Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - November 2009
Montreal is currently experiencing a new “boom” of Anglophone growth as more and more native English speakers are flocking to the city.
Since Bill 101 over thirty years ago, English has been considered a dying language in the province. Bill 101 was passed in an attempt to protect the French language, but it also had the effect of alienating many Anglophones. This, combined with a growing Sovereigntist sentiment in the 90s, caused many English people to settle elsewhere, or even leave the province.
However, the trend seems now to be reversing itself. The 2006 census showed the first growth in Anglophones in 35 years. What’s more, a significant proportion of that growth is from other Canadian provinces.
More and more Canadians are moving to Quebec – either for the first time, or returning as the booming western economy, which lured many away in the first place, slows its pace. The fact that so many English-speaking Canadians are choosing to settle in Quebec might, in fact, be illustrating a shift in the English perception of Quebec, as the threat of separation seems to be disappearing from the forefront of public consciousness.
Whatever the reason, data from the year so far shows no sign of a turnaround. An estimated 12,348 people arrived in Quebec from other provinces in the first six months of 2009. This is already up significantly from the previous two years.
Despite gains in the English-speaking community, Quebec continues to experience a net loss in population, as it has been almost every year since 1971.
Source: Montreal Gazette
