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Office of Francophone Affairs
777 Bay Street, 6th floor
Toronto, Ontario  M7A 2J4

Tel.: (416) 325-4949 – 1 800 268-7507
Fax: (416) 325-4980
Internet : www.ofa.gov.on.ca
E-mail: ofa@ontario.ca

info-stats
Statistical Profile of the Francophone
Community in Ontario

N^o 2 – November 1998

Retention of French Language in Ontario

This profile on retention of French language in Ontario is based on the 1996 census conducted by Statistics Canada. The level of home language retention was based on the answer to this question: What language does this person speak most often at home?

Slight decline since the beginning of the decade

The level of French home language retention is measured by comparing the number of people whose mother tongue is French (learned in childhood) to the number of people whose French is the language most spoken at home.

On a provincial level, Francophones show a retention rate of 59%. Retention rates of French are higher in the East (71.1%) and North-East (69.2 %) of the Province, but considerably lower in the South-West (29.6 %) and the Centre (34.3 %) of Ontario.

Between 1991 and 1996, retention rate of French in Ontario declined 2.1%. The most important linguistic retention rate decline was in the North-West (6.2%) and the North-East (2,7 %). In the other areas, there was a retention rate decline varying between 1 and 2% in 5 years.

Parents play a crucial role

As in 1991, data from 1996 show that language retention rate among young Franco-Ontarians is considerably higher in families where both parents are Francophones than in families where only one parent has French as mother tongue. In fact, based on data from 1996, 93.3% of children retain French as their mother tongue when both parents' mother tongue is French. When only the mother uses French as mother tongue, 32.5% of the children retain French as mother tongue. The proportion declines to 14.3% when only the father uses French as mother tongue.

Assimilation has its peaks

Language retention rate declines with the age of children. From 85% in the age group 0-4, it accounts for only 53% in age group 25-34. The most important decline is seen in the age group 15-19 who retains French as home language in almost 70% of cases and in the age group 20-24 that accounts for only 60%. Another important decline occurs between the ages of 5-9 and 10-14.

French retention according to age groups is similar in both sexes. Percentage declines with age. Nevertheless, the difference is slightly more pronounced between young women and men in age group 20-24 than in the other age groups (58.1% compared to 62.6%).

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info-stats is a new series of fact sheets analyzing statistical data on Francophones in Ontario. The information is based on Statistics Canada's 1996 Census. As Statistics Canada shares data of interest with the Francophone community, OFA will produce a fact sheet. All elements required to perform a thorough analysis will be available in 1999. A 1996 update of the statistal profiles on Francophone women, youth, seniors and a general profile will not be available until the Fall of 1999 as Statistics Canada releases its tabulations over a period of 3 years.

info-stats is produced by the Office of Francophone Affairs of the Government of Ontario.

Cette information est disponible en français.