%
310	Ottawa Centre	Ontario	English only	57.5%
311	Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est	Quebec	English and French	57.4%
312	La Prairie—Atateken	Quebec	English and French	57.2%
313	Thérèse-De Blainville	Quebec	English and French	57.0%
314	Repentigny	Quebec	French only	56.7%
314	Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt	Ontario	English only	56.7%
316	Saint-Jean	Quebec	French only	56.3%
317	Papineau	Quebec	English and French	55.8%
318	Rivière-des-Mille-Îles	Quebec	English and French	55.2%
319	Honoré-Mercier	Quebec	English and French	55.1%
320	Terrebonne	Quebec	French only	53.7%
321	Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation	Quebec	English and French	53.6%
322	Louis-Hébert	Quebec	English and French	53.3%
323	Compton—Stanstead	Quebec	French only	52.9%
324	Orléans	Ontario	English and French	52.8%
325	Brome—Missisquoi	Quebec	English and French	52.4%
326	La Pointe-de-l'Île	Quebec	French only	52.3%
326	Les Pays-d'en-Haut	Quebec	English and French	52.3%
328	Longueuil—Saint-Hubert	Quebec	English and French	52.2%
329	Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne	Quebec	English and French	51.2%
329	Mirabel	Quebec	French only	51.2%
331	Sherbrooke	Quebec	French only	51.0%
332	Bourassa	Quebec	French only	50.9%
333	Acadie—Bathurst	New Brunswick	English and French	50.8%
334	Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon	Quebec	French only	50.5%
334	Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville	Quebec	English and French	50.5%
336	Québec Centre	Quebec	English and French	50.2%
337	Beloeil—Chambly	Quebec	English and French	50.1%
338	Moncton—Dieppe	New Brunswick	English only	49.8%
338	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères	Quebec	French only	49.8%
340	Kapuskasing—Timmins—Mushkegowuk	Ontario	English only	49.5%
341	Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester	Ontario	English only	47.7%
341	Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel	Quebec	English and French	47.7%
343	Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou	Quebec	French only	43.1%

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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Language — 2021 Census

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Language in Canada

Canada's two official languages — English and French — define its political geography as much as any demographic variable. The 2021 Census found that 75.5 percent of Canadians could speak English only, 13.0 percent were bilingual (English and French), 6.5 percent spoke French only, and 4.6 percent spoke neither official language. The language map reveals three distinct Canadas: an overwhelmingly anglophone west and Atlantic region, a heavily francophone Quebec interior, and a bilingual corridor running from eastern Ontario through Montreal to the Maritimes.

Bilingualism

Canada's bilingualism rate of 18 percent (including Quebec) masks the fact that bilingualism is almost entirely a Quebec and eastern Ontario phenomenon. The highest bilingual rates are in ridings straddling the Ontario-Quebec border or in Montreal's diverse suburbs: Lac-Saint-Louis (70.4%), Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount (68.3%), and Vaudreuil (68.1%). Prescott–Russell–Cumberland in eastern Ontario (64.0%) and Beauséjour in New Brunswick (64.3%) represent the francophone minorities outside Quebec who maintain functional bilingualism.

West of Ontario, bilingualism rates drop below 10 percent in most ridings — a geographic reality that makes federal bilingualism requirements a contentious political issue.

French Only

French unilingualism is concentrated in Quebec's rural heartland. Lac-Saint-Jean leads at 82.0 percent, followed by Côte-du-Sud–Rivière-du-Loup (78.6%) and Jonquière (77.9%). These are ridings far from the Ontario border and Montreal's anglophone communities, where there is little economic incentive to learn English. The map shows a clear gradient: French-only rates decline from the Saguenay and Bas-Saint-Laurent toward Montreal and the Ottawa Valley.

Neither Official Language

The share of residents who speak neither English nor French is a proxy for recent immigration from non-English, non-French countries. Scarborough North leads at 13.5 percent, followed by Markham–Thornhill (12.9%) and Scarborough–Agincourt (12.4%). These are ridings with large populations of elderly Chinese immigrants who arrived through family reunification and may never have needed to learn English for employment.

Riding Rankings

Most Bilingual Ridings

Rank	Riding	Bilingual %
1	Lac-Saint-Louis	70.4%
2	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount	68.3%
3	Vaudreuil	68.1%
4	Laurier–Sainte-Marie	67.8%
5	Outremont	65.4%
6	Hull–Aylmer	65.4%
7	Pierrefonds–Dollard	65.1%
8	Beauséjour	64.3%
9	Prescott–Russell–Cumberland	64.0%
10	Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie	63.8%

The bilingual belt runs from Montreal's West Island (Lac-Saint-Louis, Pierrefonds–Dollard) through downtown Montreal (Laurier–Sainte-Marie, Outremont) across the Ottawa River to the Outaouais (Hull–Aylmer) and eastern Ontario (Prescott–Russell). Beauséjour in New Brunswick — Canada's only officially bilingual province — is the sole entry outside this corridor. In these ridings, residents switch between languages daily for work, shopping, and social life.

Most French-Only Ridings

Rank	Riding	French Only %
1	Lac-Saint-Jean	82.0%
2	Côte-du-Sud–Rivière-du-Loup–Kataskomiq–Témiscouata	78.6%
3	Jonquière	77.9%
4	Rimouski–La Matapédia	76.7%
5	Mégantic–L'Érable–Lotbinière	76.2%
6	Chicoutimi–Le Fjord	75.0%
7	Saint-Maurice–Champlain	74.9%
8	Beauce	74.0%
9	Côte-Nord–Kawawachikamach–Nitassinan	72.8%
10	Montmorency–Charlevoix	72.7%

All ten are in Quebec's rural and small-city regions — the Saguenay, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Beauce, Côte-Nord. These are the ridings farthest from English influence, where francophone culture is most homogeneous and where Quebec's language protection laws are least controversial because English is simply not present in daily life.

Highest Neither-Official-Language Rate

Rank	Riding	Neither %
1	Scarborough North	13.5%
2	Markham–Thornhill	12.9%
3	Scarborough–Agincourt	12.4%
4	Markham–Unionville	10.5%
5	Richmond Centre–Marpole	10.5%
6	Surrey Newton	10.1%
7	Vancouver Kingsway	9.5%
8	Richmond East–Steveston	9.4%
9	Vancouver Fraserview–South Burnaby	9.3%
10	Surrey Centre	7.6%

The list splits between the Chinese-Canadian corridor of the GTA (Scarborough, Markham) and the South Asian and Chinese communities of Metro Vancouver (Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver Kingsway). These ridings contain Canada's most established immigrant communities, where ethnic enclaves provide services in heritage languages and older family members may live entirely within their linguistic community.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Riding boundaries reflect the 2022 Federal Electoral Districts. Adapted from Statistics Canada; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Adapted from Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.