February is Black History Month—an opportunity to honour and reflect on the vibrant diversity, achievements and deep-rooted legacy of Black communities in Canada.
In 2021, the Black populations encompassed individuals born in over 180 countries, reflecting a rich tapestry of global cultures, histories and experiences. Jamaica and Haiti were the top countries of birth for Caribbean-born Black populations, while Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were the most common for African-born Black populations.
Deep roots often going back three generations or more
While Canada continues to welcome new arrivals, a significant portion of Black Canadians can trace their families’ roots back three generations or more, especially in provinces such as Nova Scotia, where historic Black communities flourish.
Indeed, Black people represented over one-third (35.8%) of all racialized individuals nationally who can trace their Canadian roots back three generations or more.
In Nova Scotia, 59.5% of all Black people in the province were third generation or more, reflecting the legacies of historic Black communities in the Maritimes.
Over two in five Black people in Canada are born here
The Canadian-born (41.0%) were the largest Black population group in Canada in 2021, followed by the African-born (32.6%) and the Caribbean-born (21.0%).
A large share of Black Caribbean immigrants (42.5%) migrated to Canada from 1960 to 1990, while over half (54.8%) of Black immigrants from Africa came to Canada from 2011 to 2021.
Black populations are young
We counted 647,940 Black children and youth aged 24 or younger during the 2021 Census, accounting for 41.9% of the total Black populations in 2021 and 6.4% of all children and youth in Canada.
Black people are more likely to report a religious affiliation
Over four in five Black respondents (81.8%) reported a religious affiliation in the 2021 Census, compared with 73.2% among other racialized groups and 62.6% among non-racialized individuals.
Over four in five Black people in Canada born in the Caribbean reported a Christian religious affiliation (81.6%), while just over one in five Black people in Canada born in Africa reported a religious affiliation to Islam (21.8%).
Black people give back
In 2023, almost three in four Black people (74%) in Canada reported volunteering, among the highest rates of any racialized group and comparable with the non-racialized non-Indigenous population.
African-born Black immigrants are highly educated…
The largest share (39.1%) of Black immigrants of core working age in the Canadian labour force in 2021 were born in Africa. African-born Black immigrants in the labour force were highly educated in 2021, with 46.1% of them holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, above the rate for Black populations overall (37.5%).
…but overqualified
Many African-born Black immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher were overqualified (27.5%) in 2021, that is, performing jobs requiring a high school diploma at most.
The overqualification rate was nearly twice as high for Black people who completed their degree outside Canada (35.2%) compared with those who completed it in Canada (17.7%).
Caribbean-born Black immigrants have higher employment and lower unemployment rates compared with other Black populations
Caribbean-born Black immigrants have been an integral part of the Canadian labour market since the 1960s. In 2021, their employment rates were higher compared with other Black populations for both women and men.
The women’s employment rate (75.6%) in 2021 and median annual employment income ($46,400) in 2020 were similar to those of the total Canadian women population.
Police-reported hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity targeting the Black population have nearly tripled from 2018 to 2024
In 2024, police agencies across Canada reported 873 incidents of hate crime motivated by race or ethnicity targeting the Black population, nearly triple (+196%) the number of incidents in 2018 (295 incidents). Overall, the number of police-reported hate crimes has increased 169% over that same period.
Canadian-born Black people are most likely to experience discrimination
Strong family and friend connections can help soften the blow of discrimination
satisfaction, and reduced hopefulness about the future. However, these outcomes become less pronounced when victims of discriminatory acts have strong personal support networks.
Among racialized Canadians who reported experiencing discrimination in the previous five years, one-third (33%) reported having a high level of life satisfaction (scoring 8 or higher on a 10-point scale). This proportion increased to 47% among those with strong family connections and to 49% for those with strong friend connections.
For more information, check out Black History Month... By the numbers.
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).