Which of the following statements about black populations in northern cities is least accurate?

journal article

The African American "Great Migration" and Beyond

Annual Review of Sociology

Vol. 29 (2003)

, pp. 209-232 (24 pages)

Published By: Annual Reviews

//www.jstor.org/stable/30036966

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Abstract

During the twentieth century, African Americans participated in one of the most significant demographic events in U.S. history. Their "Great Migration" from the South to the North contributed to profound social, economic, demographic, and cultural changes in northern cities. After the Great Migration, blacks continued to move in search of opportunity as some returned to the South, while others moved to suburbs or better neighborhoods within the North. My review focuses on the Great Migration by discussing research that has examined its causes, the characteristics of the participants, the adaptation of migrants to northern society, and their impact on northern cities. I also briefly review research on return migration to the South and residential mobility by African Americans. Finally, I identify key issues and discuss possible data sources for future research.

Journal Information

The Annual Review of Sociology®, in publication since 1975, covers the significant developments in the field of Sociology. Topics covered in the journal include major theoretical and methodological developments as well as current research in the major subfields. Review chapters typically cover social processes, institutions and culture, organizations, political and economic sociology, stratification, demography, urban sociology, social policy, historical sociology, and major developments in sociology in other regions of the world. This journal is intended for sociologists and other social scientists, as well as those in the fields of urban and regional planning, social policy and social work. It is also useful for those in government.

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Annual Reviews was founded in 1932 as a nonprofit scientific publisher to help scientists cope with the ever-increasing volume of scientific research. Comprehensive, authoritative, and critical reviews written by the world's leading scientists are now published in twenty-six disciplines in the biological, physical, and social sciences. According to the "Impact Factor" rankings of the Institute for Scientific Information's Science Citation Index, each Annual Review ranks at or near the top of its respective subject category. A searchable title and author database and a collection of abstracts may be found at //www.annualreviews.org//. The web site also provides information and pricing for all printed volumes, online publications, and reprint collections.

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Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series
Diversity of the Black population in Canada: An overview

Release date: February 27, 2019

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On this page
  • Context
  • Population of interest
  • In 2016, close to 1.2 million people in Canada reported being Black
  • The Black population is a young population…
  • …with a history in Canada
  • About half of the Black population is or has ever been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada…
  • …who came at different points in time
  • …and through different gateways to Canada
  • The source regions of immigration have changed over time
  • More than 170 different places of birth for the Black immigrants in Canada
  • Overall, more than 200 ethnic or cultural origins were reported by the Black population in Canada
  • The long established Black population in Canada is more likely to report several ethnic or cultural origins
  • The mother tongues reported among the first generation Black population are much more diverse than the mother tongues among the third generation or more
  • A higher percent of people within the Black population (28.0%) speak French at home compared to the total population (23.3%)
  • The vast majority of the Black population live in large urban areas
  • Atlantic provinces: Longest history
  • Quebec: French speaking
  • Ontario: Largest Black population in Canada
  • The Prairie Provinces: Fastest growing
  • British Columbia: Few recent Black immigrants
  • The Territories: Smallest Black population in Canada
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments

Text begins

Context

The Black population has contributed to Canada’s heritage since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa (a navigator and interpreter for Pierre Du Gua de Mons and Samuel de Champlain), whose presence in Canada dates back to the early 1600s.

Black people in Canada have diverse backgrounds and experiences – while some can trace their roots in Canada for many generations, others have immigrated in recent decades. They have contributed in many ways to the growth, diversity and development of the country.

In conjunction with both the United Nations’ initiatives for the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024), and Black History Month, this portrait aims to highlight the diversity of the Black population in terms of their ethnic and cultural origins, places of birth and languages.

Start of text box

Population of interest

There are many different ways to define and measure the population of interest: a vastly diverse community of people in terms of history, ethnic and cultural origins, place of birth, religion and languages.

For this portrait, the population refers to persons who self-identified as "Black" in the population group question in the Census of Population. Since the 1996 Census, “Black” is one of the population groups listed on the census questionnaire. Respondents can choose to mark one or more population group, or to specify another group. With the exception of respondents who identified as belonging to both Black and White groups, multiple responses are excluded from this analysis.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population 2A-L questionnaire.

Description for questionnaire

The image shows question 19 on population groups from the 2016 Census of Population 2A-L questionnaire. Respondents were asked 'Is this person:' and were instructed to mark one or more of the 11 mark-in categories, or to specify another group in the write-in space, if applicable. The list of mark-in categories are the following:

  • White
  • South Asian (e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, etc.)
  • Chinese
  • Black
  • Filipino
  • Latin American
  • Arab
  • Southeast Asian (e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai, etc.)
  • West Asian (e.g., Iranian, Afghan, etc.)
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Other - specify

End of text box

In 2016, close to 1.2 million people in Canada reported being Black

Data table for Chart 1

Data table for chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 1 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

19962001200620112016numberCanadaBlack populationpercentPercentage of Canada's population
28,528,125 29,639,030 31,241,030 32,852,320 34,460,060
573,860 662,215 783,800 945,665 1,198,545
2.0 2.2 2.5 2.9 3.5
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2016; 2011 National Household Survey.

  • In 20 years, the Black population has doubled in size, going from 573,860 persons in 1996 to 1,198,540 persons in 2016.
  • Among the Black population, 12% have reported being both “White” and “Black” in the 2016 Census.
  • The Black population now accounts for 3.5% of Canada’s total population and 15.6% of the population defined as a visible minority.
  • According to the population projections from Statistics CanadaNote 1, the Black population would continue to increase and could represent between 5.0% and 5.6% of Canada’s population by 2036.
  • Both international net migration (difference between immigration and emigration) and natural increase (difference between births and deaths) have contributed to the growth of the Black population in Canada.

Data table for Chart 2

Data table for chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 2. The information is grouped by Age group (appearing as row headers), Black population , Total population , Male and Female , calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Age groupBlack populationTotal populationMaleFemaleMaleFemalepercent0 to 45 to 910 to 1415 to 1920 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4445 to 4950 to 5455 to 5960 to 6465 to 6970 to 7475 to 7980 to 8485+
9.5 8.6 5.7 5.3
9.6 8.8 6.1 5.6
8.7 8.0 5.8 5.3
8.8 8.0 6.1 5.6
8.4 8.0 6.7 6.2
7.2 7.7 6.7 6.5
7.3 8.0 6.7 6.7
7.5 7.8 6.5 6.7
7.1 7.2 6.4 6.6
6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8
5.7 5.7 7.7 7.7
4.1 4.3 7.5 7.6
3.0 3.2 6.5 6.7
2.6 3.0 5.5 5.7
1.9 2.2 3.9 4.1
1.1 1.4 2.6 3.0
0.6 0.8 1.8 2.1
0.3 0.7 1.2 1.8
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In 2016, the Black population was younger than the total population in Canada. The median age for the Black population was 29.6 years, while it was 40.7 years for the total population.
  • Children under 15 years old represented 26.6% of the Black population, while they represented 16.9% of the total population. At the other end of the age spectrum, 7.3% of the Black population were aged 65 years and over, compared to 15.9% of the total population.
  • Similar to the total population, there are slightly more Black women than Black men. In 2016, 51.6% of the Black population was comprised of women. This was similar to the proportion in the total Canadian population, where 50.8% of the population was comprised of women.

…with a history in Canada

Canada is the top place of birth of the Black population. In 2016, more than four in 10 Black people were born in Canada.

Data table for Chart 3

Data table for chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 3 Black population and Total population, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Black populationTotal populationpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
56.4 23.9
35.0 17.7
8.6 58.4
Note: Generation status indicates for how many generations a person and their family have been in Canada.
First generation: Persons who were born outside Canada.
Second generation: Persons who were born in Canada and had at least one parent born outside Canada.
Third generation: Persons who were born in Canada with both parents born in Canada.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

About half of the Black population is or has ever been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada…

In 2016, about 623,195 Black people were immigrants, which included landed immigrants/permanent residents and Canadian citizens by naturalizationNote 2.

Data table for Chart 4

Data table for chart 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 4 Black population, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Black populationpercentImmigrantNon-permanent residentCanadian citizen by birth
52.0
3.7
44.3
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

…who came at different points in time

Data table for Chart 5

Data table for chart 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 5 Black immigrants, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Black immigrantsnumberBefore 19811981 to 19901991 to 20002001 to 20102011 to 2016
110,805
75,835
113,965
180,855
141,735
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

…and through different gateways to Canada

Data table for Chart 6

Data table for chart 6
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 6 Economic immigrants, Immigrants sponsored by family, Refugees and Other immigrants, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Economic immigrantsImmigrants sponsored by familyRefugeesOther immigrantspercent1981 to 19901991 to 20002001 to 20052006 to 20102011 to 2016
24.4 57.2 18.4 0.0
17.4 53.7 28.5 0.4
26.1 31.1 40.0 2.9
35.6 28.3 32.2 4.0
40.3 27.2 28.7 3.8
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In the late 1960s, Canada’s immigration policy changed significantly. The discriminatory policy based on race or national origins was removed and the first point-based system focusing on criteria such as occupational skills, education and knowledge of official languages was introduced to select economic immigrants.
  • Among those who still lived in Canada in 2016, the majority of the Black immigrants who landed in the 1980s and 1990s were sponsored by their family already living in the country.
    • Women outnumbered men among those who were admitted in these two decennials. Most of them came from Jamaica and Haiti. 
  • By contrast, the largest share (40.3%) of Black newcomers (2011 to 2016) were admitted under the economic program. About three in 10 Black newcomers were refugees.
    • Top countries of birth of economic newcomers were: Nigeria, Haiti, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Jamaica.
    • Top countries of birth of new refugees were: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Somalia and Ethiopia.
  • About 44,285 Black people were non-permanent residents in Canada in 2016. They were living temporarily in Canada on a work or study permit or as refugee claimants (asylum seekers).

The source regions of immigration have changed over time

Data table for Chart 7

Data table for chart 7
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 7 Before 1981, 1981 to 1990, 1991 to 2000, 2001 to 2010 and 2011 to 2016, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Before 19811981 to 19901991 to 20002001 to 20102011 to 2016percentCaribbean and BermudaRest of the AmericasEuropeAfricaAsia and Oceania
83.3 64.0 46.6 29.0 27.3
6.7 5.4 3.9 4.6 3.5
5.1 2.4 2.0 2.8 3.4
4.8 27.7 46.8 62.7 65.1
0.1 0.5 0.6 0.9 0.8
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

Long-established Black immigrants were mostly from the Caribbean, but recent immigrants were predominantly from Africa.

  • According to the 2016 Census, more than half (56.7%) of the Black immigrants who landed before 1981 were born in Jamaica and Haiti.
  • Black newcomers now come from about 125 different countries. The top countries of birth for Black immigrants admitted between 2011 and 2016 were Haiti, Nigeria, Jamaica, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

More than 170 different places of birth for the Black immigrants in Canada

Data table for Map

Map: "Place of birth of Black immigrants, Canada 2016" shows a world map where countries of birth are shaded based on total number of Canada's Black immigrants. The categories include: less than 100 immigrants, between 100 and less than 1,000 immigrants, between 1,000 and less than 10,000 immigrants, between 10,000 and less than 25,000 immigrants and 25,000 immigrants and more.

Geographic regions are mentioned and the number and percentage of Black immigrants who were born in each are noted. An arrow from each region points towards Canada. The size of each arrow denotes the size of the population originating from the corresponding region.

Going from the left side of the world map to the right:

1. Elsewhere in the Americas - 29,370 Black immigrants, or 4.7%
2. Caribbean and Bermuda - 285,090 Black immigrants, or 45.7%
3. Africa - 285,130 Black immigrants, or 45.8%
4. Asia and Oceania - 3,935 Black immigrants, or 0.6%
5. Europe - 19,575 Black immigrants, or 3.1%

Data table for Map
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Map Black immigrants (appearing as column headers).

Black immigrantsTotal - Place of birth of Black immigrants in CanadaGreenlandSaint Pierre and MiquelonUnited StatesBelizeCosta RicaEl SalvadorGuatemalaHondurasMexicoNicaraguaPanamaAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArubaBahamasBarbadosBermudaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaCayman IslandsCubaCuraçaoDominicaDominican RepublicGrenadaGuadeloupeHaitiJamaicaMartiniqueMontserratPuerto RicoSaint BarthélemySaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (French part)Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSint Maarten (Dutch part)Trinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos IslandsVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, United StatesArgentinaBoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuadorFalkland Islands (Malvinas)French GuianaGuyanaParaguayPeruSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSurinameUruguayVenezuelaAustriaBelgiumFranceGermanyLiechtensteinLuxembourgMonacoNetherlandsSwitzerlandBelarusBulgariaCzech RepublicEstoniaHungaryLatviaLithuaniaMoldovaPolandRomaniaRussian FederationSlovakiaUkraineÅland IslandsDenmarkFaroe IslandsFinlandGuernseyIcelandIrelandIsle of ManJerseyNorwaySarkSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenUnited KingdomAlbaniaAndorraBosnia and HerzegovinaCroatiaGibraltarGreeceHoly See (Vatican City State)ItalyKosovoMacedonia, Republic ofMaltaMontenegroPortugalSan MarinoSerbiaSloveniaSpainBeninBurkina FasoCabo VerdeCôte d'IvoireGambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaMaliMauritaniaNigerNigeriaSaint HelenaSenegalSierra LeoneTogoBurundiComorosDjiboutiEritreaEthiopiaKenyaMadagascarMalawiMauritiusMayotteMozambiqueRéunionRwandaSeychellesSomaliaSouth SudanTanzaniaUgandaZambiaZimbabweAlgeriaEgyptLibyaMoroccoSudanTunisiaWestern SaharaAngolaCameroonCentral African RepublicChadCongo, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Republic of theEquatorial GuineaGabonSao Tome and PrincipeBotswanaLesothoNamibiaSouth Africa, Republic ofSwazilandAfghanistanArmeniaAzerbaijanBahrainCyprusGeorgiaIranIraqIsraelJordanKazakhstanKuwaitKyrgyzstanLebanonOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaSyriaTajikistanTurkeyTurkmenistanUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistanWest Bank and Gaza Strip (Palestine)YemenChinaHong KongJapanKorea, NorthKorea, SouthMacaoMongoliaTaiwanBrunei DarussalamBurma (Myanmar)CambodiaIndonesiaLaosMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeThailandTimor-LesteViet NamBangladeshBhutanBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryIndiaMaldivesNepalPakistanSri LankaAmerican SamoaAustraliaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsCook IslandsFijiFrench PolynesiaGuamKiribatiMarshall IslandsMicronesia, Federated States ofNauruNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNiueNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsPalauPapua New GuineaPitcairnSamoaSolomon IslandsTokelauTongaTuvaluUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsVanuatuWallis and FutunaOther places of birth
623,195
0
0
14,505
170
45
10
10
35
30
25
100
45
2,110
210
995
11,915
440
0
135
790
150
2,520
665
9,380
365
92,040
122,550
435
575
10
0
1,845
5,435
65
11,295
35
20,925
45
40
65
10
10
395
10
320
30
0
135
13,165
0
20
0
150
10
190
25
690
4,315
815
0
15
0
245
260
10
25
35
0
20
0
0
0
55
100
370
20
160
0
45
0
40
0
0
400
0
0
85
0
0
130
10,625
0
0
15
20
0
65
0
650
10
0
30
0
190
0
35
10
55
2,735
1,940
150
10,725
620
22,475
5,055
90
2,110
2,045
430
975
41,415
10
7,025
2,775
3,315
8,145
115
1,855
13,950
30,960
9,475
855
335
1,350
0
195
45
5,755
525
25,300
5,175
2,975
4,155
1,515
6,915
140
920
90
255
5,380
95
0
1,655
18,335
1,035
1,505
24,385
2,270
50
980
20
630
80
570
2,895
345
10
10
10
10
10
0
10
20
195
15
15
125
0
70
35
80
1,375
95
0
65
0
390
20
0
340
190
20
70
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
55
155
0
15
0
15
15
0
0
130
0
10
30
35
0
85
0
0
0
130
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
95
0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of population, 2016

Jamaica and Haiti are the two main countries of birth for Black immigrants in Canada.

Table 1
Top countries of birth for Black immigrants, Canada, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Top countries of birth for Black immigrants, Canada number, percent and percent of women (appearing as column headers).

numberpercentpercent of womenTotalJamaicaHaitiNigeriaEthiopiaSomaliaDemocratic Republic of the CongoGhanaTrinidad and TobagoCameroonUnited StatesOther
623,195 100.0 53.3
122,550 19.7 56.9
92,040 14.8 56.2
41,415 6.6 48.4
30,960 5.0 50.8
25,300 4.1 55.5
24,385 3.9 52.6
22,475 3.6 49.9
20,925 3.4 55.6
18,335 2.9 50.1
14,505 2.3 46.6
210,305 33.7 52.0
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

Overall, more than 200 ethnic or cultural origins were reported by the Black population in Canada

Data table for Chart 8

Data table for chart 8
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 8 Single and multiple ethnic origin responses, Single ethnic origin responses and Multiple ethnic origin responses, calculated using number of responses units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Single and multiple ethnic origin responsesSingle ethnic origin responsesMultiple ethnic origin responsesnumber of responsesData table Note 3JamaicanOther African origins, n.i.e.Data table Note 1HaitianCanadianEnglishSomaliNigerianFrenchEthiopianScottishTrinidadian/TobagonianCongoleseIrishGhanaianWest Indian, n.o.s.Data table Note 2Barbadian
258,350 153,840 104,505
163,590 74,065 89,525
156,915 124,195 32,720
138,650 45,070 93,580
58,345 10,070 48,275
57,555 51,825 5,725
50,410 38,035 12,375
47,890 4,445 43,440
41,270 33,225 8,045
40,615 790 39,825
38,060 13,900 24,155
37,590 29,460 8,130
35,840 570 35,265
34,460 26,380 8,075
30,050 12,285 17,765
29,025 10,650 18,380

Note 1

“Other African origins, not included elsewhere” includes mostly general responses (e.g., 'African'), as well as a few more specific African responses (e.g., 'Saharan') that have not been included elsewhere in the ethnic origin classification.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

The abbreviation “n.o.s.” means not otherwise specified.

Return to note 2 referrer

Note 3

The sum of the ethnic origins is greater than the total population because a person can report more than one ethnic origin in the census questionnaire.

Return to note 3 referrer

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors. An ancestor is usually more distant than a grandparent.
  • Close to 30% of the Black population reported more than one ethnic origin in 2016.
  • The 10 most frequently reported origins among the Black population were: Jamaican, AfricanNote 3, Haitian, Canadian, English, Somali, Nigerian, French, Ethiopian and Scottish.
  • In 2016, five new African origins were published in the census products: Edo, Ewe, Malinké, Wolof and Djiboutian – a reflection of the most recent immigration waves.

The long established Black population in Canada is more likely to report several ethnic or cultural origins

Data table for Figure 1

Data table for Figure 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Figure 1 First generation , Second generation , Third generation or more , Total - Single and multiple ethnic origin responses , Single ethnic origin responses and Multiple ethnic origin responses , calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

First generationSecond generationThird generation or moreTotal - Single and multiple ethnic origin responsesSingle ethnic origin responsesMultiple ethnic origin responsesTotal - Single and multiple ethnic origin responsesSingle ethnic origin responsesMultiple ethnic origin responsesTotal - Single and multiple ethnic origin responsesSingle ethnic origin responsesMultiple ethnic origin responsesnumberBlack populationCaribbean originsAfrican originsOther origins
675,480 558,925 116,555 419,840 249,080 170,760 103,225 38,520 64,700
281,560 224,435 57,125 223,975 112,700 111,275 42,245 9,030 33,210
386,785 309,670 77,120 176,230 105,055 71,175 28,995 3,705 25,285
96,615 24,820 71,795 166,875 31,325 135,550 87,655 25,785 61,870
Percentage of first generation with multiple ethnic origin responses, 17.3%
Percentage of second generation with multiple ethnic origin responses, 40.7%
Percentage of third generation or more with multiple ethnic origin responses, 62.7%
Note: Single origin occurs when a person provides only one origin, while multiple origins occurs when a person provides two or more origins. Multiple origins include different combinations, such as two different African origins or an African origin with a Caribbean origin, etc.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In 2016, 62.7% of the third generation or more Black population reported more than one origin, compared with 40.7% and 17.3% of the second and first Black generations, respectively. Various factors can explain why people report more than one origin, such as mixed marriages between people from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds or knowledge of family history.
  • African and Caribbean origins are the most common ethnic origins reported by the first and second Black generations in Canada. Jamaican, AfricanNote 3, and Haitian are the three most common origins reported by the foreign-born Black population (first generation in Canada), while Jamaican, Canadian and Haitian were reported by the second generation (born in Canada, with at least one parent born abroad).
  • The third generation or more have a longer history in the country. They have reported less often Caribbean and African origins. It includes: Canadian, Jamaican, AfricanNote 3, English, Irish, Scottish, French and First Nations (North American) origins. 

The mother tongues reported among the first generation Black population are much more diverse than the mother tongues among the third generation or more

Data table for Figure 2

Data table for Figure 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Figure 2 Percent (appearing as column headers).

PercentFirst generationEnglishFrenchCreole languagesSomaliAmharicNiger-Congo languages, n.i.e.Data table Note 1TigrignaAkan (Twi)SwahiliYorubaArabicRundi (Kirundi)Kinyarwanda (Rwanda)IgboOromoLingalaWolofShonaFulah (Pular, Pulaar, Fulfulde)PortugueseSpanishEweEdoDinkaBamanankanGandaGaHarariBilenMalagasyItalianRussianSecond generationEnglishFrenchSomaliCreole languagesAmharicAkan (Twi)TigrignaArabicSwahiliOromoPortugueseYorubaFulah (Pular, Pulaar, Fulfulde)WolofDinkaSpanishHarariThird generation or moreEnglishFrenchCreole languages
45.0
14.6
8.9
4.1
2.9
2.7
2.1
1.8
1.6
1.3
1.1
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
  68.5
  22.2
  1.6
  0.8
  0.4
  0.4
  0.3
  0.3
  0.2
  0.2
  0.1
  0.1
  0.1
  0.1
  0.1
  0.1
  0.1
88.6
9.8
0.1

Note 1

The abbreviation "n.i.e" means not included elsewhere.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note: The word clouds show the mother tongue most frequently reported by each generation of the Black population. The cut-off for inclusion in the word cloud is 0.1%.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In 2016, when both single and multiple responses were considered, English was the mother tongue (defined as the language first learned at home in childhood and still understood) of 59.8% of the Black population, while French was the mother tongue of 19.6%. 
  • Creole languages, Somali, Amharic and Niger-Congo languages, n.i.e.Note 4 were the other top mother tongues most frequently reported. Overall, more than 100 languages were reported as a mother tongue by the Black population in the country.

A higher percent of people within the Black population (28.0%) speak French at home compared to the total population (23.3%)

  • The Black population is more likely to speak a language other than English or French at home (28.0% - when all categories are taken into consideration) than the total population (21.8%). In many cases, the Black population speaks English or French primarily at home, in addition to other languages on a regular basis.
  • Both the Black population and the total population show similar percentages for those who speak English at home – around 74%.

Table 2
Frequency of English, French and other languages spoken at home for the Black and total populations, Canada, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Frequency of English Black population and Total population, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Black populationTotal populationnumberpercentnumberpercentEnglishLanguages spoken at homeEnglish spoken at homePrimarilyOnlyMostlyEqually with another languageRegularly (secondary use)No mention of EnglishFrenchLanguages spoken at homeFrench spoken at homePrimarily OnlyMostlyEqually with another languageRegularly (secondary use)No mention of FrenchOther language(s)Languages spoken at homeOther language(s) spoken at homePrimarilyOnlyMostlyEqually with another languageRegularly (secondary use)No mention of other language
1,198,540 100.0 34,460,050 100.0
887,955 74.1 25,694,855 74.6
753,605 62.9 22,031,180 63.9
656,370 54.8 19,650,025 57.0
97,235 8.1 2,381,155 6.9
65,275 5.4 1,488,820 4.3
69,075 5.8 2,174,855 6.3
310,585 25.9 8,765,195 25.4
1,198,540 100.0 34,460,050 100.0
335,350 28.0 8,028,300 23.3
235,315 19.6 6,842,960 19.9
143,835 12.0 5,994,055 17.4
91,480 7.6 848,905 2.5
54,935 4.6 366,160 1.1
45,100 3.8 819,180 2.4
863,190 72.0 26,431,750 76.7
1,198,540 100.0 34,460,050 100.0
335,655 28.0 7,500,780 21.8
113,205 9.4 3,950,050 11.5
61,635 5.1 2,280,995 6.6
51,570 4.3 1,669,055 4.8
79,745 6.7 1,481,480 4.3
142,705 11.9 2,069,250 6.0
862,885 72.0 26,959,270 78.2
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

The vast majority of the Black population live in large urban areas

  • In 2016, 94.3% of Black people lived in Canada’s census metropolitan areas (CMAs), compared with 71.2% of the country’s total population.
  • Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa-Gatineau, Edmonton and Calgary were each home to at least 50,000 people who reported being Black in 2016.
  • Toronto has the largest Black population in the country, with 442,015 people or 36.9% of Canada’s Black population. The size of this population has increased in 15 years, but it now represents a smaller share of Canada’s Black population than in 2001 (46.9%).
  • CMAs of Ottawa-Gatineau (Quebec part), Lethbridge and Moncton had the fastest growing Black population in the country between 1996 and 2016.
  • Black people represented 7.5% of Toronto’s total population, the highest proportion among census metropolitan areas. Montréal and Ottawa-Gatineau had the second and third highest proportions.

Data table for Chart 9

Data table for chart 9
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 9 Black population in census metropolitan areas, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Black population in census metropolitan areaspercentHamiltonWinnipegWindsorHalifaxCalgaryEdmontonOttawa - Gatineau (Quebec part)OshawaOttawa - GatineauOttawa - Gatineau (Ontario part)MontréalToronto
3.3
3.6
3.8
3.8
3.9
4.5
5.2
5.7
6.0
6.3
6.8
7.5
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

Atlantic provinces: Longest history

  • Nova Scotia has the largest Black population in the Atlantic provinces and the fifth largest Black population in the country.

Table 3.1
Key statistics for the Black population in the Atlantic provinces, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in the Atlantic provinces Total - Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - Atlantic provincesNewfoundland and LabradorPrince Edward IslandNova ScotiaNew BrunswicknumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
32,080 2,350 825 21,910 6,995
+45.2 +291.7 +211.3 +21.0 +124.2
+27.2 +159.7 +27.9 +14.0 +57.0
2.7 0.2 0.1 1.8 0.6
1.4 0.5 0.6 2.4 1.0
26.7 22.4 22.6 28.3 25.0
98.3 104.8 107.6 96.1 102.2
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • The majority of the Black population living in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were born in Canada.

Table 3.2
Generation status for the Black population in the Atlantic provinces, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in the Atlantic provinces Total - Atlantic provinces , Newfoundland and Labrador , Prince Edward Island , Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - Atlantic provincesNewfoundland and LabradorPrince Edward IslandNova ScotiaNew BrunswicknumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
8,705 27.1 1,440 61.3 440 53.3 3,820 17.4 3,005 43.0
4,550 14.2 610 26.0 175 21.2 2,360 10.8 1,405 20.1
18,820 58.7 300 12.8 205 24.8 15,730 71.8 2,585 37.0
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • Three in four (75.9% or 4,605) Black immigrants in the Atlantic provinces have immigrated between 2001 and 2016.
  • Their top birthplaces were Nigeria, Jamaica, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  • The ethnic and cultural origins that were the most frequently reported by the Black population in this region included: Canadian, AfricanNote 3, English, Irish, Scottish and French.

  • In New Brunswick, close to one third (30.7%) of the Black population had French as their first official language spoken - this was very similar to the overall provincial rate (31.7%).
  • Non-official languages that were most reported as a mother tongue included Niger-Congo languages n.i.e.Note 4, Swahili and Amharic.

Quebec: French speaking

  • Quebec has the second largest Black population, with 26.6% of Canada’s total Black population.
  • In 20 years, the Black population has more than doubled in size in this province – going from 131,970 people in 1996 to 319,230 people in 2016.

Table 4.1
Key statistics for the Black population in Quebec, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in Quebec Quebec, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

QuebecnumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
319,230
+141.9
+69.7
26.6
4.0
29.5
93.3
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • The Black population in Quebec is predominately first generation living in the country, but some have also called Canada home for many generations.

Table 4.2
Generation status for the Black population in Quebec, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in Quebec Quebec , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

QuebecnumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
194,010 60.8
109,680 34.4
15,535 4.9
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In Quebec, nearly 43% of the foreign-born Black population were born in Haiti. In fact, the largest Haitian community in Canada live in the census metropolitan area of Montréal.
  • About 52,935 (or three in 10) Black immigrants in Quebec are newcomers in the country and were admitted between 2011 and 2016. Close to six in 10 of them came from African countries, but Haiti remains the top source country of recent immigrants.

  • About 180 different ethnic and cultural origins were reported by Black people in Quebec, with Haitian as the top reported origin.

  • French is the most reported mother tongue by the first (38.5%), second (72.8%) and third generation or more (57.2%) of Black people living in Quebec.
    • French is an official language in all of the top six countries of birth of Black immigrants living in Quebec (Haiti, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte D’Ivoire, Senegal and France).
    • About 28% reported that they had a mother tongue other than English or French. The top three languages were Creole, Niger-Congo languages n.i.e.Note 4 and Rundi (Kirundi).
    • When considering the two official languages of Canada, the Black population with French as their first official language spoken represented 81.1%, while the share of those with English as their first official language spoken was 18.1%.

Ontario: Largest Black population in Canada

  • Ontario was home to slightly more than half (52.4%) of the total Black population in Canada.
  • Although the overall Black population in Ontario is growing, its share of the Black population in the country has decreased in 15 years. In 2001, 62.1% of Canada’s Black population was living in this province.

Table 5.1
Key statistics for the Black population in Ontario, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in Ontario Ontario, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

OntarionumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
627,710
+76.2
+32.5
52.4
4.7
30.6
89.4
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • Close to half of Ontario’s Black population was born in Canada, which reflects in part, their long immigration history in this province.

Table 5.2
Generation status for the Black population in Ontario, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in Ontario Ontario , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

OntarionumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
335,025 53.4
240,900 38.4
51,790 8.3
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In Ontario, Black immigrants came from 150 different countries. About one-half were born in the Caribbean, with Jamaica (33.9%) as the leading source country.
  • Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Somalia, Ghana and Ethiopia were the five other most frequently reported countries for Black immigrants.
  • About 44,415 people in Ontario were Black newcomers (2011 to 2016) and represented 14.1% of all Black immigrants in Ontario. Top countries of birth for this group were Jamaica, Nigeria, Haiti and Ethiopia.

  • Overall, more than 200 ethnic and cultural origins were reported by the Black population in Ontario, with Jamaican as the most frequently reported origin.

  • Nearly 80% of Black people in Ontario reported English as their mother tongue, and close to 6% reported French.
  • Somali, Akan (Twi) and Amharic were the other most frequently reported mother tongues by the Black population in Ontario.
  • Among the 83,940 immigrants with French as their first official language spoken in Ontario, 31.4% were Black. This proportion reached 48.4% among newcomers (2011-2016).

The Prairie provinces: Fastest growing

  • The fastest growing Black population in Canada is in the Prairies, where it has more than quadrupled in size over 20 years, from 39,955 in 1996 to 174,655 in 2016.
  • The Albertan Black population grew fivefold between 1996 and 2016, while Manitoba’s Black population has almost tripled in size and the Black population in Saskatchewan has more than tripled in the same period of time.
  • This rapid growth of the Black population in the Prairies has been driven by immigration, mainly from African countries.

Table 6.1
Key statistics for the Black population in the Prairie provinces, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in the Prairie provinces Total - The Prairie provinces, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - The Prairie provincesManitobaSaskatchewanAlbertanumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
174,655 30,340 14,925 129,390
+337.1 +181.6 +249.9 +419.3
+157.5 +93.7 +193.5 +174.9
14.6 2.5 1.2 10.8
2.8 2.4 1.4 3.3
27.3 26.8 25.6 27.7
107.8 108.5 110.8 107.2
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • Black people in the Prairies are predominately first generation living in the country, but some have also called Canada home for many generations.

Table 6.2
Generation status for the Black population in the Prairie provinces, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in the Prairie provinces Total - Prairie provinces , Manitoba , Saskatchewan and Alberta , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - Prairie provincesManitobaSaskatchewanAlbertanumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
113,395 64.9 20,515 67.6 10,290 68.9 82,590 63.8
50,060 28.7 7,750 25.5 3,575 24.0 38,735 29.9
11,195 6.4 2,075 6.8 1,055 7.1 8,065 6.2
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • In 2016, the main birthplaces for Black immigrants in the Prairies were Nigeria, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Somalia and Eritrea.
  • About 37,290 of the Black population were newcomers in the country, which represented 36.2% of the Black immigrant population in the Prairies.

  • AfricanNote 3, Jamaican and Nigerian were among the top reported ethnic or cultural origins for the Black population in the Prairie provinces.

  • Almost all (94.6%) of the Black population in this region reported a single mother tongue.
  • English was the mother tongue of more than half of this population, while 4.6% reported French as their mother tongue.
  • Those with a non-official mother tongue represented 35.7% of the Black population. Somali, Amharic, and Tigrigna were the top non-official mother tongues reported for the region.
  • Of all immigrants with French as their first official language spoken in the Prairies (23,305), 39.8% were Black. This proportion reached 53.3% among newcomers (2011-2016).

British Columbia: Few recent Black immigrants

  • In British Columbia the Black population is growing, but at a slower pace compared to neighbouring provinces.
  • Between 1996 and 2016, the Black population in British Columbia almost doubled in size.

Table 7.1
Key statistics for the Black population in British Columbia, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in British Columbia British Columbia, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

British ColumbianumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
43,505
+86.9
+53.6
3.6
1.0
28.6
106.7
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • Many Black people in British Columbia have a long history in the country.

Table 7.2
Generation status for the Black population in British Columbia, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in British Columbia British Columbia , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

British ColumbianumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
23,465 53.9
14,280 32.8
5,755 13.2
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • Black immigrants in British Columbia came from different parts of the world, such as Jamaica, Nigeria, the United States, Ethiopia, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Somalia.
  • About 4,405 Black people were newcomers, which represented 2.5% of the total recent immigrant population living the province.

  • AfricanNote 3, Canadian, Jamaican, English, American and Scottish were the most frequently reported ethnic origins by the Black population in British Columbia.

  • Of the non-official languages reported for mother tongue, the top languages were Somali, Amharic and Niger-Congo languages, n.i.e.Note 4.
  • Considering Canada’s two official languages, 94.4% of the Black population had English as their first language spoken compared to 4.4% with French as their first official language spoken. Among Black immigrants, these proportions were 92.0% and 6.0%, respectively.

The Territories: Smallest Black population in Canada

  • The Territories had the fewest number of Black people in the country.

Table 8.1
Key statistics for the Black population in the Territories, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Key statistics for the Black population in the Territories Total - The Territories, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - The TerritoriesYukon TerritoryNorthwest
TerritoriesNunavutnumberTotal population in 2016percentPopulation growth rate (1996-2016)Population growth rate (2006-2016)Percent of Canada’s Black populationPercent of region/province’s total populationnumberMedian ageRatio Men/Women
1,350 265 760 325
+285.7 +112.0 +322.2 +622.2
+125.0 +112.0 +102.7 +225.0
0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0
1.2 0.8 1.8 0.9
35.3 35.9 35.0 36.4
118.5 82.8 133.8 120.0
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1996, 2006 and 2016.

  • The first generation Black population makes up the majority of the total Black population in the Territories.

Table 8.2
Generation status for the Black population in the Territories, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Generation status for the Black population in the Territories Total - The Territories , Yukon Territory , Northwest Territories and Nunavut , calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total - The TerritoriesYukon TerritoryNorthwest TerritoriesNunavutnumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentnumberpercentFirst generationSecond generationThird generation or more
865 64.1 120 45.3 515 67.8 230 70.8
360 26.7 95 35.8 185 24.3 80 24.6
125 9.3 50 18.9 60 7.9 15 4.6
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016.

  • Top places of birth for the Black population in the Territories are: Canada, Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Somalia.

  • Canadian and Jamaican were the two most frequently reported ethnic or cultural origins for the Black population in the Territories.

  • The top reported mother tongues: English, French, Niger-Congo languages, n.i.e.Note 4, Arabic and Shona.

Conclusion

This portrait of Canada’s Black population from the Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics is based mainly on 2016 Census data. It provides a demographic overview of the Black population, as well as key statistics related to their ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity and a few geographical highlights. However, this portrait is not meant to be exhaustive.

Although it highlights the great diversity within the Black population, it does not present any result related to the several challenges and issues faced by many members of Black communities in Canada.

Challenges and issues such as those related to labour market integration, income inequalities, differential access to resources, health conditions, discrimination, school dropout, etc., may impact differently various groups within the Black population. Moreover, although the Black population generally has similar characteristics compared to the overall population, they often present different socio-economic outcomes. For example, the unemployment rate for the Black population is higher than for Canada’s total population.

Disaggregated 2016 Census data tables with selected demographic, cultural, labour market and income characteristics are available on Statistics Canada’s Census program website which can provide insights on similarities and differences within the Black population as well as between the Black population and other populations in Canada.

New analytical products will be released later which will describe in more detail the characteristics of Canada’s Black population, as well as their socio-economic outcomes.

Acknowledgments

This portrait was prepared by Hélène Maheux and Deniz Do, analysts of the Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division. Special thanks to Jean-Pierre Corbeil and Éric Caron Malenfant for their advice and guidance. The authors also wish to thank Émilie Lavoie, Alejandro Paez Silva, Julien Acaffou, Christine Bizier, Nathalie Villemure and Denis Theriault for their input and assistance in the verification and finalizing of this portrait. They would also like to thank Jennifer Arkell for the creation of the cover page for this portrait.

The authors are also grateful for the members of the Expert Working Group on Black Communities for their invaluable insight and comments for this project. Members include: Malinda S. Smith (professor, University of Alberta), Myrlande Pierre (researcher, Centre de recherche en immigration, ethnicité et citoyenneté de l’UQAM), Carl James (professor, York University), Scot Wortley (professor, University of Toronto), and Frantz Voltaire (director, Centre international de documentation et d’information haïtienne, caribéenne et afro-canadienne).

Notes

ISSN: 2371-5006

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2019

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

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