Canadians who speak both English and French earn more, according to 2021 Canadian census data released last week.
The median income of people who can speak both English and French in Canada amounts to $60,550, nearly 10% higher than the English-speaking average of $55,250 and about 40 higher. % against those who only speak French is $43,040.
Income gaps, although different, can be seen in every Canadian province, with the most pronounced differences being found in cities in Quebec.
According to census data, a person who speaks both English and French in Montreal earns on average 40% more than someone who speaks only one of these languages.
Regardless of whether the employee spoke only one language, both groups in Montreal earned an average of $43,280 annually compared with their bilingual peers, who earned an average of $60,650.
In Toronto, English-speaking employees earned an average of $59,600, while English and French-speaking employees earned an average of $78,400, representing a disparity of nearly 32%.
Among other provinces, cities in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Manitoba have the largest income gaps between people who speak both English and French and those who speak only either.
Other data shows that the number of French speakers nationwide is declining.
Another 2021 StatCan survey found that the percentage of Canadians who consider French as a first language declined between 2016 and 2021 in all provinces except Yukon.
There is also increased linguistic diversity in Canada, with a record set this year for the number of Canadians whose mother tongues are not English or French.
Speaking both English and French, although earning higher, is declining in all provinces in Canada except Quebec, according to Statistics Canada.
The proportion of English and French speakers in Quebec increased from 44.5 to 46.4% in 2016, and the three Canadian cities with the highest proportions of both English and French speakers are Gatineau, Montreal and Quebec. City.
The release of census data follows Quebec’s passage of a new language law restricting access to bilingual services provided by the provincial government.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault faced backlash in June for raising the alarm about a drop in the proportion of French-speaking individuals at home.
With files from Canadian Press
