Francophones In New Brunswick: Where Do They Live?

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with French and English enjoying equal status. While the majority of the population is English-speaking, there is a large French-speaking minority, mostly of Acadian origin, who make up about a third of the province's population. The Acadian community is largely concentrated in rural areas along the border with Quebec and the eastern coast of the province, with the only major population centre being Moncton. Francophones in the Madawaska area may also identify as Brayon, although it is disputed whether they are a distinct community. The number of people with French as their first official language has decreased slightly in recent years, but the ability to converse in French is on the rise, with 41.9% of New Brunswickers able to do so in 2021, the highest number ever recorded in a census.

Francophones make up about a third of New Brunswick's population

The number of Francophones in New Brunswick has been declining. In 2016, 31.9% of New Brunswickers had French as their mother tongue, compared to 33.8% in 1971. This decline is concerning for the province, as it seeks to promote equality between its two linguistic communities. The situation is particularly worrying for the French-language community, which is the minority language group.

Despite this decline, the ability to speak both English and French remains relatively high in New Brunswick. In 2021, 41.9% of the province's population could have a conversation in French, and 34% could speak both languages. This is a higher rate of bilingualism than any other province or territory in Canada, except for Quebec.

The Acadian community is concentrated in primarily rural areas along the border with Quebec and the eastern coast of the province. The only major Acadian population centre is Moncton, which is home to the main campus of the Université de Moncton. Francophones, however, are in the minority in Moncton.

Language policy remains a perennial issue in New Brunswick society and politics. There are recurring debates about the interpretation of the provincial bilingualism policy, duality (the system of parallel French and English-speaking public services), and the specifics of implementation. The French-speaking community advocates for full funding of French-language public services and fair representation in public sector employment. Meanwhile, some Anglophones (and Francophones) fear that the system of duality is financially inefficient and that bilingualism requirements hurt their chances of working for the government.

French is one of the province's two official languages

French is one of the two official languages of New Brunswick, a province in Canada. It is the mother tongue of about a third of New Brunswick's population, with most of these French-speakers, or Francophones, being of Acadian origin. The Acadian community is largely based in rural areas along the border with Quebec and the eastern coast of the province. The only major Acadian population centre is Moncton, which is, however, a predominantly English-speaking city. Francophones in the Madawaska area may also identify as Brayon, although it is disputed whether they are a distinct community.

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with French and English enjoying equal status. The Canadian Constitution specifically mentions the province's bilingual status and defines its implementation in terms of both community and individual rights. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms also includes several New Brunswick-specific articles that mention the province in each section relating to language. Article 16.1, for example, declares that the French and English-speaking communities of New Brunswick have equal rights and privileges, including community-specific educational and cultural institutions.

Despite these protections, the number of people with French as their first official language has been slowly declining. In 2016, 31.8% of New Brunswick's population had French as their first official language, down from 33.8% in 1971. In contrast, the percentage of people with English as their mother tongue has remained stable at around 65% since 1971. The percentage of New Brunswickers who could hold a conversation in French was 41.9% in 2021, down from a peak of 43.6% in 2006. This decline is concerning for the province, and efforts are being made to increase equality between the two linguistic communities.

The use of English in the New Brunswick workplace has been steadily increasing, while the use of French has slightly decreased. In 2016, 89% of New Brunswickers spoke English at least regularly at work, compared to 36.7% who spoke French. However, there are encouraging signs for the French language in the province. For instance, Francophones in mixed couples, especially mothers, are increasingly passing on French to their children.

French is the mother tongue of about 30% of New Brunswickers

The Acadian people are descendants of French settlers and some of the Indigenous peoples of Acadia, a former French colony in what is now Nova Scotia. The Acadians were expelled by the British in 1755 for refusing to take an oath of allegiance to King George II, leading to thousands of Acadian residents being exiled in North America, the UK, and France. Over time, some Acadians returned to what became Canada's Maritime provinces, particularly New Brunswick.

In 2016, there were approximately 234,000 to 239,000 New Brunswickers with French as their mother tongue, representing around 32% of the province's total population. This number decreased slightly between 2001 and 2016, by about 1.3% to 1.8%. Despite this, the ability to conduct a conversation in French among New Brunswickers has increased over time. In 2021, 320,300 residents could converse in French, up from 313,100 in 2016 and 249,955 in 2001.

The use of French in the province varies across different regions. In 2021, census data showed that the proportion of the population able to converse in French was higher in northern areas such as Edmundston (66.4%) and Bathurst (38.1%) compared to metropolitan areas like Moncton (22.7%), Fredericton (16.6%), and Saint John (12.5%). The entire population of some municipalities, such as Le Goulet, Bertrand, Saint-Isidore, and Saint-Basile, reported being able to converse in French.

The decline in the number of French-speaking New Brunswickers has raised concerns among officials. Shirley MacLean, the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick, noted that despite existing legislative and constitutional protections, the decline of French as the minority language in the province is worrying. Efforts are needed to mitigate or reverse this trend and promote equality between the English and French linguistic communities.

The percentage of people with French as their mother tongue has been declining

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with a substantial French-speaking minority of mostly Acadian origin. However, the percentage of people with French as their mother tongue has been declining.

In 2021, 239,375 New Brunswick residents had French as one of their mother tongues, down from 1991. From 2001 to 2016, those who reported having French as their mother tongue decreased by 3,190 people, or 1.3%. The percentage of people in the province who speak predominantly French at home dropped from 28% in 2016 to 26.4% in 2021. The percentage of people with French as their first official language has also decreased, down to 30% in 2021, 1.6% lower than in 2016.

There are several factors contributing to this decline. One is immigration, both from other countries and from English-speaking provinces. In 2016, 91.8% of the province's foreign-born population knew English, compared to only 24.8% who knew French. The interprovincial migration rate for Anglophones was about twice as high as that of Francophones between 2011 and 2016.

Another factor is linguistic assimilation. While fewer than nine in ten Francophones (86.8%) spoke their mother tongue most often at home, almost all Anglophones (98.5%) did. However, there are some encouraging signs, such as an increase in Francophone mothers in mixed couples passing on French to their children. In 2001, 43.8% of children with Francophone mothers in mixed couples had French as their mother tongue, compared to 52.8% in 2021.

The decline in the percentage of people with French as their mother tongue has raised concerns about the future of the French language in New Brunswick. The Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick, Shirley MacLean, has noted that "decisive action must be taken to protect the vitality of the French language and reverse this decline."

Francophones in mixed relationships are increasingly passing on French to their children

Francophones in mixed relationships are increasingly passing on the French language to their children. In 2021, 232,285 New Brunswickers, or 30.4% of the population, spoke French at home at least regularly. This is a decrease of 0.4% compared to 2001. Among those who spoke French at home at least regularly, 214,210 people or 29.1% of the province's population, spoke French most often at home.

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with a substantial French-speaking minority of mostly Acadian origin. The province has a relatively even split of French and English speakers compared to other provinces. As of 2016, the rate of English-French bilingualism in New Brunswick was the second highest of all provinces and territories, after Quebec.

The French language is deeply rooted in the history of New Brunswick. The first European settlers in the province were the Acadians, who are descendants of French settlers and some Indigenous peoples of Acadia, a former French colony in what is now Nova Scotia. The Acadians were expelled by the British in 1755 for refusing to take an oath of allegiance to King George II, leading to the exile of thousands of Acadian residents. Over time, some Acadians returned to the Maritime provinces of Canada, mainly to New Brunswick.

Today, New Brunswick is home to both French and English language hospitals, healthcare networks, school systems, universities, and media. The province's bilingual status is enshrined in both provincial and federal law, with the Canadian Constitution specifically mentioning New Brunswick's bilingual status and defining the spirit of implementation based on community and individual rights.

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