In Canada, a visible minority () is a demographic category of people, defined by the Government of Canada as "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The term is used primarily as a demographic category by Statistics Canada, in connection with Canada's employment equity, human rights, and other laws and policies. The term as defined, and the qualifier "visible", were chosen by the Canadian authorities as a way to classify and separate out newer immigrant minorities from both aboriginal Canadian minorities, and from other "older" minorities—which were distinguishable by language spoken (French vs. English) and religious identification (Catholics vs. Protestants): so-called "invisible" traits.
The term "visible minority" is sometimes used as a euphemism for "non-white". This is incorrect, in that the government definition creates a difference: Aboriginal people are excluded from the category "visible minorities", but may not be white either. In some cases, members of "visible minorities" may be visually indistinguishable from the majority population and/or may form a majority-minority population locally (as is the case in Vancouver and Toronto).
Since the reform of Canada's immigration laws in the 1960s, immigration has been primarily of people from areas other than Europe; many (but not all) of these immigrants form part of (but not the whole of) the "visible minorities" category within Canada.
Background
Some 9,639,200 Canadians identified as a member of a "visible minority group" in the 2021 Canadian Census, for 26.53% of the total population. This was an increase from the 2016 Census, when members of visible minorities accounted for 22.2% of the total population; from the 2011 Census, when the proportion was 19.1%; from the 2006 Census, when the proportion was 16.2%; from 2001, when the proportion was 13.4%; from 1996 (11.2%); from 1991 (9.4%) and from 1981 (4.7%). In 1961, the visible minority population was less than 1%.
The ongoing increase represents a significant shift in Canada's demographics as compared with the predominantly white populations of its earlier history. This change is related primarily to higher rates of immigration from countries which have larger proportions of non-Caucasian or non-white people amongst their populations. This change is associated with the advent in Canada of its multiculturalism and non-discrimination policies.
Statistics Canada projects that by 2041, visible minorities will make up 38.2–43.0% of the total Canadian population, compared with 26.5% in 2021. Statistics Canada further projects that among the working-age population (15 to 64 years), meanwhile, visible minorities will make up 42.1–47.3% of Canada's total population, compared to 28.5% in 2021.
As per the 2021 census, of the provinces, British Columbia had the highest proportion of visible minorities, representing 34.4% of its population, followed by Ontario at 34.3%, Alberta at 27.8% and Manitoba at 22.2%. Additionally, as of 2021, the largest visible minority group was South Asian Canadians with a population of approximately 2.6 million, representing roughly 7.1% of the country's population, followed by Chinese Canadians (4.7%) and Black Canadians (4.3%).
Demography
Population
+ Visible minority populations by group (2006–2021)Visible minority group2021201620112006 South Asian 2,571,400 1,924,635 1,567,400 1,262,865 Chinese 1,715,770 1,577,060 1,324,750 1,216,565 Black 1,574,870 1,198,540 945,665 783,795 Filipino 957,355 780,125 619,310 410,695 Arab 694,015 523,235 380,620 265,550 Latin American 580,235 447,325 381,280 304,245 Southeast Asian 390,340 313,260 312,075 239,935 West Asian 360,495 264,305 206,840 156,700 Korean 218,140 188,710 161,130 141,890 Japanese 98,890 92,920 87,270 81,300 Multiple 331,805 232,375 171,935 133,120 172,885 132,090 106,475 71,420 Visible minority population 9,639,205 7,674,580 6,264,750 5,068,090 Total responses 36,328,480 34,460,065 32,852,320 31,241,030 Total population 36,991,981 35,151,728 33,476,688 31,612,897 + Visible minority populations by group (1981–2001)Visible minority group20011996Statistics Canada, Total Population by Visible Minority Population, for Canada, 1996 Census (20% Sample Data)199119861981 Chinese 1,029,395 860,150 626,435 390,590 299,915 South Asian 917,075 670,590 505,515 300,545 223,235 Black 662,215 573,860 504,290 355,385 239,455 Filipino 308,575 234,195 169,150 102,360 75,485 Latin American 216,980 176,970 134,535 60,975 50,230 Southeast Asian 198,880 172,765 132,415 86,945 53,910 Arab 194,685 West Asian 109,285 Korean 100,660 64,835 45,535 29,205 22,570 Japanese 73,315 68,135 63,860 52,880 46,060 Arab/West Asian 244,665 289,755 149,665 112,435 98,915 69,745 5,440 Multiple 73,875 61,575 48,545 40,500 Other 8,660 8,530 Visible minority population 3,983,845 3,197,480 2,525,480 1,577,710 1,131,825 Total responses 29,639,030 28,528,125 26,994,040 25,022,010 24,083,495 Total population 30,007,094 28,846,761 27,296,859 25,309,331 24,343,181
Religion + Visible Minority demography by religion (2001–2021)Religious group202120112001 Christianity 3,615,150 2,625,340 1,738,200 Irreligion 2,438,855 1,392,340 875,095 Islam 1,583,415 925,135 497,275 Hinduism 823,810 494,715 291,495 Sikhism 769,320 453,120 275,715 Buddhism 326,835 332,300 276,275 Judaism 12,000 7,185 5,275 Baháʼí 11,060 7,690 Jainism 8,180 2,400 Personal Faith or Spiritual Beliefs 7,580 Zoroastrianism 6,850 4,580 Druze 5,645 Other Eastern Religions 4,720 4,325 Taoism 3,940 1,675 Theism 2,900 Spiritualism 2,800 Ancestor Veneration 1,625 Paganism 1,450 720 Shintoism 1,355 490 Rastafari 1,335 710 Multi-faith 1,120 Unitarian/Unitarian Universalist 555 Indigenous spirituality 460 165 740 Satanism 415 95 Animism 385 Unity - New Thought - Pantheism 365 215 New Age 330 60 ECKist 285 Shamanism 250 Gnosticism 175 140 Scientology 105 70 Other 4,935 34,450 585 Total Visible Minority population 9,639,205 6,264,750 3,983,845
Geographical distribution Subdivisions 2021 census National average: 26.5%Source: Canada 2021 Census Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.
Alberta
Brooks () Edmonton () Chestermere () Calgary () Wood Buffalo ()
British Columbia
Richmond () Burnaby () Greater Vancouver A () Surrey () Coquitlam () Vancouver () New Westminster () Delta () West Vancouver () Abbotsford () Port Coquitlam () North Vancouver (city) () Port Moody () North Vancouver (district) () Langley (district) ()
Manitoba
Neepawa () Winnipeg ()
Ontario
Markham () Brampton () Richmond Hill () Ajax () Mississauga () Toronto () Milton () Pickering () Whitchurch-Stouffville () Oakville () Vaughan () Aurora () Whitby () Waterloo () Newmarket () Windsor () Ottawa () Kitchener () Oshawa () London ()
Quebec
Brossard () Dollard-des-Ormeaux () Montréal () Laval () Mount Royal () Kirkland () Dorval ()
2016 census National average: 22.3%Source: Canada 2016 Census Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.
Alberta
Edmonton (37.1%) Brooks (36.8%) Calgary (36.2%) Chestermere (35.0%) Wood Buffalo (26.7%) Banff (24.4%)
British Columbia
Richmond (76.3%) Burnaby (63.6%) Greater Vancouver A (67.3%) Surrey (58.5%) Vancouver (51.6%) Coquitlam (50.2%) New Westminster (38.9%) West Vancouver (36.4%) Delta (36.0%) Abbotsford (33.7%) Port Coquitlam (32.4%) North Vancouver (city) (31.3%) Port Moody (30.5%) North Vancouver (district) (25.6%)
Manitoba
Neepawa (40.7%) Winnipeg (28.0%)
Ontario
Markham (77.9%) Brampton (73.3%) Richmond Hill (60.0%) Mississauga (57.2%) Ajax (56.7%) Toronto (51.5%) Pickering (42.9%) Milton (42.8%) Whitchurch-Stouffville (36.9%) Vaughan (35.4%) Oakville (30.8%) Aurora (26.9%) Windsor (26.9%) Waterloo (26.4%) Ottawa (26.3%) Newmarket (25.8%) Whitby (25.3%)
Quebec
Brossard (42.9%) Dollard-des-Ormeaux (38.8%) Montréal (34.2%) Laval (26.1%) Mount Royal (24.7%) Kirkland (24.2%) Dorval (23.4%)
2011 census National average: 19.1%Source: Canada 2011 Census Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.
Alberta
Calgary (30.1%) Edmonton (30.0%) Chestermere (29.2%) Brooks (26.7%) Banff (22.2%)
British Columbia
Richmond (70.4%) Greater Vancouver A (62.1%) Burnaby (59.5%) Surrey (52.6%) Vancouver (51.8%) Coquitlam (43.8%) New Westminster (34.8%) Delta (30.2%) Abbotsford (29.6%) North Vancouver (city) (29.2%) Port Moody (28.9%) Port Coquitlam (28.5%) West Vancouver (28.2%) North Vancouver (district) (22.0%)
Manitoba
Winnipeg (21.4%)
Ontario
Markham (72.3%) Brampton (66.4%) Mississauga (53.7%) Richmond Hill (52.9%) Toronto (49.1%) Ajax (45.8%) Pickering (35.4%) Vaughan (31.4%) Milton (29.9%) Whitchurch-Stouffville (24.5%) Ottawa (23.7%) Windsor (22.9%) Oakville (22.8%) Waterloo (20.4%) Whitby (19.2%) Newmarket (19.2%)
Quebec
Brossard (38.3%) Dollard-des-Ormeaux (35.9%) Montréal (31.7%) Dorval (22.1%) Kirkland (20.8%) Mount Royal (20.8%) Laval (20.7%)
2006 census National average: 16.2%Source: Canada 2006 Census Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.
Alberta
Calgary (23.7%) Edmonton (22.9%) Chestermere (17.8%) Brooks (17.1%) Banff (16.8%)
British Columbia
Richmond (65.1%) Burnaby (55.4%) Greater Vancouver A (55.2%) Vancouver (51.0%) Surrey (46.1%) Coquitlam (38.6%) New Westminster (29.6%) Delta (27.0%) Abbotsford (26.4%) North Vancouver (city) (26.2%) Port Coquitlam (25.7%) Port Moody (25.3%) West Vancouver (22.8%) North Vancouver (district) (22.2%)
Manitoba
Winnipeg (16.3%)
Ontario
Markham (65.4%) Brampton (57.0%) Mississauga (49.0%) Toronto (46.9%) Richmond Hill (45.7%) Ajax (35.6%) Pickering (30.5%) Vaughan (26.6%) Windsor (21.0%) Ottawa (20.2%) Oakville (18.4%) Milton (17.1%) Whitby (17.0%) Waterloo (16.9%)
Quebec
Brossard (34.3%) Dollard-des-Ormeaux (30.9%) Montréal (26.0%) Mount Royal (19.7%) Dorval (19.1%) Kirkland (18.7%)
2001 census National average: 13.4%Source: Canada 2001 Census Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.
Alberta
Edmonton (19.7%) Calgary (18.7%) Banff (17.3%)
British Columbia
Richmond (59.0%) Vancouver (49.0%) Burnaby (48.6%) Greater Vancouver A (43.5%) Surrey (36.7%) Coquitlam (34.3%) New Westminster (24.9%) Delta (23.4%) North Vancouver (city) (22.6%) Port Coquitlam (22.3%) Port Moody (20.7%) Abbotsford (20.4%) West Vancouver (20.3%) North Vancouver (district) (19.3%) Squamish (16.8%) Fort St. James (14.7%) Saanich (13.7%)
Manitoba
Winnipeg (13.4%)
Ontario
Markham (55.5%) Toronto (42.8%) Richmond Hill (40.4%) Mississauga (40.3%) Brampton (40.2%) Pickering (26.4%) Ajax (24.3%) Vaughan (19.0%) Ottawa (18.0%) Windsor (17.2%) Waterloo (13.5%)
Quebec
Saint-Laurent (38.2%) Brossard (27.7%) Dollard-des-Ormeaux (26.0%) Pierrefonds (25.8%) Montréal-Nord (23.5%) Montréal (22.7%) Saint-Léonard (20.8%) LaSalle (20.6%) Kirkland (17.2%) Roxboro (16.6%) Mount Royal (15.4%) Anjou (15.1%)
Legislative versus operational definitions According to the Employment Equity Act of 1995, the definition of visible minority is: "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour".Employment Equity Act (1995, c. 44) Act current to Oct 20th, 2010