According to a Statistics Canada census, for the first time, more than half of Quebec residents can conduct a conversation in English.

This is one of the findings of a series on ethnicity, language and immigration published by Statistics Canada on Tuesday, entitled 'Key facts on the English language in Quebec in 2021.'

Two years ago, 51.7 per cent of Quebec residents were able to conduct a conversation in English.

"In 2021, 4,344,550 Quebec residents were able to conduct a conversation in English, which represents an all-time high," notes Statistics Canada.

In fact, the progression has been constant since 1991.

Ability to conduct a conversation in English

And the progression is significant for mother-tongue francophones. The proportion of Quebec residents who can converse in English and whose mother tongue is French reached 42.2 per cent in 2021, compared with 31.4 per cent in 1991.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 22, 2023