Special interest

Canadian Megatrends explores some of the sweeping changes that have had a lasting impact on Canadian society and economy.

The evolution of language populations in Canada, by mother tongue, from 1901 to 2016

At the beginning of the 20th century, the mother tongue of most Canadians was either French or English. In 1901, about one-tenth of the population declared an Aboriginal language or an immigrant language as their mother tongue. The concept of mother tongue was not defined in the Canadian census until 1941, when it was defined as the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood.

Over the next 115 years, Canada's linguistic profile became considerably more diverse. The share of Canadians with French as a mother tongue declined, while the proportion of Canadians whose mother tongue is neither French nor English increased in line with various waves of immigration over time.

Past Canadian Megatrends (11-630-X)

• Canada's exports over time: Resources and manufactured goods
• Canadian youth and full-time work: A slower transition
• From east to west: 140 years of interprovincial migration
• The evolution of Canadian tourism, 1946 to 2015
• The fall and rise of Canada's top income earners

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