English Canada

Not to be confused with English Canadians or Canadian English.

"TROC" redirects here. For the car, see Volkswagen T-Roc.

Approximately 98 percent of Canadians can speak either or both English and French:

  English – 56.9%

  English and French – 16.1%

  French – 21.3%

  Sparsely populated area ( < 0.4 persons per km²)

English Canada comprises the component of the population within Canada that speaks English. English Canada covers nearly the entire country except Quebec; thus, it is often used as an umbrella term for the country sans Quebec. English Canada is synonymous with the "rest of Canada" (ROC) in this context.

History

The English were among the first Europeans to arrive in what is now Canada. After the Seven Years' War, Britain now had hegemony over the land as New France was seceded to them as part of the Treaty of Paris. From this point on, English settlements grew in British North America and a sense of an English nation came about, later sparking negotiations of Confederation with the distinct nation that formed French Canada.

Prevalence

Knowledge of English remains widespread outside of Quebec. Even after immigration to Canada focused less on British people, newcomers were still expected to learn either English or French in order to assimilate, a policy that remains enforced today. 8 of 10 provinces are de jure or de facto English, while New Brunswick is bilingual and Quebec is French.

See also

• Demolinguistic descriptors used in Canada
• Official bilingualism in Canada
• French Canada