Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series
Access to health care and services in English among English-speaking adults in Quebec, 2022
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Key highlights
This report provides an analysis of access to health care and services in English by the adult English-speaking population in Quebec. It is based on data from the 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population.
- Over 9 in 10 English-speaking adults in Quebec considered receiving health care and services in English to be important for them personally (91%).
- One-quarter (27%) of English-speaking adults who considered English-language services important found it was difficult or impossible to access such services in their community.
- Among English-speaking adults who considered English-language services to be important, 23% rarely or never requested such services in English and 22% rarely or never received them.
- The proportion of English-speaking adults who felt uncomfortable requesting services in English increased from 21% in 2006 to 33% in 2022.
- In 2022, 1 in 10 English-speaking adults perceived having experienced unfair treatment or discrimination or having been subject to discriminatory remarks based on their use of English while consulting a medical professional in the previous five years.
- English-speaking adults in Québec City and the surrounding areas and central Quebec indicated higher difficulty in accessing services in English and received such services less frequently, compared with those in other regions of Quebec. They also indicated a higher discomfort in requesting services in English and requested them less frequently.
- Access to and use of English-language health care and services sometimes varied significantly across sociodemographic groups and regions.
Introduction
This report provides an analysis of access to health care and services in English by the adult English-speaking population in Quebec.Note It is based on data from the 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP).
The SOLMP was conducted to shed light on different aspects of the situation of the English-speaking population in Quebec and the French-speaking populations in Canada’s other provinces and the territory capitals. The health module of the SOLMP provides information on different dimensions of access to health care and services in the minority official language. Access to health services in a person’s preferred language is recognized as an important component of equitable care, with language concordant services supporting clearer communication, better patient experiences and improved health outcomes (Reaume et al., 2025). Research on access to health care services by English speakers in Quebec and by French speakers in Canada outside Quebec has identified various areas of challenge for these groups, but it has also identified some data and research needs (Bouchard and Lizotte, 2024; Shoumarova, 2025).
Recent analysis by Statistics Canada shows that access to services in one’s official language varies according to sociodemographic characteristics, geographic location and proximity to health care facilities (Fernandes, 2025). Another report documented differences in access to services in the minority official language across regions and population groups, providing a baseline for further disaggregation and analysis (Pépin-Filion et al., 2024). These previous analyses have focused on specific questions from the SOLMP, in particular those regarding the languages in which people received healthcare services, but they did not provide a complete overview of the survey’s health module. They also highlighted the need for more disaggregated analysis to better understand variations in experiences across population groups and regions.
Building on this work, the present report provides further analysis of the questions included in the SOLMP’s health module, for the English-speaking population in Quebec.
Outcomes are examined by gender, age group, immigration status, level of education and region within Quebec.Note This approach highlights variations across population groups and geographic areas, supporting a more detailed understanding of health experiences among English-speaking adults in Quebec. Comparisons with data from the 2006 Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities (SVOLM) were made when possible, though those comparisons are limited due to differences in the health module design in the two surveys.
1 Importance given to health care and services in English
In Quebec, a majority (91%) of English-speaking adults considered it somewhat important, important or very important personally to receive health care and services in English.
The importance given to health care and services in English is not simply due to a lack of knowledge of French. In Quebec in 2021, 71% of English-speaking adults were able to conduct a conversation in French, while 29% were not. Among those who did not know French well enough to hold a conversation, the proportion that considered it importantNote to receive health care and services in English was very high (>99%), but it was also high among those who knew both French and English (87%). The proportion of English speakers who knew both French and English and who considered it important to receive services in English was the same in 2022 as it was in 2006.Note
Data table for Chart 1
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
|
|||
| Quebec | 91 | 89.3 | 91.8 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years | 91 | 88.5 | 92.7 |
| 45 to 64 years | 90 | 87.6 | 92.0 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 91 | 89.5 | 92.8 |
| Gender | |||
| Men (Ref.) | 88 | 85.8 | 90.1 |
| Women | 93 Data table for Chart 1 Note * | 91.8 | 94.5 |
| Immigration | |||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 92 | 90.7 | 93.6 |
| Immigrant | 88 Data table for Chart 1 Note * | 85.6 | 90.1 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 92 | 90.3 | 93.3 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 87 | 82.6 | 90.8 |
| Quebec - East | 91 | 87.9 | 93.8 |
| Quebec - West | 93 | 89.7 | 95.1 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 59 | 53.4 | 64.1 |
| Central Quebec | 84 | 77.9 | 87.9 |
In 2022, women were slightly more likely than men to consider it important to receive health care and services in English (93% vs. 88%). Among the non-immigrant population, 92% of English-speaking adults considered it important to receive health care and services in English, compared with 88% of the immigrant population. No significant differences were observed by age group or educational attainment.
The SOLMP asked about the importance of receiving services in the minority language in interactions with various types of health care professionals.Note The three types of professionals from whom receiving services in English was most often considered important were specialists (96%), psychologists (96%) and general practitioners (96%). While the overall level of importance of receiving health care and services in English varied by sociodemographic characteristics, the importance assigned to specific types of services did not differ significantly across sociodemographic groups.
The level of importance placed on receiving health care and services in English varied by region in Quebec. Similar proportions of English-speaking adults in Montréal, east Quebec, west Quebec, and Estrie and south Quebec considered it important to receive health care and services in English, with percentages ranging from 87% to 93%. Those proportions were significantly lower in Québec City and surrounding areas (59%) and, to a lesser extent, in central Quebec (84%).
For the sections that follow, unless specified otherwise, all results presented only include English-speaking adults who considered it at least somewhat important to receive health care or services in English.Note
2 Perceived difficulty of access to health care and services in English
Among English-speaking adults in Quebec who felt it was at least somewhat important to receive health care and services in English, 27% considered it would be “difficult,” “very difficult” or “impossible” to get those services in English in their community. This proportion had not changed significantly compared with 2006.
In 2022, this proportion decreased with age (Chart 2). Those aged 65 years and over (20%) were less likely to consider it difficult to access health care and services in English than adults aged 45 to 64 years (28%) and 18 to 44 years (30%).Note In addition, non-immigrant English-speaking adults were almost twice as likely to consider it difficult to access such services in English, compared with the immigrant population (33% vs. 18%).
Data table for Chart 2
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| Quebec | 27 | 25 | 29 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years | 30 Data table for Chart 2 Note * | 26 | 33 |
| 45 to 64 years | 28 Data table for Chart 2 Note * | 25 | 32 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 20 | 17 | 23 |
| Gender | |||
| Men (Ref.) | 27 | 24 | 29 |
| Women | 28 | 25 | 30 |
| Education | |||
| Bachelors or higher | 29 | 26 | 32 |
| College or trade school | 28 | 24 | 31 |
| High school or lower (Ref.) | 25 | 21 | 28 |
| Immigration status | |||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 33 | 30 | 36 |
| Immigrant | 18 Data table for Chart 2 Note * | 16 | 21 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 25 | 23 | 28 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 33 | 29 | 39 |
| Quebec - East | 23 | 19 | 27 |
| Quebec - West | 28 | 24 | 33 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 57 E use with caution | 49 | 64 |
| Central Quebec | 53 | 46 | 60 |
The proportion of adults who considered it difficult to access health care and services in English also varied by region in Quebec. This proportion was lower in Montréal (25%) and east Quebec (23%), compared with Québec City and the surrounding areas (57%), and central Quebec (53%). These proportions were similar to those observed in 2006, except for east Quebec, where there was a decrease from 38% in 2006 to 23% in 2022.
The SOLMP contained questions asking whether people would prefer to receive remote health care and services in English, rather than in-person services in French. Overall, 55% of English-speaking adults in Quebec would prefer to receive remote health care and services in English, while 37% would prefer not to receive remote health care and services, and 8% would prefer to receive in-person services in French. No statistically significant differences in preference for remote services were observed across sociodemographic characteristics including age group, gender, educational attainment and immigration status.
3 Receiving health care and services in English
Among English-speaking adults in Quebec who felt it was at least somewhat important to receive health care and services in English, 52% always or often received services in English in their community, while 22% rarely or never did.
A higher proportion of adults aged 65 years and over (65%) always or often received health care and services in English, compared with adults aged 45 to 64 years (49%) and 18 to 44 years (47%). Women (55%) were more likely than men (48%) to always or often receive these services in English. Similarly, a higher proportion of adults in the immigrant population always or often received services in English, compared with the non-immigrant population (57% vs. 48%).
Data table for Chart 3
| Always/often | Sometimes | Rarely/never | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | ||||
| percentage of population | |||||||||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||||||||
| Quebec | 52 | 49.3 | 53.6 | 27 | 24.7 | 28.7 | 22 | 20 | 24 |
| Age group | |||||||||
| 18 to 44 years | 47 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 43.9 | 50.9 | 28 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 25.2 | 31.8 | 24 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 21 | 27 |
| 45 to 64 years | 49 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 45.1 | 52.4 | 29 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 25.4 | 32.2 | 23 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 20 | 26 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 65 | 61.2 | 68.0 | 20 | 16.7 | 22.7 | 16 | 13 | 19 |
| Gender | |||||||||
| Men (Ref.) | 48 | 45.2 | 51.3 | 27 | 24.0 | 29.7 | 25 | 22 | 28 |
| Women | 55 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 51.6 | 57.5 | 27 | 23.8 | 29.5 | 19 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 16 | 21 |
| Immigration status | |||||||||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 48 | 45.2 | 50.7 | 27 | 24.7 | 29.9 | 25 | 22 | 27 |
| Immigrant | 57 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 53.7 | 60.5 | 26 | 22.6 | 28.9 | 17 Data table for Chart 3 Note * | 15 | 20 |
| Regions | |||||||||
| Quebec - Montréal | 53 | 50.5 | 55.5 | 28 | 25.3 | 30.0 | 19 | 17 | 22 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 46 | 41.4 | 51.0 | 24 | 19.6 | 28.0 | 30 | 25 | 36 |
| Quebec - East | 64 | 59.2 | 68.7 | 20 | 16.3 | 24.0 | 16 | 13 | 20 |
| Quebec - West | 55 | 50.3 | 60.1 | 24 | 19.5 | 28.2 | 21 | 17 | 26 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 14 | 9.1 | 20.9 | 15 | 11.0 | 20.5 | 71 E use with caution | 63 | 78 |
| Central Quebec | 25 | 20.9 | 29.4 | 22 | 17.4 | 26.7 | 53 | 47 | 59 |
Proportions of English-speaking adults always or often receiving health care and services in English were significantly below the provincial average (52%) in Québec City and surrounding areas (14%) and central Quebec (25%). By contrast, the proportion in east Quebec (64%) was above the provincial average. In Québec City and surrounding areas, more than 7 in 10 English-speaking adults rarely or never received health care or services in English (71%E use with caution).
4 Requesting health care and services in English
In Quebec, 75 % of English-speaking adults who felt it was at least somewhat important to receive health care and services in English had received health care and services from health care workers in the 12 months preceding the survey. Among them, two in three always or often requested services in English (63%), while one in four rarely or never did (23%).
Adults aged 65 years and over (68%) were more likely to always or often request services in English, compared with adults aged 18 to 44 years (60%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level Similarly, immigrant English-speaking adults were more likely than non-immigrants to always or often request services in English (69% vs. 60%).
Data table for Chart 4
| Always/often | Sometimes | Rarely/never | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | ||||
| percentage of population | |||||||||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||||||||
| Quebec | 63 | 60.9 | 65.9 | 14 | 12.2 | 16.1 | 23 | 20.5 | 24.7 |
| Age group | |||||||||
| 18 to 44 years | 60 Data table for Chart 4 Note ** | 56.9 | 63.8 | 17 | 14.1 | 19.9 | 23 | 20.1 | 25.7 |
| 45 to 64 years | 64 | 60.6 | 67.9 | 12 | 9.3 | 14.2 | 24 | 21.2 | 27.5 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 68 | 64.9 | 71.4 | 12 | 10.0 | 14.7 | 20 | 16.9 | 22.5 |
| Immigration status | |||||||||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 60 | 56.8 | 63.3 | 14 | 11.9 | 17.0 | 26 | 22.9 | 28.6 |
| Immigrant | 69 Data table for Chart 4 Note * | 65.5 | 72.9 | 14 | 10.9 | 16.9 | 17 Data table for Chart 4 Note * | 14.2 | 20.3 |
| Regions | |||||||||
| Quebec - Montréal | 65 | 61.8 | 67.7 | 14 | 12.2 | 16.8 | 21 | 18.5 | 23.5 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 54 | 48.3 | 60.3 | 12 | 9.0 | 16.0 | 34 | 27.9 | 39.8 |
| Quebec - East | 66 | 59.9 | 70.8 | 16 | 12.4 | 21.2 | 18 | 14.0 | 23.0 |
| Quebec - West | 71 | 65.4 | 75.5 | 9 | 6.5 | 12.9 | 20 | 15.7 | 25.3 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 23 E use with caution | 15.6 | 31.9 | 11 | 7.0 | 17.0 | 66 E use with caution | 56.7 | 74.6 |
| Central Quebec | 42 | 35.5 | 49.0 | 20 | 14.1 | 27.5 | 38 E use with caution | 30.7 | 45.7 |
The proportion of English-speaking adults that requested health care and services in English among those who accessed health care and services in the 12 months preceding the survey also differed across regions in Quebec (Chart 4). The proportions in Estrie and south Quebec (54%), Québec City and surrounding areas (23%E use with caution), and central Quebec (42%) were significantly lower than the provincial average. Proportions in west Quebec, Montréal and east Quebec did not differ significantly from the provincial average.
Chart 5 presents the main reasons why English-speaking adults in Quebec did not ask for health care and services in English.Note For one in two English-speaking adults, it was because they were bilingual in English and French (53%). About one in four did not request services in English for reasons related to the healthcare professionals they interacted with, including perceptions that the professionals did not know English (27%) or may not like being asked to use it (23%), or because services were not actively offered in English (27%). One in five were concerned that asking for services in English may cause delays in getting service (20%).
Data table for Chart 5
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
| Notes: Among English-speaking adults who received health care or services in the 12 months preceding the survey, who consider it somewhat important, important, or very important to personally receive health care or services in English, and who sometimes, rarely, or never requested health care or services in English.
Source: Survey on Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| Bilingual in English and French | 53 | 49 | 58 |
| The services were not actively offered in the minority language | 27 | 23 | 32 |
| The professional did not know the minority language | 27 | 23 | 31 |
| The professional may not like it | 23 | 20 | 27 |
| To avoid delays in getting service | 20 | 16 | 23 |
| Too embarassed to ask | 15 | 12 | 18 |
| Other reasons | 10 | 8 | 12 |
| More comfortable in majority language | 9 | 7 | 12 |
| Did not want to increase the workload | 8 | 6 | 11 |
It is possible to distinguish reasons related to a lack of offer of services in English from those related to the language knowledge or preferences of individuals. Overall, 34% of English-speaking adults who did not request health care or services in English said this was only for reasons related to a lack of offer or active offer,Note 36% only because they were bilingual or more comfortable in French and 24% because of a combination of those two types of reasons.
Among the English-speaking adults who always or often requested health care or services in English in the 12 months preceding the survey, 71% always or often received services in English in their community, and 8% rarely or never received such services in English (Chart 6).
Data table for Chart 6
| Always/often | Sometimes | Rarely/never | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | Lower | Upper | ||||
| percentage of population | |||||||||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||||||||
| Quebec | 71 | 68 | 74 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Age group | |||||||||
| 18 to 44 years | 69 Data table for Chart 6 Note * | 64 | 73 | 22 | 18 | 27 | 9 | 7 | 13 |
| 45 to 64 years | 68 Data table for Chart 6 Note * | 63 | 73 | 23 | 19 | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 79 | 74 | 83 | 16 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Gender | |||||||||
| Men (Ref.) | 69 | 65 | 73 | 21 | 17 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 14 |
| Women | 72 | 68 | 76 | 21 | 18 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 9 |
| Immigration status | |||||||||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 68 | 64 | 71 | 22 | 19 | 25 | 10 | 8 | 13 |
| Immigrant | 75 Data table for Chart 6 Note ** | 72 | 79 | 20 | 17 | 23 | 5 Data table for Chart 6 Note * | 3 | 7 |
| Regions | |||||||||
| Quebec - Montréal | 71 | 68 | 75 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 71 | 64 | 77 | 22 | 17 | 28 | 7 | 4 | 12 |
| Quebec - East | 80 | 74 | 85 | 14 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Quebec - West | 70 | 64 | 76 | 19 | 14 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 17 |
| Central Quebec | 47 E use with caution | 38 | 56 | 23 | 17 | 30 | 30 E use with caution | 21 | 41 |
Among those requesting services in English, a higher proportion of adults aged 65 years and over (79%) always or often received health care and services in English, compared with adults aged 45 to 64 years (68%) and aged 18 to 44 years (69%). Differences were also observed by immigration status, where a higher proportion of adults in the immigrant population always or often received services in English, compared with the non-immigrant population (75% vs. 68%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level
In central Quebec, one in two English-speaking adults who always or often requested health care and services in English received such services always or often (47%E use with caution), which was less than the provincial average (71%). Proportions in the remaining regions of Quebec were not significantly different, compared to the provincial average.
5 Feeling uncomfortable asking for services in English
Overall, in 2022, among English-speaking adults in Quebec who felt it was at least somewhat important to receive health care and services in English, one in three felt uncomfortable asking for services in English when requiring care or services at a public health institution or community service centre (33%). This proportion increased from 21% in 2006.
This proportion varied by sociodemographic characteristics, as shown in Chart 7. English-speaking adults aged 65 years and over (22%) were less likely to experience discomfort, compared with adults aged 45 to 64 years (34%) and 18 to 44 years (37%). Similarly, a lower proportion of adults with a high school education or lower (25%) felt uncomfortable requesting such services, compared with those with higher postsecondary education (32% for those with a college or trade school education, 38% for bachelor’s degree or higher). One in four immigrants (27%) did not feel comfortable requesting such services, compared with one in three adults in the non-immigrant population (36%).
Data table for Chart 7
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| Quebec | 33 | 31 | 35 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years | 37 Data table for Chart 7 Note * | 34 | 41 |
| 45 to 64 years | 34 Data table for Chart 7 Note * | 30 | 37 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 22 | 19 | 25 |
| Education | |||
| Bachelors or higher (Ref.) | 38 | 34 | 41 |
| College or trade school | 32 | 28 | 36 |
| High school or lower | 25 Data table for Chart 7 Note * | 22 | 29 |
| Immigration | |||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 36 | 34 | 39 |
| Immigrant | 27 Data table for Chart 7 Note * | 24 | 30 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 32 | 30 | 35 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 34 | 29 | 40 |
| Quebec - East | 23 | 19 | 27 |
| Quebec - West | 26 | 22 | 31 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 62 E use with caution | 54 | 69 |
| Central Quebec | 46 | 40 | 53 |
Discomfort in requesting services in English also varied by region in Quebec. English-speaking adults in Québec City and the surrounding areas (62%E use with caution) were almost twice as likely to feel uncomfortable, compared with adults in other regions of Quebec, where proportions ranged from 23% to 46%. Compared with 2006, the levels of people reporting discomfort increased in every region, except east Quebec.
Data table for Chart 8
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
| Notes: Among English-speaking adults who consider it somewhat important, important or very important to personally receive health care or services in English and who do not feel comfortable asking for such services in English when they require care or services at a public health institution or community service centre.
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| The professional may not know minority language | 63 | 59 | 67 |
| The professional may not like it | 54 | 50 | 58 |
| The professional may not know minority language well enough | 48 | 44 | 52 |
| The services were not actively offered in the minority language | 44 | 40 | 48 |
| Delays in getting service | 43 | 39 | 48 |
| Bilingual in minority and majority language | 26 | 23 | 30 |
| Too embarassed to ask | 24 | 21 | 28 |
| Referred specialist without knowledge of the minority language | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| Did not want to increase the workload | 8 | 6 | 10 |
| Other reasons | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| More comfortable in majority language | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Chart 8 presents the main reasons English-speaking adults in Quebec felt uncomfortable requesting health care and services in English. The top three reasons were all related to health care professionals. These included people indicating that the professional may not know English at all (63%) or well enough (48%) or may not like being asked to use it (54%). Other frequent reasons included the services not being actively offered in English (44%) and delays in receiving service (43%). Overall, 95% of people had reasons for feeling uncomfortable that were related to a lack of offer or of active offer of services in English.Note
6 Perceived discrimination based on the use of English while consulting a medical professional
Overall, 10% of English-speaking adults in Quebec felt they had experienced unfair treatment or discrimination, or had been subjected to discriminatory remarks, based on their use of English while consulting a medical professional in the previous five years (Chart 9).
This proportion varied by sociodemographic characteristics, as shown in Chart 9. English-speaking adults aged 65 years and over (6%) were less likely to perceive having experienced unfair treatment or discrimination based on their use of English while consulting a medical professional, than those aged 45 to 64 years (10%) and those aged 18 to 44 years (11%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level A higher proportion of English-speaking women (12%) perceived having experienced such discrimination compared with English-speaking men (8%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level In addition, a higher proportion of English-speaking adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (13%) perceived having experienced such discrimination compared with English-speaking adults with a high school education or less (7%) and those with a college or trade school education (8%). Finally, a higher proportion of English-speaking non-immigrants (11%) perceived having experienced such discrimination compared with English-speaking immigrants (8%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level
Data table for Chart 9
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| Quebec | 10 | 8.6 | 11.1 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years | 11 Data table for Chart 9 Note ** | 9.6 | 13.1 |
| 45 to 64 years | 10 Data table for Chart 9 Note ** | 8.3 | 11.9 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 6 | 5.1 | 8.1 |
| Gender | |||
| Men (Ref.) | 8 | 6.2 | 9.6 |
| Women | 12 Data table for Chart 9 Note * | 10.3 | 14.0 |
| Education | |||
| Bachelors or higher (Ref.) | 13 | 10.6 | 15.0 |
| College or trade school | 8 Data table for Chart 9 Note * | 6.6 | 10.5 |
| High school or lower | 7 Data table for Chart 9 Note * | 5.0 | 8.8 |
| Immigration status | |||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 11 | 9.7 | 12.7 |
| Immigrant | 8 Data table for Chart 9 Note ** | 6.5 | 9.4 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 10 | 8.6 | 11.5 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 10 | 7.2 | 12.7 |
| Quebec - East | 8 | 5.9 | 10.8 |
| Quebec - West | 9 | 6.8 | 12.6 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 4 | 2.4 | 6.4 |
| Central Quebec | 12 | 8.5 | 17.7 |
A lower proportion of English-speaking adults residing in Québec City and the surrounding areas perceived having experienced such discrimination compared with those residing in the rest of Quebec.
7 Perception of the general active offer of services in English
Overall, 64% of English-speaking adults in Quebec who felt it was at least somewhat important to receive health care and services in English found that, in general, health care and services were actively offered in their official language of choice in their community (Chart 10).Note
Adults aged 65 years and over (75%) were more likely to consider that services were actively offered in the language of their choice in their community, compared with adults aged 45 to 64 years (62%) and 18 to 44 years (60%). Similarly, it was the case for a higher proportion of English-speaking immigrants than non-immigrants (70% vs. 60%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level
Data table for Chart 10
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
Source: Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP), 2022. |
|||
| Quebec | 64 | 62 | 66 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years | 60 Data table for Chart 10 Note * | 56 | 63 |
| 45 to 64 years | 62 Data table for Chart 10 Note * | 58 | 66 |
| 65 years and over (Ref.) | 75 | 72 | 78 |
| Education | |||
| Bachelors or higher | 63 Data table for Chart 10 Note ** | 60 | 65 |
| College or trade school | 61 Data table for Chart 10 Note ** | 57 | 64 |
| High school or lower (Ref.) | 70 | 66 | 73 |
| Immigration | |||
| Non-immigrant (Ref.) | 60 | 57 | 63 |
| Immigrant | 70 Data table for Chart 10 Note * | 67 | 73 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 65 | 62 | 67 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 58 | 52 | 63 |
| Quebec - East | 71 | 66 | 76 |
| Quebec - West | 72 | 67 | 76 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 31 E use with caution | 24 | 38 |
| Central Quebec | 40 | 34 | 46 |
A higher proportion of English-speaking adults with a high school education or lower (70%) felt that such services were actively offered in the language of their choice, compared with adults with a college or trade school education (61%) or a bachelor’s degree or higher (63%).† statistically significant at a 90% confidence level
The proportion of adults who found that services were actively offered in their language of choice also varied across regions in Quebec. Proportions were lower in Québec City and surrounding areas (31%E use with caution) and in central Quebec (40%), compared with the provincial average (64%). The proportions in the remaining regions did not vary significantly from the provincial average.
8 Awareness of legal obligations
All SOLMP respondents were asked whether, to their knowledge, public health care institutions had the legal obligation to offer services in the minority language in their province. In Quebec, article 15 of the Act respecting health services and social services, which was in force in 2022 during the SOLMP data collectionNote , states that English speakers are entitled to receive health services and social services in English (under certain specified circumstances).
In Quebec, 79% of English-speaking adults were aware of legal obligations for public health care institutions to offer services in English.
A higher proportion of women were aware of legal obligations, compared with men (81% vs. 76%). English-speaking adults with a college or trade school education (81%) were more likely to be aware of legal obligations, compared with those with a bachelor’s degree or higher (76%). Older adults were more likely to have such awareness compared with younger adults—75% of those aged 18 to 44 years were aware of such obligations, compared with 81% of adults aged 45 to 64 years and 84% of those aged 65 years and over. † statistically significant at a 90% confidence level
Data table for Chart 11
| Estimate | 95% confidence interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | ||
| percentage of population | |||
|
|||
| Quebec | 79 | 77 | 80 |
| Age group | |||
| 18 to 44 years (Ref.) | 75 | 72 | 77 |
| 45 to 64 years | 81 Data table for Chart 11 Note ** | 78 | 83 |
| 65 years and over | 84 Data table for Chart 11 Note ** | 82 | 86 |
| Gender | |||
| Men (Ref.) | 76 | 73 | 78 |
| Women | 81 Data table for Chart 11 Note * | 79 | 83 |
| Education | |||
| Bachelors or higher (Ref.) | 76 | 73 | 78 |
| College or trade school | 81 Data table for Chart 11 Note ** | 78 | 84 |
| High school or lower | 81 | 78 | 83 |
| Regions | |||
| Quebec - Montréal | 80 | 77 | 82 |
| Quebec - Estrie and South | 83 | 78 | 86 |
| Quebec - East | 77 | 73 | 80 |
| Quebec - West | 74 | 69 | 78 |
| Quebec city and surrounding areas | 63 | 58 | 69 |
| Central Quebec | 74 | 69 | 79 |
The proportions of adults who were aware of legislation regarding access to English services in public health care institutions were generally similar across regions of Quebec. The only exception was among English-speaking adults in Québec City and the surrounding areas (63%), where the proportion was lower than the provincial average.
Conclusions
Overall, in 2022, the majority of English-speaking adults in Quebec (91%) considered it important that they receive health care and services in English.
Among those who considered it important to receive services in English, about one-quarter (27%) considered that it would be difficult, very difficult or impossible to receive those services in English in their community, a proportion similar to that observed in 2006. Among those who considered it important to receive services in English, about half (52%) always or often received services in English in their community, while 22% rarely or never did.
Not all English-speaking adults who consider it important to receive health care and services in English requested such services in English—23% never did or rarely did. Among those who did not request services in English, their reasons were related to a lack of offer or active offer of services in English in about one-third of cases, to being bilingual or more comfortable in French in another one-third of cases and otherwise for the most part to a combination of those two types of reasons. Overall, among English-speaking adults who considered it important to receive services in English, one in three (33%) felt uncomfortable asking for services in English when requiring care or services at a public health institution or community service centre, a proportion which increased from 21% in 2006. In 2022, one in ten English-speaking adults in Quebec (10%) perceived having experienced unfair treatment or discrimination or having been subjected to discriminatory remarks based on their use of English while consulting a medical professional in the previous five years.
Indicators of access to health care and services in English sometimes varied across sociodemographic groups. Older adults and immigrants generally found it less difficult to access services in English in their community, requested and received services in English more frequently and were more comfortable asking for services in English. Women were also more likely than men to receive health services in English. Older adults, immigrants, as well as people with at most a high school education were more likely to find that health care and services were generally actively offered in their official language of choice in their community.
Differences in access to services in English were also observed across regions. In particular, the proportions of English-speaking adults who found it easy to access services in English in their community, who received or requested services in English frequently, who felt comfortable requesting services in English and who found that services in English were generally actively offered in their language of choice were all significantly lower in Québec City and the surrounding areas and in central Quebec. Other regions of Quebec tended to be more similar to each other. Compared to these other regions, Québec City and surrounding areas and, to a lesser extent, central Quebec are also characterized by smaller concentrations of English-speaking populations.Note
These findings highlight variability in both the perception of availability and the experience of accessing health care and services in English among English-speaking adults in Quebec. They provide a baseline for understanding how sociodemographic characteristics and region are associated with access to English language health care and services.
Data
The 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (SOLMP) was used as the data source for this report.
This survey collects information on the social, economic and cultural characteristics and situations of English- and French-speaking minority populations across Canada. For example, it includes questions on language use, access to services and awareness of language rights, including health care and other public services in the minority official language. The survey is based on two representative samples, one for adults and one for children. The adult sample, selected from adults aged 18 or over in the official language minority population, was used for this report.
The “official language minority population” refers to the English-speaking population in Quebec and the French-speaking population in Canada outside Quebec. It includes (1) individuals whose mother tongue is the minority official language (alone or with other languages), (2) individuals with neither English nor French as their mother tongue who know the minority official language but not the majority official language, and (3) individuals with neither English nor French as their mother tongue who know both official languages but do not speak the majority official language most often at home. For simplicity, the term “English-speaking adults” is used in this report to refer to the target population in Quebec. The SOLMP sample was stratified by age group and by province and region of residence.
There are six SOLMP sub-provincial regions in Quebec (Montréal, Québec and surrounding areas, Estrie and south, west, east, and central Quebec). The “Québec City and surrounding areas” region includes the economic regions of Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. The “Estrie and southern Quebec” region corresponds to the region of Estrie and parts of southern Montérégie. “Western Quebec” includes the economic regions of Outaouais and Abitibi-Témiscamingue, while “eastern Quebec” includes the economic regions of Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine. “Central Quebec” includes the economic regions of Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie and Montérégie, excluding the Montréal census metropolitan area, as well as the Estrie and southern Quebec region. This central Quebec region corresponds to “Quebec – Rest” in the SOLMP User guide. Inuit communities in northern Quebec and First Nations reserves are not covered by the SOLMP.
More details on the survey and its methodology can be found in the SOLMP User guide.
All comparisons discussed in the text are significant at a 95% confidence level, unless specified otherwise. When comparisons are instead significant at a 90% level, results are marked with a “†”.
References
Bouchard, L. & Lizotte, M. (2024). Les données linguistiques pour la recherche et la planification en santé : possibilités et limites pour l’étude des francophones en situation minoritaire, Minorités linguistiques et société / Linguistic Minorities and Society, 22. https://doi.org/10.7202/1110621ar
Fernandes, D. (2025). Health services in a patient’s own official language: Associations with proximity, region and sociodemographic factors. Insights on Canadian Society. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2025001/article/00010-eng.htm
Reaume, M., Labossière, M. N., Batista, R., Van Haute, S., Tangri, N., Rigatto, C., Bohm, C., Prud’homme, D., Tanuseputro, P., & Lix, L. M. (2025). Patient–physician language concordance and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with hypertension. JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2460551. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.60551
Pépin-Filion, D., Cornelissen, L., & Lemyre, É. (2024, December 16). Situation of English-speaking populations in Quebec and French-speaking populations in Canada outside Quebec: Results of the 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population (Catalogue no. 89-657-X). Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-657-x/89-657-x2024008-eng.htm
Shoumarova, Lina (2025). Access to healthcare for Quebec's English-speaking communities: key issues and research needs, QUESCREN Research Brief, no 22.
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