Young anglophones are still leaving Quebec, but at much lower rates, find researchers
Having grown up in an English-speaking family in Montreal, Jeremy Schachter says the question of staying or leaving Quebec was a “very real” dinner-table conversation.
A recent study by Simon-Pierre Lacasse and Meghan Rulli reveals a slowdown in the migration of young anglophones out of Quebec. In the 1970s and 1980s, around 20% of English-speakers left the province, resulting in a net loss of around 121,000 individuals. However, between 2016 and 2021, interprovincial migration only resulted in a slight net loss of 3,900 anglophones.
Lacasse notes that this suggests young English-speakers are better integrated into Quebec's culture today than they were in the past. The researchers also identified several push factors that drive English-speakers away, including economic concerns and the question of language. The provincial government's recent language legislation, which includes French-only services for most Quebec residents and a cap on enrolment in English-language colleges, has caused disruptions and protests.
Lacasse emphasizes that the feeling of not belonging in the province can impact young English-speakers' professional development, as some feel they are not welcome in francophone workspaces. Despite this, Lacasse believes that English-speakers in Quebec, especially those born after the Quiet Revolution in the 1960s, are increasingly bilingual and may find it easier to move to other parts of Canada.
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