- The 2021 Census of Population revealed that 243,155 people reported the ability to speak an Indigenous language well enough to conduct a conversation. More than 70 distinct Indigenous languages were reported in the census.
- Census data revealed that the share of Indigenous language speakers who learned the language as a second language rose from 25.7% in 2016 to 29.5% in 2021. The remaining share (70.5%) learned it as their mother tongue.
- In 2022, 29% of First Nations children living off reserve, 14% of Métis children and 66% of Inuit children aged 6 to 14 years were taught an Indigenous language at school.
Note to readers
This publication is a part of our “By the numbers…” series on topics on Indigenous populations across Canada for National Indigenous History Month. If you missed the previous article, you can easily find it by searching for “Indigenous History Month” in the app.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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