Census data shows majority of York Region residents are multilingual
The York Region Census Data Working Group, which includes representatives from Corporate Services, Community and Health Services, Environment, Finance and Transportation, is pleased to share the latest in a series of seven bulletins based on the 2021 Census, which is conducted nationwide every five years and released by Statistics Canada.
On August 17, 2022, Statistics Canada released data about languages. Our bulletin offers an insight into the diversity of language used by our residents. This latest data shows York Region is home to people who speak more than 100 languages.
Here are some of the highlights from the latest release.
- 61.8% of York Region residents reported English as the language spoken most often at home, with 0.2% reporting French
- 5.9% of residents reported they could not speak English or French with 18% of seniors not knowing French or English
- Our diverse communities speak over 120 languages.
- Almost 60% of people are multilingual
- The top 3 non-official languages spoken at home in York Region are Cantonese, Mandarin, and Iranian Persian
See the Languages bulletin for additional details.
We will share additional Census summaries after each Statistics Canada release from February to November 2022 and post summaries and new bulletins on the Census and Demographic Data page specific to York Region and its nine local cities and towns. The next release is on September 21, 2022, focusing on Indigenous Peoples and Housing issues.
This data provides valuable information on the Region’s population. Information collected is used by various Regional and local municipal departments, including Planning, Economic Development, Environmental Services, Transportation, Finance and Community and Health Services, to inform future programs and services.
Are you interested in viewing or downloading the 2021 Census data to support your analysis? Visit York Region’s Open Data Portal and search “2021 Census”.
Email @email if you have any questions or would like more information