More than 300k Quebec kids eligible for English school, 76 per cent attend: StatsCan
More than 300,000 Quebec children have the constitutional right to education in English new Statistics Canada census data shows.
Statistics Canada is collecting this data for the first time, giving Quebec's English education system a real picture of the situation.
The census found 175,000 school-aged children in Quebec attended an English primary or secondary school in Canada, representing 76.2 per cent of eligible children aged 5 to 17 in this province.
Proximity is an issue for English speakers in some regions of the province.
"There are pockets of English-eligible students for whom it’s just not practical to attend English schools — they’re just too far," said Russell Copeman, executive director of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA).
StatCan says that more than 90 per cent of eligible children lived within 15 kilometres of a minority official language school in 2021. And those living in rural areas see an average distance that’s four times greater than in more densely populated regions.
"The analysis shows that the further eligible school-age children live from a minority official language school, the less likely they are to have attended a minority official language school," said Eric Caron-Malenfant, assistant director of Statistics Canada's demography centre.
Of the 304,000 eligible Quebec kids, nearly 74,000 are pre-school age. QESBA said that their records show about 81,000 children study in the English public sector.
That means there’s a big gap, showing that many students favour private schools or choose to study in French.
"It still leaves about 230,000, according to Statistics Canada, who are eligible for English instruction. And that’s a high number. It’s quite frankly higher than many of us anticipated," said Copeman.
Despite that, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) has seen a slight uptick in enrolment this year.
"We have schools in certain parts of our sector that are bursting at the seams and then we have some schools that are not in that situation and their numbers have decreased," said EMSB spokesperson Mike Cohen.
MINORITY LANGUAGE CHILDREN OTHER PROVINCES
In provinces and territories other than Quebec, 593,000 have the right to attend regular French public schools, nearly 64.7 per cent of those eligible.
Ontario has the largest number of children with French-language rights — 350,000 — while New Brunswick has the largest proportion with 36 per cent of all children.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
Manitoba man sentenced to house arrest for keeping fishing tournament funds meant for Children's Hospital Foundation
A Manitoba man who pleaded guilty to keeping the funds raised from an ice-fishing fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba has been handed a sentence of 18 months house arrest.