Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series
Key facts on the French language in Alberta in 2021

This fact sheet gives an overview of the situation of French in Alberta in 2021. It begins by providing information on the changes in the number and proportion of the population who can have a conversation in French, whose first official language spoken is French, whose mother tongue is French, and who speak French at home or use French at work. Next, it presents information on French‑language instruction in primary and secondary schools, on French spoken among recent and established immigrants, as well as on the mobility and place of birth of individuals whose first official language spoken is French. Additional data on these topics can be found in the appendix.

The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the Census of Population. To learn more about census concepts and the historical comparability of data, please refer to the 2021 Census of Population Languages Reference Guide and the Instruction in the Minority Official Language Reference Guide.

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Highlights

• In 2021, 261,435 Albertans could conduct a conversation in French. This number rose steadily from 1991 to 2016 (+92,340), but fell from 2016 to 2021 (-7,175). The demographic weight of this population stood at 6.6% or higher from 1991 to 2016, before falling to 6.2% in 2021.
• In 2021, 75,460 people (1.8% of the population) spoke French at least regularly at home. Among those with French as one of their mother tongues, half (49.7%) spoke French regularly at home.
• In 2021, 21,770 workers living in the province (1.1%) used French at least regularly at work. Most of them worked in educational services (30.6%) or public administration (11.9%).
• Nearly 1 in 20 immigrants (4.7%) could have a conversation in French in 2021. This proportion was lower than that for the non-immigrant population (6.8%).
• Nearly three in four Albertans (74.6%) whose only first official language spoken in 2021 was French were born outside the province.
• Between 2016 and 2021, for the first time since the 1986-to-1991 period, the net interprovincial migration of the Alberta population with French as its only first official language spoken was negative.

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Ability to conduct a conversation in French

Data table for Chart 1



Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 1. The information is grouped by Knowledge of official languages (appearing as row headers), 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Knowledge of official languages	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
	number
French and English	167,155	178,505	202,910	222,885	235,565	264,715	258,330
French only	1,940	1,615	1,890	2,200	3,205	3,895	3,105
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1991 to 2021.

• In 2021, 261,435 Albertans could have a conversation in French. Almost all (98.8%, or 258,330 people) could also do so in English.
• In 2021, the number of people who could have a conversation in French was higher than in 1991 (+92,340), but was down from 2016 (-7,175). This was the first time a decline in this number was observed in a census in Alberta.
• In 2021, 6.2% of Albertans could have a conversation in French. This was a 50-year low. From 1991 to 2016, the demographic weight of this population stood at 6.6% or higher.
• From 1991 to 2021, the number of Albertans who could have a conversation in French rose among residents who did not learn French first at home in their childhood (+69,085). Among these residents, the proportion of people able to speak French edged down from 4.7% in 1991 to 4.5% in 2021.

Description for Map 1

This map shows the proportion of the population able to conduct a conversation in French in each census subdivision in Alberta in 2021.

In this map we use 6 distinct colours to signify different values. Grey is used to represent areas for which no data are available. There are 36 census subdivisions in this group.

Teal is used to represent areas in which less than 1.5% of the population is able to conduct a conversation in French. There are 113 census subdivisions in this group.

Green is used to represent areas in which 1.5% to less than 5% of the population is able to conduct a conversation in French. There are 186 census subdivisions in this group.

Yellow is used to represent areas in which 5% to less than 10% of the population is able to conduct a conversation in French. There are 56 census subdivisions in this group.

Orange is used to represent areas in which 10% to less than 30% of the population is able to conduct a conversation in French. There are 27 census subdivisions in this group.

Red is used to represent areas in which 30% or more of the population is able to conduct a conversation in French. There are 5 census subdivisions in this group.

The boundaries of census subdivisions have been delimited by a gray line or by circles for those with smaller land area. Their colour was assigned according to the table below.



Data Table for Map 1
Proportion of Alberta's population who could conduct a conversation in French, by census subdivision, 2021
Table summary
This table displays the results of Proportion of Alberta's population who could conduct a conversation in French. The information is grouped by Census Subdivision (appearing as row headers), Population knowing French (appearing as column headers).

Census Subdivision		Population knowing FrenchData Table for Map 1 Note 1
Code	Name	percentage
4819046	Falher	52.8
4819041	Smoky River No. 130	50.0
4819048	Girouxville	46.4
4819044	Donnelly	45.6
4812013	Pelican Narrows	31.3
4808027	Sunbreaker Cove	23.1
4817026	Northern Sunrise County	23.1
4812011	Bonnyville Beach	21.4
4811069	Legal	21.1
4815033	Jasper	20.6
4815032	Improvement District No. 9 Banff	20.4
4813047	Sunset Beach	20.0
4812020	Horseshoe Bay	18.8
4815023	Canmore	18.4
4819042	McLennan	18.1
4812014	St. Paul County No. 19	17.8
4812018	St. Paul	17.8
4815015	Bighorn No. 8	16.7
4815030	Waiparous	16.7
4811013	Beaumont	14.4
4813049	Island Lake	14.3
4815035	Banff	13.6
4817836	Kapawe'no First Nation 150B	12.5
4812002	Cold Lake	12.3
4812004	Bonnyville No. 87	12.1
4819038	Peace River	11.8
4812037	Lac la Biche County	11.7
4813057	West Baptiste	11.1
4811062	St. Albert	10.6
4811068	Morinville	10.3
4812009	Bonnyville	10.3
4813033	Larkspur	10.0
4813017	Sunrise Beach	9.7
4815013	Kananaskis	9.7
4806019	Cochrane	9.1
4807032	Alliance	9.1
4814019	Hinton	8.5
4808013	Norglenwold	8.2
4813061	Whispering Hills	8.0
4808025	Half Moon Bay	7.7
4819012	Grande Prairie	7.7
4811059	Sturgeon County	7.6
4819049	Birch Hills County	7.6
4806012	Okotoks	7.4
4806021	Airdrie	7.3
4806014	Rocky View County	7.1
4808023	Birchcliff	7.1
4811007	Norris Beach	7.1
4813055	South Baptiste	7.1
4803016	Cowley	7.0
4811052	Strathcona County	6.7
4811061	Edmonton	6.7
4806016	Calgary	6.6
4803003	Improvement District No. 4 Waterton	6.5
4811038	Seba Beach	6.5
4811066	Bon Accord	6.5
4813048	Athabasca	6.5
4813044	Athabasca County	6.3
4813051	Island Lake South	6.3
4815027	Ghost Lake	6.3
4808012	Sylvan Lake	6.2
4811064	Gibbons	6.1
4816037	Wood Buffalo	6.1
4811049	Spruce Grove	6.0
4814024	Edson	6.0
4806001	Foothills County	5.9
4808042	Parkland Beach	5.9
4811012	Leduc County	5.9
4819071	Peace No. 135	5.9
4811016	Leduc	5.8
4811048	Stony Plain	5.8
4811056	Fort Saskatchewan	5.8
4806031	Cremona	5.7
4807027	White Sands	5.7
4810014	Hay Lakes	5.5
4817039	Nampa	5.5
4808011	Red Deer	5.4
4805011	Arrowwood	5.3
4807054	Wainwright	5.3
4802012	Lethbridge	5.2
4803014	Pincher Creek	5.2
4808031	Lacombe	5.2
4810039	Lloydminster (Part)	5.2
4813028	Westlock County	5.2
4819006	Grande Prairie County No. 1	5.2
4817097	Rainbow Lake	5.1
4807049	Wainwright No. 61	5.0
4817837	John D'Or Prairie 215	5.0
4803011	Pincher Creek No. 9	4.9
4810018	Tofield	4.9
4811034	Parkland County	4.9
4811046	Spring Lake	4.9
4813030	Whitecourt	4.9
4808005	Jarvis Bay	4.8
4813045	Mewatha Beach	4.8
4813010	Silver Sands	4.7
4806009	Turner Valley	4.6
4806011	Black Diamond	4.6
4807021	Big Valley	4.5
4808029	Blackfalds	4.5
4810066	Bruderheim	4.5
4811005	Poplar Bay	4.5
4815045	Ranchland No. 66	4.5
4819011	Wembley	4.5
4802002	Coutts	4.4
4812012	Glendon	4.4
4817021	High Prairie	4.4
4819074	Grimshaw	4.4
4806006	High River	4.3
4808028	Gull Lake	4.3
4817855	Desmarais	4.3
4806026	Crossfield	4.2
4814003	Yellowhead County	4.2
4809015	Rocky Mountain House	4.1
4810059	Andrew	4.1
4807004	Czar	4.0
4812016	Elk Point	4.0
4813008	Ross Haven	4.0
4813029	Woodlands County	4.0
4813053	Bondiss	4.0
4817076	Northern Lights County	4.0
4806017	Chestermere	3.9
4810011	Camrose	3.9
4813011	Sunset Point	3.9
4802013	Coalhurst	3.8
4805002	Carmangay	3.8
4806022	Irricana	3.8
4810064	Lamont	3.8
4812024	Vilna	3.8
4801006	Medicine Hat	3.7
4805018	Strathmore	3.7
4807038	Heisler	3.7
4808001	Red Deer County	3.7
4813031	Westlock	3.7
4817024	Swan Hills	3.7
4817029	Slave Lake	3.7
4819014	Sexsmith	3.7
4806029	Carstairs	3.6
4806034	Olds	3.6
4813019	Barrhead	3.6
4813032	Clyde	3.6
4817027	Big Lakes County	3.6
4811802	Pigeon Lake 138A	3.5
4819072	Berwyn	3.5
4802009	Stirling	3.4
4802034	Brooks	3.4
4811011	Millet	3.4
4813001	Lac Ste. Anne County	3.4
4815007	Crowsnest Pass	3.4
4818015	Greenview No. 16	3.4
4805034	Delia	3.3
4805044	Acme	3.3
4806008	Longview	3.3
4807051	Chauvin	3.3
4802004	Milk River	3.2
4802016	Barons	3.2
4808034	Alix	3.2
4810038	Paradise Valley	3.2
4803026	Nanton	3.1
4806028	Mountain View County	3.1
4807036	Forestburg	3.1
4807056	Irma	3.1
4811008	Ma-Me-O Beach	3.1
4811018	Devon	3.1
4813005	Val Quentin	3.1
4817064	Hines Creek	3.1
4801003	Cypress County	3.0
4802008	Raymond	3.0
4808009	Penhold	3.0
4809002	Clearwater County	3.0
4810003	Rosalind	3.0
4811024	Warburg	3.0
4818018	Valleyview	3.0
4819058	Spirit River	3.0
4804019	Youngstown	2.9
4805004	Champion	2.9
4805036	Munson	2.9
4808008	Innisfail	2.9
4808022	Lacombe County	2.9
4810021	Holden	2.9
4810041	Kitscoty	2.9
4810061	Mundare	2.9
4811002	Wetaskiwin	2.9
4803004	Cardston	2.8
4805021	Standard	2.8
4806036	Sundre	2.8
4810016	Beaver County	2.8
4810042	Vermilion	2.8
4810044	Marwayne	2.8
4813036	Thorhild County	2.8
4817033	Lesser Slave River No. 124	2.8
4808004	Delburne	2.7
4810031	Innisfree	2.7
4810034	Mannville	2.7
4811019	Calmar	2.7
4812815	Cold Lake 149B	2.7
4805012	Wheatland County	2.6
4806024	Beiseker	2.6
4807044	Sedgewick	2.6
4808024	Eckville	2.6
4811001	Wetaskiwin County No. 10	2.6
4813018	Barrhead County No. 11	2.6
4813046	Boyle	2.6
4817093	High Level	2.6
4805022	Rockyford	2.5
4805026	Drumheller	2.5
4810001	Camrose County	2.5
4812029	Smoky Lake	2.5
4816821	Gregoire Lake 176	2.5
4801018	Redcliff	2.4
4802036	Duchess	2.4
4804022	Consort	2.4
4805038	Morrin	2.4
4806032	Didsbury	2.4
4807006	Hughenden	2.4
4808026	Bentley	2.4
4810002	Bashaw	2.4
4810058	Lamont County	2.4
4811065	Redwater	2.4
4819059	Saddle Hills County	2.4
4802019	Coaldale	2.3
4803022	Claresholm	2.3
4808039	Ponoka	2.3
4810012	Bittern Lake	2.3
4810036	Vermilion River County	2.3
4813006	West Cove	2.3
4819054	Spirit River No. 133	2.3
4805048	Three Hills	2.2
4807029	Donalda	2.2
4819068	Fairview	2.2
4805006	Vulcan	2.1
4805046	Linden	2.1
4809010	Caroline	2.1
4810019	Ryley	2.1
4810028	Vegreville	2.1
4811031	Drayton Valley	2.1
4812022	Smoky Lake County	2.1
4818002	Fox Creek	2.1
4803001	Cardston County	2.0
4805042	Carbon	2.0
4808006	Bowden	2.0
4808038	Ponoka County	2.0
4810022	Viking	2.0
4810026	Minburn County No. 27	2.0
4810062	Chipman	2.0
4811023	Golden Days	2.0
4817848	Bushe River 207	2.0
4819009	Beaverlodge	2.0
4803018	Willow Creek No. 26	1.9
4807039	Daysland	1.9
4807048	Hardisty	1.9
4808044	Rimbey	1.9
4810048	Two Hills County No. 21	1.9
4810051	Myrnam	1.9
4819066	Fairview No. 136	1.9
4802011	Lethbridge County	1.8
4803002	Magrath	1.8
4803006	Glenwood	1.8
4803024	Stavely	1.8
4807012	Coronation	1.8
4807026	Stettler	1.8
4808002	Elnora	1.8
4811032	Brazeau County	1.8
4813016	Sandy Beach	1.8
4819008	Hythe	1.8
4819056	Rycroft	1.8
4802039	Bassano	1.7
4804014	Oyen	1.7
4813002	Mayerthorpe	1.7
4813012	Alberta Beach	1.7
4813014	Onoway	1.6
4816810	Fort Mckay 174	1.6
4802023	Barnwell	1.5
4805041	Kneehill County	1.5
4807019	Stettler County No. 6	1.5
4811021	Thorsby	1.5
4812810	Cold Lake 149	1.5
4817031	Opportunity No. 17	1.5
4802006	Warner	1.4
4802014	Nobleford	1.4
4802031	Newell County	1.4
4802038	Rosemary	1.4
4803019	Fort Macleod	1.4
4805031	Starland County	1.4
4817829	Sucker Creek 150A	1.4
4802001	Warner County No. 5	1.3
4802018	Picture Butte	1.3
4804011	Hanna	1.3
4805001	Vulcan County	1.3
4807014	Castor	1.3
4807052	Edgerton	1.3
4808032	Clive	1.3
4812828	Beaver Lake 131	1.3
4817078	Manning	1.3
4804020	Special Area No. 4	1.2
4807031	Flagstaff County	1.2
4810009	Bawlf	1.2
4802022	Taber	1.1
4804004	Special Area No. 2	1.1
4807002	Provost	1.1
4807042	Killam	1.1
4810052	Two Hills	1.1
4811804	Enoch Cree Nation	1.1
4817853	Little Buffalo	1.1
4801014	Bow Island	1.0
4804001	Acadia No. 34	1.0
4805049	Trochu	1.0
4807001	Provost No. 52	1.0
4807011	Paintearth County No. 18	1.0
4817860	Loon Lake 235	1.0
4804012	Special Area No. 3	0.9
4811026	Breton	0.9
4811805	Alexander 134	0.9
4801009	Foremost	0.8
4802029	Vauxhall	0.8
4809809	Sunchild 202	0.8
4817062	Clear Hills	0.8
4817856	Woodland Cree 226	0.8
4801008	Forty Mile County No. 8	0.6
4812802	Unipouheos 121	0.6
4817828	Drift Pile River 150	0.6
4802021	Taber	0.5
4812808	White Fish Lake 128	0.5
4817095	Mackenzie County	0.5
4817845	Hay Lake 209	0.5
4803802	Blood 148	0.4
4811801	Ermineskin 138	0.4
4818816	Sturgeon Lake 154	0.4
4803801	Piikani 147	0.3
4808811	Samson 137	0.2
4817835	Fox Lake 162	0.2
4803008	Hill Spring	0.0
4804006	Empress	0.0
4804021	Veteran	0.0
4805008	Lomond	0.0
4805009	Milo	0.0
4805019	Hussar	0.0
4805802	Siksika 146	0.0
4807008	Amisk	0.0
4807016	Halkirk	0.0
4807028	Rochon Sands	0.0
4807046	Lougheed	0.0
4808813	Montana 139	0.0
4809806	O'Chiese 203	0.0
4810006	Edberg	0.0
4810805	Makaoo (Part) 120	0.0
4811004	Grandview	0.0
4811006	Crystal Springs	0.0
4811009	Silver Beach	0.0
4811020	Sundance Beach	0.0
4811803	Louis Bull 138B	0.0
4811806	Wabamun 133A	0.0
4812026	Waskatenau	0.0
4812804	Puskiakiwenin 122	0.0
4812811	Kehewin 123	0.0
4812813	Cold Lake 149A	0.0
4812840	Heart Lake 167	0.0
4813003	Nakamun Park	0.0
4813007	Yellowstone	0.0
4813013	Birch Cove	0.0
4813015	South View	0.0
4813811	Alexis 133	0.0
4816051	Improvement District No. 24 Wood Buffalo	0.0
4816817	Janvier 194	0.0
4816822	Gregoire Lake 176A	0.0
4816850	Allison Bay 219	0.0
4816852	Dog Head 218	0.0
4817817	Jean Baptiste Gambler 183	0.0
4817818	Wabasca 166	0.0
4817819	Wabasca 166A	0.0
4817821	Wabasca 166B	0.0
4817822	Wabasca 166C	0.0
4817823	Wabasca 166D	0.0
4817824	Utikoomak Lake 155	0.0
4817827	Utikoomak Lake 155A	0.0
4817831	Swan River 150E	0.0
4817832	Sawridge 150G	0.0
4817838	Tall Cree 173	0.0
4817840	Tall Cree 173A	0.0
4817842	Boyer 164	0.0
4817843	Child Lake 164A	0.0
4817849	Upper Hay River 212	0.0
4817857	Woodland Cree 228	0.0
4817859	Fort Vermilion 173B	0.0
4817865	Kapawe'no First Nation 229	0.0
4819815	Horse Lakes 152B	0.0
4819826	Duncan's 151A	0.0
Note 1 Includes people knowing French only and people knowing French and English. Return to note 1 referrer Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.

• In 2021, in 299 of Alberta’s 387 municipalities,^Note less than 5% of the population could conduct a conversation in French. Conversely, in 19 municipalities, 15% or more of the population knew French.
• The municipalities with a population of more than 500 that had the highest proportion of people who spoke French were all in the northern part of the province: Falher (52.8%), Smoky River No. 130 (50.0%) and Northern Sunrise County (23.1%).
• The municipalities that had the highest number of people who knew French were Calgary (86,180), Edmonton (67,240) and St. Albert (7,170), a municipality in the Edmonton census metropolitain area (CMA) .

French as the first official language spoken

Data table for Chart 2



Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 2. The information is grouped by First official language spoken (appearing as row headers), 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

First official language spoken	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
	number
French only	50,565	49,390	55,645	58,575	65,105	71,535	64,440
French and English	5,430	6,220	6,355	8,420	12,530	16,605	15,525
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1991 to 2021.

• In 2021, 64,440 Albertans (1.5% of the population) had French as their only first official language spoken and 15,525 residents (0.4%) had French and English as their first official languages spoken.
• In 2021, the number of people with French as their only first official language spoken was higher than in 1991 (+13,875), but down compared with 2016 (-7,095). Before this drop, this number had risen consistently from 1996 to 2016 (+22,145).
• From 1991 to 2021, the demographic weight of the population whose only first official language spoken is French fell (from 2.0% to 1.5%). In 2021, this was the lowest proportion ever observed in a census in Alberta.
• From 1991 to 2021, the number of Albertans with French and English as their first official languages spoken almost tripled, from 5,430 to 15,525.

French as a mother tongue

Data table for Chart 3



Data table for Chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 3. The information is grouped by Mother tongue (appearing as row headers), 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Mother tongue	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
	number
French only	53,710	52,375	58,645	61,225	68,550	72,155	64,855
French in combination with other languages	6,125	5,925	7,350	7,210	12,540	14,550	23,155
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1991 to 2021.

• In 2021, 88,010 Albertans had French as one of their mother tongues, up from 1991 (+28,170) and 2016 (+1,305). However, their demographic weight fell from 2.4% in 1991 to 2.1% in 2021.
  • In 2021, 73.7% of these residents (64,855 people) had French as their only mother tongue, while 26.3% (23,155 people) had French as their mother tongue along with other languages (mainly English).
• Among people who were married or in a common-law relationship and who had French as one of their mother tongues, nearly a third (32.5%) were in a relationship with another person whose mother tongue is French.

French spoken at home

Data table for Chart 4



Data table for Chart 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 4. The information is grouped by Language spoken most often at home (appearing as row headers), 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Language spoken most often at home	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
	number
French predominantly	17,805	15,725	18,705	19,315	24,690	27,630	22,755
French equally with other languages	4,835	4,280	4,035	4,200	7,695	10,970	10,540
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1991 to 2021.

• In 2021, 75,460 Albertans (1.8% of the population) spoke French at least regularly at home.
• Of these, less than half (44.1%, or 33,295 people) spoke French most often at home, predominantly or equally with other languages. This was down from 2016 (-5,310), but higher than in 1991 (+10,650).
• Moreover, 42,165 people (55.9%) spoke French at home as a secondary language while speaking another language more often (generally English).
• Among people with French as their mother tongue, alone or with other languages:
• Roughly half (49.7%, or 43,780 people) spoke French at least regularly at home in 2021. However, this rate varied by age, ranging from 77.8% among those under age 15 to 38.3% among those aged 45 and older.
• Close to a third (32.0%, or 28,120 people) spoke French most often at home, predominantly or equally with other languages in 2021. Compared with 1991, their number increased (+7,860), but their proportion decreased (from 33.9% to 32.0%).
• Among Alberta residents whose mother tongue is not French, 31,680 (0.8%) spoke French regularly at home.
• The vast majority of these residents (83.7%, or 26,510 people) spoke French at home as a secondary language while speaking another language more often (generally English).

French used at work

Data table for Chart 5



Data table for Chart 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 5. The information is grouped by Language used most often at work (appearing as row headers), 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Language used most often at work	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
	number
French predominantly	4,280	4,760	5,555	5,580	5,880
French equally with other languages	2,250	2,550	2,740	4,130	2,310
Notes: Among workers who were employed during the census reference week. In 2021, changes were made to the census questions regarding languages used at work. Comparisons with previous cycles must therefore be made with caution. For more information, consult the Languages Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2001, 2006, 2016 and 2021, and the National Household Survey of 2011.

• In 2021, 21,770 Albertans used French at least regularly at work. This represents 1.1% of the province’s workers.^Note
• In Alberta, 8,190 people used French most often at work, predominantly or equally with other languages, accounting for 0.4% of the province’s workers.
• The number of workers who used French most often at work rose from 6,530 in 2001 to 9,710 in 2016, then fell from 2016 to 2021 (-1,520).
• In 2021, among workers who used French at least regularly at work, most worked in educational services (6,655 people, or 30.6%), public administration (2,600 people, or 11.9%) or health care and social assistance (2,045 people, or 9.4%).^Note
• Among workers who spoke French most often at home, predominantly or equally with other languages, 38.3% also used French regularly at work in 2021.
• Nearly two in five workers (38.7%) who used French regularly at work lived in the Edmonton CMA and more than a third (36.3%) lived in the Calgary CMA.

Instruction in French at the primary and secondary levels

• In 2021, 67,145 (6.9%) of the 971,390 children under 18 living in the province were eligible^Note for instruction in French at the primary and secondary levels.
• Nearly two in five eligible children (37.4%, or 25,140) lived in the Edmonton CMA.
• A similar proportion of eligible children (35.7%, or 23,980) lived in the Calgary CMA.
• In Alberta, 105,565 people attended or had already attended a regular French program in a French-language school in Canada, representing 2.7% of the population aged 5 and older.
• Of those who had never attended a French-language school, 187,705 (4.8%) had attended a French immersion program in an English-language school.
• Among school-aged children^Note who were eligible for instruction in French, 24,675 (49.6%) were attending or had already attended a regular French program in a French-language school in Canada.

French among immigrants

• In 2021, the proportions of recent^Note immigrants and established^Note immigrants living in Alberta who could have a conversation in French (3.5% and 5.0%, respectively) were lower than the proportion for the non-immigrant population (6.8%).
  • The proportion of immigrants who spoke French at least regularly at home (1.9%) was similar to that of the non-immigrant population (1.7%).
  • The proportion of immigrants who had French as their only first official language spoken (1.3%) was slightly below that of the non-immigrant population (1.6%). However, the proportion of immigrants who had French and English as their first official languages spoken (1.1%) was higher than the proportion of the non-immigrant population (0.1%).

Mobility and birthplace of the French-speaking population

Data table for Chart 6



Data table for Chart 6
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 6. The information is grouped by Place of birth (appearing as row headers), Percent (appearing as column headers).

Place of birth	Percent
Alberta	25.4
Quebec	30.2
New Brunswick	5.6
Ontario	8.4
Elsewhere in Canada	8.0
Outside Canada	22.5
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.

• In 2021, among Albertans whose only first official language spoken is French, roughly a quarter (25.4%, or 16,200 people) were born in the province.
• Just over half (52.1%, or 33,280 people) were born in another province or territory, with the majority coming from Quebec (30.2%, or 19,250 people), Ontario (8.4%, or 5,375 people) or New Brunswick (5.6%, or 3,575 people).
• More than one in five (22.5%, or 14,345 people) were born abroad, mainly in Africa (13.5%), specifically in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2.7%), Cameroon (1.8%) or Côte d’Ivoire (1.4%), or in metropolitan France (3.8%).
• From 2016 to 2021, the net interprovincial migration of the Alberta population whose only first official language spoken is French was negative (-3,515).
• While 5,865 people with French as their only first official language spoken moved to Alberta from another province or territory from 2016 to 2021, 9,380 people left the province during the same period, with most settling in Quebec (50.2%) or Ontario (19.8%).
• For the first time since the 1986-to-1991 period, the net interprovincial migration of the Alberta population with French as its only first official language spoken was negative.

Appendix