Some cool history about Muslims in Canada
By 1911, British Columbia had the largest population of Muslims in Canada – about 500 Muslims mostly from Turkey and Bulgaria. But at the time, life for many non-Europeans was becoming increasingly difficult in the province. An economic recession coupled with racist attitudes spurred race riots and the creation of more discriminatory laws against Chinese and Japanese immigrants. The start of WWI prompted more antagonism against Turkish immigrants, who were also pressured to leave. By 1921, there were only 82 Muslims left in the province.
A New Immigration Policy and the Dawn of Multiculturalism
After WWII, the Muslims who immigrated to Canada were skilled labourers and professionals. French-speaking Muslims from North Africa settled in Quebec. Muslim students and professors were attracted to the newly formed Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, and University of Toronto’s Department of Middle Eastern Studies.
In the 1960s, Canada adopted a new immigration policy based on a point system, where individuals applying for Canadian immigration were graded according to their educational level. The resulting increase in Muslim immigrants from other parts of the world, countries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, was accelerated after the establishment of Canada’s federal multiculturalism policy, announced in 1971.
muslim demographics in canada
According to Canada’s 2021 Census, 1,775,715 people reported a Muslim religious affiliation, representing 4.9% of Canada’s population. Islam was the second-most commonly reported religion in Canada after Christianity.
Canada’s Muslim population has grown considerably over the past several decades. The number increased from 253,265 in 1991, to 579,640 in 2001, 1,053,945 in 2011, and 1,775,715 in 2021. Between 2001 and 2021, the Muslim share of Canada’s population more than doubled, from 2.0% to 4.9%.
The community is also younger than Canada’s population overall. In 2021, the median age was 30, compared with approximately 41 for the total Canadian population. Children under 15 represented 26.3% of the Muslim population, compared with 16.5% of Canadians overall.
Canadian Muslims are diverse in their origins. About 29.5% were born in Canada. Among the leading countries of birth outside Canada were Pakistan (12.7%), Iran (5.8%), Morocco (4.2%), Algeria (4.2%), Bangladesh (3.7%), Syria (3.5%) and Afghanistan (3.4%).
In terms of racialized groups, 37.6% of Canada’s Muslim population was South Asian, 32.2% Arab, 13.0% West Asian and 11.6% Black African in 2021.
Where Muslims Live in Canada
The languages spoken most often at home among Muslims in 2021 Census included English (47.3%), Arabic (18.1%), French (15.3%), Urdu (13.0%), Persian (4.5%), Bengali (3.4%), Dari (2.6%) and Somali (1.8%)
What Does It All Mean
We’ve thrown out a lot of numbers, and of course we don’t expect you to remember them all! So what’s the takeaway? It’s simply that the Muslim population in Canada is healthy and growing. That’s because in Canada, there’s room for all kinds of religions and cultures. Muslims, Christians, and other religions can grow and prosper side by side, in harmony.