Statistics Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

The Caribbean Community in Canada

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.


More than half foreign-born
Most live in two provinces
Most live in Toronto or Montreal
A young population
Slightly more women than men
Most can converse in an official language
Most belong to a Christian faith group
Less likely to be married
Less likely to live alone
Educational attainment
Employment trends
Unemployment
Incomes
Low-income population
Most feel a sense of belonging to Canada

A growing community

Canadians of Caribbean origin1 makes up one of the largest non-European ethnic-origin groupings in Canada. In 2001, over a half million people of Caribbean origin lived in Canada. That year, they represented almost 2% of the total population of Canada.

Table 1 Selected ethnic groups in Canada, other than English, French and Canadian, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 1
Selected ethnic groups in Canada, other than English, French and Canadian, 2001

The Caribbean community in Canada is also growing considerably faster than the overall population. Between 1996 and 2001, for example, the number of people who reported an origin that originates in the Caribbean rose by 11%, while the overall population grew by only 4%.

The largest group of Canadians of Caribbean origin is Jamaicans. Of all those who reported they had Caribbean origins in 2001, 42% said they were Jamaican, while 16% were Haitian, 12% said they were West Indian, 10% were Guyanese, 10% came from Trinidad and Tobago and 5% were from Barbados.

The majority of Canadians of Caribbean origin report they only have Caribbean origins. In 2001, 64% of all those who reported an ethnic origin that originates in the Caribbean reported only one ethnic origin, while 36% reported multiple ethnic origins. This was similar, though, to the overall Canadian population where 40% reported multiple ethnic origins.

More than half foreign-born

The majority of the Caribbean population living in Canada were born outside the country. In 2001, 55% of Canadians who reported Caribbean origin were foreign-born, compared with 18% of the overall population.

As well, the majority of immigrants of Caribbean origin arrived in Canada relatively recently. In 2001, 28% of immigrants with Caribbean roots living in Canada had arrived in the previous decade, while another 25% had arrived in Canada between 1981 and 1990. In contrast, only 14% had arrived in the 1960s, while just 2% came to Canada before 1961.

Most live in two provinces

The Canadian population of Caribbean origin is largely concentrated in Ontario and Quebec. In fact, in 2001, 91% of people who reported Caribbean origins lived in one of these two provinces. That year, Ontario was home to 69% of the overall Canadian Caribbean community, while 22% lived in Quebec. Overall, almost 350,000 people of Caribbean origin lived in Ontario, while over 100,000 resided in Quebec.

Table 2. The Caribbean population in Canada, by province and territory, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 2
The Caribbean population in Canada, by province and territory, 2001

Canadians of Caribbean origin account for a relatively large share of the overall populations in both Ontario and Quebec. In 2001, 3% of all residents of Ontario reported they had Caribbean origins, as did 2% of those living in Quebec. In contrast, in all other provinces and territories, Canadians of Caribbean origin represented less than 1% of the total population.

Most live in Toronto or Montreal

The vast majority of Canadians of Caribbean origin live in either Toronto or Montreal. In fact, in 2001, almost 60% of all those who reported Caribbean origins lived in Toronto, while close to 20% made Montreal their home. That year, just over 280,000 people of Caribbean origin lived in Toronto, while almost 100,000 made Montreal their home. Overall, people who reported Caribbean origins made up almost 6% of the population of Toronto and 3% of all residents of Montreal.

A young population

The Caribbean community in Canada is relatively young. For example, in 2001, children under the age of 15 made up 27% of all those who reported Caribbean origin, compared with 19% of the overall population. At the same time, 17% of people of Caribbean origin were between the ages of 15 and 24, versus 13% of the overall population.

Table 3. Age distribution of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 3
Age distribution of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population, 2001

In contrast, Canadians of Caribbean origin are considerably less likely than those in the overall population to be either seniors or approaching retirement age. In 2001, people aged 65 and over made up only 6% of the Caribbean community of Canada, compared with 12% of all Canadians. Similarly, 20% of people of Caribbean origin were aged 45 to 64, versus 24% of the overall population.

Slightly more women than men

As they do in the overall population, women make up the majority of Canadians of Caribbean origin. In 2001, 54% of the Caribbean ethnic community were women, compared with 51% of the overall population. Women make up an even larger majority of the seniors of Caribbean origin. In 2001, 62% of people aged 65 and over of Caribbean origin were women, while in the overall population, women made up 56% of seniors.

Most can converse in an official language

Just about every Canadian of Caribbean origin reports they can carry on a conversation in at least one official language.2 In 2001, 76% said they could speak English only, while 9% spoke French only and 15% reported they were bilingual. Indeed, that year, less than half a percent of those in the Caribbean community in Canada could not speak either official language.

As well, the mother tongue3 of most Canadians of Caribbean origin is either English or French. In 2001, 82% of those in the Caribbean community reported that English was their mother tongue and 10% indicated that French was the language they first learned and still understood, while only 7% said they had a mother tongue other than English or French. Of note, the large majority of both Canadians of Caribbean origin who reported that French was their mother tongue, or that their mother tongue was a non-official language, were Haitian origin.

Similarly, very few Canadians of Caribbean origin speak a language other than English or French at home. In 2001, just 3% of people who reported Caribbean origin said that they spoke only a non-official language in their home.

Almost all Canadians of Caribbean origin who are employed also speak English or French on the job. In 2001, less than 1% of employed Canadians of Caribbean origin spoke a non-official language at work, either exclusively or in combination with one or both of the official languages.

Most belong to a Christian faith group

The large majority of Canadians of Caribbean origin report they belong to a Christian religious group. In 2001, 41% said they belonged to a mainline Protestant denomination, while 29% said they were Catholic and a further 9% belonged to another Christian group. In contrast, relatively few Canadians ofCaribbean origin indicate they have no religious affiliation. That year, 12% of people of Caribbean descent said they had no religious affiliation, compared with 17% of the overall population.

Less likely to be married

Canadians of Caribbean origin are generally less likely than other adults to be married. In 2001, just 37% of people aged 15 and over of Caribbean origin were married, compared with 50% of all Canadian adults. People of Caribbean origin are also less likely than other adults to live in a common-law relationship. That year, 6% of adults of Caribbean origin were living common-law, compared with 10% of all Canadian adults.

Table 4. Family status of the Caribbean community and overall population aged 15 and over, by sex, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 4
Family status of the Caribbean community and overall population aged 15 and over, by sex, 2001

On the other hand, Canadians of Caribbean origin are much more likely than the rest of the population to be lone parents. In 2001, 14% of all Canadians of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over were lone parents, compared with 6% of the overall population. As with the rest of the population, though, the large majority of lone parents of Caribbean origin are women. Indeed, that year, 89% of lone parents who reported Caribbean origin were female, while in the overall population women represented 81% of all lone parents.

Less likely to live alone

Canadians of Caribbean origin are less likely than other adults to live alone. In 2001, just 10% of people aged 15 and over of Caribbean origin lived alone, compared with 13% adult Canadians. Seniors of Caribbean origin are also somewhat less likely to live alone than their counterparts in the overall population. That year, 23% of people aged 65 and over in the Caribbean ethnic community lived alone, compared with 29% of all seniors in Canada. In contrast, seniors of Caribbean origin are more likely than others seniors to live with members of their extended family. In 2001, 18% of seniors in the Caribbean ethnic community lived with relatives, such as the family of a son or daughter, whereas this was the case for only 5% of all seniors in Canada.

Educational attainment

Canadians of Caribbean origin are somewhat less likely than the rest of the population to have a university degree. In 2001, 12% of people with Caribbean origins aged 15 and over were university graduates, compared with 15% of the overall adult population. In contrast, those with Caribbean origins are more likely than other Canadians to have a community college diploma. That year, 20% of those aged 15 and over with Caribbean origins had completed a community college program, compared with 15% of the overall population.

Table 5. Educational attainment of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population aged 15 and over, by sex, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 5
Educational attainment of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population aged 15 and over, by sex, 2001

Women of Caribbean origin are particularly likely to have completed a community college program. Indeed, in 2001, close to one out of four (23%) of these women aged 15 and over had a college diploma, compared with 17% of all Canadian women and 16% of men of Caribbean descent. At the same time, women of Caribbean descent were also about as likely as their male counterparts to have a university degree.

Young people of Caribbean origin are considerably more likely than other young Canadians to be attending school. In 2001, 68% of people aged 15 to 24 of Caribbean origin were enrolled in a full-time educational program, compared with 57% of all Canadians in this age group.

Among young people of Caribbean origin, males are slightly more likely than females to be attending school full-time. In 2001, 70% of Caribbean men aged 15 to 24 were enrolled in some form of full-time educational program, compared with 66% of their female counterparts. This is opposite to the trend in the overall population in which young women are more likely to be in school than young men.

Employment trends

Canadians of Caribbean origin are somewhat more likely to be employed than their counterparts in the rest of the population. In 2001, 66% of all people of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over were employed, compared with 62% of all Canadian adults.

Table 6. Percentage of the population employed, by age group and sex, 2001. Opens a new browser window.

Table 6
Percentage of the population employed, by age group and sex, 2001

There is a particularly wide gap in the employment rates of those of Caribbean descent and the overall population aged 45 to 64. In 2001, 75% of people of Caribbean origin in this age range were employed, versus 68% of all Canadians in their pre-retirement years. In contrast, there was no difference in the proportions people of Caribbean origin and all Canadians aged 25 to 44 who were part of the paid work force that year.

As in the overall population, men of Caribbean origin are somewhat more likely than their female counterparts to be employed outside the home. In 2001, 70% of men of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over were part of the paid workforce, compared with 64% of adult women of Caribbean origin. Both men and women in the Caribbean ethnic community, though, were more likely to be employed than their respective counterparts in the overall population.

Labour force participants of Caribbean descent tend to be overrepresented among health care workers, as well as those employed in manufacturing jobs. In 2001, for example, 9% of all employed Canadians with Caribbean origins worked in the health sector, whereas this was the case for only 5% of all Canadian employees. At the same time, 11% of workers with Caribbean origin, versus 8% of the total Canadian workforce, were employed in manufacturing jobs. On the other hand, Canadian workers of Caribbean origin are underrepresented in management jobs. That year, just 6% of employed people with Caribbean origins held management positions, compared with 10% of the overall labour force.

Unemployment

Canadians with Caribbean origins are more likely to be unemployed than labour force participants4 in the overall population. In 2001, 9.3% of labour force participants of Caribbean origin were unemployed, compared with 7.4% of those in the overall work force.

As in the overall population, young Canadians of Caribbean origin are more likely to be unemployed than other age groups. This is especially true for young men between the ages of 15 and 24. In 2001, 19% of young male labour force participants of Caribbean origin were unemployed, compared with 14% of all young Canadians in the same category. At the same time, 17% of young female labour force participants of Caribbean origin were unemployed, compared to 13% of their counterparts in the general population.

Incomes

Canadians of Caribbean origin generally have lower incomes than those in the overall population. In 2000,5 people of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over had an average income from all sources of $26,000, almost $4,000 less than the national figure.

Table 7. Average incomes of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population, by age group and sex, 2000. Opens a new browser window.

Table 7
Average incomes of the Caribbean community and overall Canadian population, by age group and sex, 2000

As in the overall population, women of Caribbean origin have lower incomes than their male counterparts. In 2000, the average income for adult women of Caribbean origin was just under $23,000, while the average for men of Caribbean origin was almost $30,000. However, the income gap between women and men of Caribbean origin is considerably smaller than the gap in the overall population. In 2000, the average income of women of Caribbean origin was 77% that of their male counterparts, whereas the figure in the overall population was 62%.

Seniors of Caribbean origin also have relatively low incomes. In 2000, the average income from all sources for Canadians of Caribbean origin aged 65 and over was $21,000, while the average income for all seniors was $24,400. As with all seniors in Canada, female seniors of Caribbean origin have lower incomes than their male counterparts. That year, the average income for women of Caribbean origin aged 65 and over was just $17,700, compared with just over $26,000 for male seniors of Caribbean origin.

People of Caribbean origin receive slightly more of their income from earnings6 than do their counterparts in the overall population. In 2000, 84% of the incomes of Canadians of Caribbean came from earnings, while the figure in the overall population was 77%.

At the same time, Canadians of Caribbean origin receive the same share of their total income from government transfer programs as other people. In 2000, 11% of the income of Canadians of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over came from government transfers, compared with 12% for all Canadians.

Low-income population

Canadians of Caribbean origin are much more likely than other people to have incomes that fall below Statistics Canada’s Low-income Cut-offs. In 2000, the incomes of 26% of people who reported Caribbean origin were below the Low-income Cut-offs, compared with 16% in the overall population.

Children of Caribbean origin are also characterized by relatively high rates of low income. In 2000, 33% of children of Caribbean origin under the age of 15 lived in families with incomes below the Low-income Cut-offs, compared with 19% of all children in Canada.

Unattached Canadians of Caribbean origin are also particularly likely to have low incomes. In 2000, 44% of people of Caribbean origin aged 15 and over who lived alone had low incomes, compared with 38% of their counterparts in the overall population.

Seniors of Caribbean origin who live alone are especially likely to have low incomes. In 2000, 64% of unattached people age 65 and over who reported they had Caribbean origins had incomes below the Low-income Cut-offs, versus 40% of their counterparts in the total population.

As in the overall population, unattached female seniors of Caribbean origin are the most likely to be have low incomes. In 2000, 69% of unattached women of Caribbean origin age 65 and over had incomes below the Low-income Cut-offs, compared with 53% of unattached male seniors of Caribbean origin and 43% of all unattached women in this age group.

Most feel a sense of belonging to Canada

According to the Ethnic Diversity Survey, a majority of Canadians of Caribbean origin have a strong sense of belonging to Canada. In 2002, 82% of those with Caribbean origins reported they felt a strong sense of belonging to Canada. At the same time, 68% said that they had a strong sense of belonging to their ethnic or cultural group.

People with Caribbean origin are also involved in Canadian society. For example, 67% of Canadians of Caribbean origin who were eligible to vote did so in the 2000 federal election. Similarly, in 2002, 41% of people of Caribbean origin had participated in an organization such as a sports team or religious group in the 12 months preceding the survey.

At the same time, though, many Canadians of Caribbean descent report they have experienced discrimination. In 2002, 41% indicated they had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment based on their ethnicity, race, religion, language or accent in the past five years, or since they arrived in Canada. As well, 89% of those who had experienced discrimination said that they felt it was based on their race or skin colour.

Summary table. Opens a new browser window.

Summary table


Notes:

  1. All statistical information in this publication referring to Canadians of Caribbean origin, the Caribbean community, or people of Caribbean origin denotes people who reported Caribbean, West Indian, or any ethnicity or nationality that originates in the Caribbean region either alone or in combination with other origins in response to the question on ethnic origin in the 2001 Census or 2002 Ethnic Diversity Survey.

  2. English and French are recognized as Canada’s official languages in the Official Languages Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

  3. A mother tongue is the language that a person learns first in childhood and that they still understand.


  4. Adults (aged 15 and over) who are employed, or who are unemployed and looking for work.


  5. In the Census, people report their income for the previous year.


  6. Earnings are total wages and salaries and net income from self-employment.



You need to use the free Adobe Reader to view PDF documents. To view (open) these files, simply click on the link. To download (save) them, right-click on the link. Note that if you are using Internet Explorer or AOL, PDF documents sometimes do not open properly. See Troubleshooting PDFs. PDF documents may not be accessible by some devices. For more information, visit the Adobe website or contact us for assistance.