In 2021, there were 1,975,000 health care workers in Canada, representing 11.4% of the employed population. The number of health care workers rose across the country.
While the number of English-speaking health care workers in Quebec increased, their share of all health care workers in the province has remained relatively stable since 2006 (to 9.0% in 2021). By contrast, the proportion of French-speaking health care workers in New Brunswick and Ontario fell over the same period (34.3% and 3.6%, respectively, in 2021).
These findings are from a new report, "Official languages and health care workers in Canada: A portrait, 2025." Comparing data from the 2021 Census and previous censuses, it provides a portrait of health care workers' knowledge and use of English and French at work. These findings aim to help plan and improve health care services for a diverse population.
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