View source for Visible minority

{{Short description|Canadian demographic category}}
{{Further|Demographics of Canada#Visible minority population}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2018}}
[[File:Visible minority identity by census division.svg|thumb|Percentage of visible minorities by census division ([[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]])]]
[[File:Visible Minority Distribution in Canada, 2021 Census.jpg|thumb|Population distribution largest panethnic visible minority group in Canada by census division, 2021 census]]
In [[Canada]], a '''visible minority''' ({{Langx|fr|minorité visible}}) is defined by the [[Government of Canada]] as "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3Var.pl?Function=DEC&Id=45152|title=Visible minority of person|date=1 November 2021|website=www23.statcan.gc.ca|publisher=Statistics Canada|access-date=27 September 2024}}</ref> The term is used primarily as a demographic category by [[Statistics Canada]], in connection with that country's [[Employment equity (Canada)|Employment Equity]] policies. The qualifier "visible" was chosen by the Canadian authorities as a way to single out newer immigrant minorities from both Aboriginal Canadians and other "older" minorities distinguishable by [[languages of Canada|language]] ([[Canadian French|French]] vs. [[Canadian English|English]]) and [[religion in Canada|religion]] ([[Catholic Church in Canada|Catholics]] vs. [[Protestantism in Canada|Protestants]]), which are "invisible" traits.

The term visible [[Minority group|minority]] is sometimes used as a euphemism for "[[non-white]]". This is incorrect, in that the government definitions differ: Aboriginal people are not considered to be visible minorities, but are not necessarily 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 [[History of Canadian nationality law|Canada's immigration laws in the 1960s]], immigration has been primarily of peoples from areas other than Europe, many of whom are visible minorities within Canada.

==Background==
[[File:Visible minorities in Canada by province.png|thumb|Map of visible minorities in Canada by province, 2016]]
9,639,200 [[Canadians]] identified as a member of a visible [[minority group]] in the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Canadian Census]], for 26.53% of the total population.<ref name="2021censusA">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title=Visible minority and population group by generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810032401 |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title=The Canadian census: A rich portrait of the country's religious and ethnocultural diversity |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026b-eng.htm |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref> This was an increase from the [[2016 Canadian census|2016 Census]], when visible minorities accounted for 22.2% of the total population; from the [[2011 Canadian census|2011 Census]], when visible minorities accounted for 19.1% of the total population; from the [[2006 Canadian census|2006 Census]], when the proportion was 16.2%; from [[2001 Canadian census|2001]], when the proportion was 13.4%; over [[1996 Canadian census|1996]] (11.2%); over [[1991 Canadian census|1991]] (9.4%) and [[1981 Canadian census|1981]] (4.7%). In 1961, the visible minority population was less than 1%. 

The increase represents a significant shift in [[demographics of Canada|Canada's demographics]] related to record high immigration since the advent of its multiculturalism 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.<ref name="FutureProjectionsA">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-09-08 |title=Canada in 2041: A larger, more diverse population with greater differences between regions |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220908/dq220908a-eng.htm |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="FutureProjectionsB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-09-08 |title=Projected population by racialized group, generation status and other selected characteristics (x 1,000) |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014601 |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="2021censusA"/><ref name="2021censusB"/> Statistics Canada further projects that among the working-age population (15 to 64 years), meanwhile, visible minorities are projected to make up 42.1–47.3% of Canada's total population, compared to 28.5% in 2021.<ref name="FutureProjectionsA"/><ref name="FutureProjectionsB"/><ref name="2021censusA"/><ref name="2021censusB"/>

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%.<ref name="2021censusA"/><ref name="2021censusB"/> 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%).<ref name="2021censusA"/><ref name="2021censusB"/>

== Demography ==
=== Population ===
{{Historical populations
| title = Visible Minority population history
| type = Canada
| align = left
| footnote = ''Source: [[Statistics Canada]]''<br /><ref name="MinorityPopulation"/><ref name="1981CensusProfile"/><ref name="1981&1986CensusProfile"/><ref name=1996censusVisibles/><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2001"/><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2006"/><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2011"/><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2016"/>
|1981|1,131,825
|1986|1,577,710
|1991|2,525,480
|1996|3,197,480
|2001|3,983,845
|2006|5,068,090
|2011|6,264,750
|2016|7,674,580
|2021|9,639,205
}}
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Visible minority populations by group (2006–2021)
! rowspan="2" |Visible minority group
! colspan="2" |[[2021 Canadian census|2021]]<br>
! colspan="2" |[[2016 Canadian census|2016]]<br><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2016"/>
! colspan="2" |[[2011 Canadian census|2011]]<br><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2011"/>
! colspan="2" |[[2006 Canadian census|2006]]<br><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2006"/>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 2,571,400
| {{Percentage | 2571400 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 1,924,635
| {{Percentage | 1924635 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 1,567,400
| {{Percentage | 1567400 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 1,262,865
| {{Percentage | 1262865 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Chinese Canadians|Chinese]]
| 1,715,770
| {{Percentage | 1715770 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 1,577,060
| {{Percentage | 1577060 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 1,324,750
| {{Percentage | 1324750 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 1,216,565
| {{Percentage | 1216565 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Black Canadians|Black]]
| 1,574,870
| {{Percentage | 1574870 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 1,198,540
| {{Percentage | 1198540 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 945,665
| {{Percentage | 945665 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 783,795
| {{Percentage | 783795 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Filipino Canadians|Filipino]]
| 957,355
| {{Percentage | 957355 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 780,125
| {{Percentage | 780125 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 619,310
| {{Percentage | 619310 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 410,695
| {{Percentage | 410695 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Arab Canadians|Arab]]
| 694,015
| {{Percentage | 694015 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 523,235
| {{Percentage | 523235 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 380,620
| {{Percentage | 380620 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 265,550
| {{Percentage | 265550 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 580,235
| {{Percentage | 580235 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 447,325
| {{Percentage | 447325 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 381,280
| {{Percentage | 381280 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 304,245
| {{Percentage | 304245 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asian Canadians|Southeast Asian]]
| 390,340
| {{Percentage | 390340 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 313,260
| {{Percentage | 313260 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 312,075
| {{Percentage | 312075 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 239,935
| {{Percentage | 239935 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[West Asian Canadians|West Asian]]
| 360,495
| {{Percentage | 360495 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 264,305
| {{Percentage | 264305 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 206,840
| {{Percentage | 206840 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 156,700
| {{Percentage | 156700 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Korean Canadians|Korean]]
| 218,140
| {{Percentage | 218140 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 188,710
| {{Percentage | 188710 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 161,130
| {{Percentage | 161130 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 141,890
| {{Percentage | 141890 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Japanese Canadians|Japanese]]
| 98,890
| {{Percentage | 98890 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 92,920
| {{Percentage | 92920 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 87,270
| {{Percentage | 87270 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 81,300
| {{Percentage | 81300 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Multiracial|Multiple]]
| 331,805
| {{Percentage | 331805 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 232,375
| {{Percentage | 232375 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 171,935
| {{Percentage | 171935 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 133,120
| {{Percentage | 133120 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
| {{abbr|N.I.E.|Not included elsewhere. (According to Statistics Canada, this "includes respondents who reported a write-in response such as 'Guyanese,' 'West Indian,' 'Tibetan,' 'Polynesian,' 'Pacific Islander,' etc.")}}
| 172,885
| {{Percentage | 172885 | 36328480 | 2 }}
| 132,090
| {{Percentage | 132090 | 34460065 | 2 }}
| 106,475
| {{Percentage | 106475 | 32852320 | 2 }}
| 71,420
| {{Percentage | 71420 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|-
! Visible minority population
! 9,639,205
! {{Percentage | 9639205 | 36328480 | 2 }}
! 7,674,580
! {{Percentage | 7674580 | 34460065 | 2 }}
! 6,264,750
! {{Percentage | 6264750 | 32852320 | 2 }}
! 5,068,090
! {{Percentage | 5068090 | 31241030 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total responses
! 36,328,480
! {{Percentage | 36328480 | 36991981 | 2 }}
! 34,460,065
! {{Percentage | 34460065 | 35151728 | 2 }}
! 32,852,320
! {{Percentage | 32852320 | 33476688 | 2 }}
! 31,241,030
! {{Percentage | 31241030 | 31612897 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total population
! 36,991,981
! {{Percentage | 36991981 | 36991981 | 2 }}
! 35,151,728
! {{Percentage | 35151728 | 35151728 | 2 }}
! 33,476,688
! {{Percentage | 33476688 | 33476688 | 2 }}
! 31,612,897
! {{Percentage | 31612897 | 31612897 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Visible minority populations by group (1981–2001)
! rowspan="2" |Visible minority group
! colspan="2" |[[2001 Canadian census|2001]]<br><ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2001"/>
! colspan="2" |[[1996 Canadian census|1996]]<br><ref name=1996censusVisibles>[http://www.statcan.gc.ca/c1996-r1996/feb17-17fev/vm-mv-can-eng.pdf Statistics Canada], Total Population by Visible Minority Population, for Canada, 1996 Census (20% Sample Data)</ref>
! colspan="2" |[[1991 Canadian census|1991]]<br><ref name="MinorityPopulation"/><ref name="1991censusVisibles">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title=1991 employment equity data highlights. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.822803/publication.html |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>{{rp|11}}
! colspan="2" |[[Census in Canada|1986]]<br><ref name="MinorityPopulation"/><ref name="1981&1986CensusProfile">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title=Working paper : comparison of 1981 and 1986 census counts on visible minorities in Canada / Wendy Wright. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.817220/publication.html |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>{{rp|66}}
! colspan="2" |[[Census in Canada|1981]]<br><ref name="1981CensusProfile">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title=1981 Census of Canada : volume 1 – national series : population = Recensement du Canada de 1981 : volume 1 – série nationale : population. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.837638/publication.html |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="MinorityPopulation">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2017-10-25 |title=Number and proportion of visible minority population in Canada, 1981 to 2036 |url=https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/dai/btd/othervisuals/other010 |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="1981&1986CensusProfile"/>{{rp|64}}
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[Chinese Canadians|Chinese]]
| 1,029,395
| {{Percentage | 1029395 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 860,150
| {{Percentage | 860150 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 626,435
| {{Percentage | 626435 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 390,590
| {{Percentage | 390590 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 299,915
| {{Percentage | 299915 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 917,075
| {{Percentage | 917075 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 670,590
| {{Percentage | 670590 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 505,515
| {{Percentage | 505515 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 300,545
| {{Percentage | 300545 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 223,235
| {{Percentage | 223235 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Black Canadians|Black]]
| 662,215
| {{Percentage | 662215 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 573,860
| {{Percentage | 573860 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 504,290
| {{Percentage | 504290 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 355,385
| {{Percentage | 355385 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 239,455
| {{Percentage | 239455 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Filipino Canadians|Filipino]]
| 308,575
| {{Percentage | 308575 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 234,195
| {{Percentage | 234195 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 169,150
| {{Percentage | 169150 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 102,360
| {{Percentage | 102360 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 75,485
| {{Percentage | 75485 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 216,980
| {{Percentage | 216980 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 176,970
| {{Percentage | 176970 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 134,535
| {{Percentage | 134535 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 60,975
| {{Percentage | 60975 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 50,230
| {{Percentage | 50230 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asian Canadians|Southeast Asian]]
| 198,880
| {{Percentage | 198880 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 172,765
| {{Percentage | 172765 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 132,415
| {{Percentage | 132415 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 86,945
| {{Percentage | 86945 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 53,910
| {{Percentage | 53910 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Arab Canadians|Arab]]
| 194,685
| {{Percentage | 194685 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[West Asian Canadians|West Asian]]
| 109,285
| {{Percentage | 109285 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Korean Canadians|Korean]]
| 100,660
| {{Percentage | 100660 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 64,835
| {{Percentage | 64835 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 45,535
| {{Percentage | 45535 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 29,205
| {{Percentage | 29205 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 22,570
| {{Percentage | 22570 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Japanese Canadians|Japanese]]
| 73,315
| {{Percentage | 73315 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 68,135
| {{Percentage | 68135 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 63,860
| {{Percentage | 63860 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 52,880
| {{Percentage | 52880 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 46,060
| {{Percentage | 46060 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Arabs|Arab]]/[[West Asia|West Asian]]
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 244,665
| {{Percentage | 244665 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 289,755
| {{Percentage | 289755 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 149,665
| {{Percentage | 149665 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 112,435
| {{Percentage | 112435 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
| {{abbr|N.I.E.|Not included elsewhere. (According to Statistics Canada, this "includes respondents who reported a write-in response such as 'Guyanese,' 'West Indian,' 'Tibetan,' 'Polynesian,' 'Pacific Islander,' etc.")}}
| 98,915
| {{Percentage | 98915 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 69,745
| {{Percentage | 69745 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 5,440
| {{Percentage | 5440 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Multiracial|Multiple]]
| 73,875
| {{Percentage | 73875 | 29639030 | 2 }}
| 61,575
| {{Percentage | 61575 | 28528125 | 2 }}
| 48,545
| {{Percentage | 48545 | 26994040 | 2 }}
| 40,500
| {{Percentage | 40500 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| Other
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 8,660
| {{Percentage | 8660 | 25022010 | 2 }}
| 8,530
| {{Percentage | 8530 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|-
! Visible minority population
! 3,983,845
! {{Percentage | 3983845 | 29639030 | 2 }}
! 3,197,480
! {{Percentage | 3197480 | 28528125 | 2 }}
! 2,525,480
! {{Percentage | 2525480 | 26994040 | 2 }}
! 1,577,710
! {{Percentage | 1577710 | 25022010 | 2 }}
! 1,131,825
! {{Percentage | 1131825 | 24083495 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total responses
! 29,639,030
! {{Percentage | 29639030 | 30007094 | 2 }}
! 28,528,125
! {{Percentage | 28528125 | 28846761 | 2 }}
! 26,994,040
! {{Percentage | 26994040 | 27296859 | 2 }}
! 25,022,010
! {{Percentage | 25022010 | 25309331 | 2 }}
! 24,083,495
! {{Percentage | 24083495 | 24343181 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total population
! 30,007,094
! {{Percentage | 30007094 | 30007094 | 2 }}
! 28,846,761
! {{Percentage | 28846761 | 28846761 | 2 }}
! 27,296,859
! {{Percentage | 27296859 | 27296859 | 2 }}
! 25,309,331
! {{Percentage | 25309331 | 25309331 | 2 }}
! 24,343,181
! {{Percentage | 24343181 | 24343181 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
|}

=== Religion ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ Visible Minority demography by religion (2001–2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Religion in Canada|Religious]] group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="religion2021">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201 |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="religion2011">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-01-23 |title=2011 National Household Survey: Data tables Religion (19), Age Groups (10), Sex (3), Selected Demographic, Cultural, Labour Force and Educational Characteristics (268) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2011 National Household Survey |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=107554&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=95&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="religion2001A">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-12-23 |title=2001 Census Topic-based tabulations Religion (95) and Visible Minority Groups (15) for Population, for Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2001 Census - 20% Sample Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census01/products/standard/themes/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=55825&PRID=0&PTYPE=55440&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=56&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="religion2001B">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-12-23 |title=2001 Census Topic-based tabulations Selected Demographic and Cultural Characteristics (104), Selected Religions (35A), Age Groups (6) and Sex (3) for Population, for Canada, Provinces, Territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 2001 Census - 20% Sample Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census01/products/standard/themes/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=67771&PRID=0&PTYPE=55496&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=56&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[Christianity]]
| 3,615,150
| {{Percentage | 3615150 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 2,625,340
| {{Percentage | 2625340 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 1,738,200
| {{Percentage | 1738200 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Irreligion]]
| 2,438,855
| {{Percentage | 2438855 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 1,392,340
| {{Percentage | 1392340 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 875,095
| {{Percentage | 875095 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Islam]]
| 1,583,415
| {{Percentage | 1583415 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 925,135
| {{Percentage | 925135 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 497,275
| {{Percentage | 497275 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Hinduism]]
| 823,810
| {{Percentage | 823810 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 494,715
| {{Percentage | 494715 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 291,495
| {{Percentage | 291495 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Sikhism]]
| 769,320
| {{Percentage | 769320 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 453,120
| {{Percentage | 453120 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 275,715
| {{Percentage | 275715 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Buddhism]]
| 326,835
| {{Percentage | 326835 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 332,300
| {{Percentage | 332300 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 276,275
| {{Percentage | 276275 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Judaism]]
| 12,000
| {{Percentage | 12000 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 7,185
| {{Percentage | 7185 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 5,275
| {{Percentage | 5275 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Baha'i]]
| 11,060
| {{Percentage | 11060 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 7,690
| {{Percentage | 7690 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Jainism]]
| 8,180
| {{Percentage | 8180 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 2,400
| {{Percentage | 2400 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| Personal Faith or Spiritual Beliefs
| 7,580
| {{Percentage | 7580 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Zoroastrianism]]
| 6,850
| {{Percentage | 6850 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 4,580
| {{Percentage | 4580 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Druze]]
| 5,645
| {{Percentage | 5645 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| Other [[Eastern religions|Eastern Religions]]
| 4,720
| {{Percentage | 4720 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 4,325
| {{Percentage | 4325 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
| [[Taoism]]
| 3,940
| {{Percentage | 3940 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 1,675
| {{Percentage | 1675 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Theism]]
| 2,900
| {{Percentage | 2900 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Spiritualism (movement)|Spiritualism]]
| 2,800
| {{Percentage | 2800 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Veneration of the dead|Ancestor Veneration]]
| 1,625
| {{Percentage | 1625 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Paganism]]
| 1,450
| {{Percentage | 1450 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 720
| {{Percentage | 720 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Shintoism]]
| 1,355
| {{Percentage | 1355 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 490
| {{Percentage | 490 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Rastafari]]
| 1,335
| {{Percentage | 1335 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 710
| {{Percentage | 710 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| Multi-faith
| 1,120
| {{Percentage | 1120 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Unitarian Universalism|Unitarian/Unitarian Universalist]]
| 555
| {{Percentage | 555 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous spirituality]]
| 460
| {{Percentage | 460 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| 165
| {{Percentage | 165 | 6264750 | 2 }}
| 740
| {{Percentage | 740 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Satanism]]
| 415
| {{Percentage | 415 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 95
| {{Percentage | 95 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Animism]]
| 385
| {{Percentage | 385 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Unity Church|Unity]] - [[New Thought]] - [[Pantheism]]
| 365
| {{Percentage | 365 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 215
| {{Percentage | 215 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[New Age]]
| 330
| {{Percentage | 330 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 60
| {{Percentage | 60 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Eckankar|ECKist]]
| 285
| {{Percentage | 285 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Shamanism]]
| 250
| {{Percentage | 250 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
| [[Gnosticism]]
| 175
| {{Percentage | 175 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 140
| {{Percentage | 140 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Scientology]]
| 105
| {{Percentage | 105 | 9639205 | 2 }}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 3983845 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Major religious groups|Other]]
| 4,935
| {{Percentage | 4935 | 9639205 | 1 }}
| 34,450
| {{Percentage | 34450 | 6264750 | 1 }}
| 585
| {{Percentage | 585 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|-
! Total Visible Minority population
! 9,639,205
! {{Percentage | 9639205 | 9639205 | 1 }}
! 6,264,750
! {{Percentage | 6264750 | 6264750 | 1 }}
! 3,983,845
! {{Percentage | 3983845 | 3983845 | 1 }}
|}

== Geographical distribution ==
=== Subdivisions ===
==== 2021 census ====
'''National average: 26.5%'''<br>Source: [[Canada 2021 Census]]<ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2021">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2023-06-21 |title= Visible minority by gender and age: Census subdivisions with a population of 5,000 or more |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810035203 |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.

'''Alberta'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brooks, Alberta|Brooks]] ({{Percentage | 7105 | 14645 | 1 }})
* [[Edmonton]] ({{Percentage | 426195 | 996485 | 1 }})
* [[Chestermere]] ({{Percentage | 9390 | 22145 | 1 }})
* [[Calgary]] ({{Percentage | 534700 | 1291770 | 1 }})
* [[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo|Wood Buffalo]] ({{Percentage| 19625 | 71780 |1}})
{{div col end}}

'''British Columbia'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] ({{Percentage | 167390 | 208395 | 1 }})
* [[Burnaby]] ({{Percentage | 166685 | 245725 | 1 }})
* [[Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A, British Columbia|Greater Vancouver A]] ({{Percentage | 11480 | 17085 | 1 }})
* [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] ({{Percentage | 377235 | 562565 | 1 }})
* [[Coquitlam]] ({{Percentage | 83325 | 147465 | 1 }})
* [[Vancouver]] ({{Percentage | 354615 | 650380 | 1 }})
* [[New Westminster]] ({{Percentage | 36545 | 78060 | 1 }})
* [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] ({{Percentage | 48625 | 107270 | 1 }})
* [[West Vancouver]] ({{Percentage | 18760 | 43380 | 1 }})
* [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] ({{Percentage | 60680 | 150800 | 1 }})
* [[Port Coquitlam]] ({{Percentage | 23955 | 60395 | 1 }})
* [[North Vancouver (city)]] ({{Percentage | 20855 | 57505 | 1 }})
* [[Port Moody]] ({{Percentage | 10930 | 33450 | 1 }})
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (district)]] ({{Percentage | 25415 | 87385 | 1 }})
* [[Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)|Langley (district)]] ({{Percentage | 34860 | 130960 | 1 }})
{{div col end}}

'''Manitoba'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Neepawa]] ({{Percentage | 2945 | 5550 | 1 }})
* [[Winnipeg]] ({{Percentage | 253625 | 736660 | 1 }})
{{div col end}}

'''Ontario'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]] ({{Percentage | 276885 | 337250 | 1 }})
* [[Brampton]] ({{Percentage | 523855 | 650160 | 1 }})
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]] ({{Percentage | 133460 | 200930 | 1 }})
* [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]] ({{Percentage | 81560 | 126250 | 1 }})
* [[Mississauga]] ({{Percentage | 441475 | 712825 | 1 }})
* [[Toronto]] ({{Percentage | 1537285 | 2761285 | 1 }})
* [[Milton, Ontario|Milton]] ({{Percentage | 72535 | 131430 | 1 }})
* [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] ({{Percentage | 51120 | 98580 | 1 }})
* [[Whitchurch-Stouffville]] ({{Percentage| 22865 | 49425 | 1 }})
* [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]] ({{Percentage | 90125 | 212055 | 1 }})
* [[Vaughan]] ({{Percentage | 132655 | 321315 | 1 }})
* [[Aurora, Ontario|Aurora]] ({{Percentage| 23895 | 61395 | 1 }})
* [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]] ({{Percentage | 48330 | 136665 | 1 }})
* [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] ({{Percentage | 41465 | 118390 | 1 }})
* [[Newmarket, Ontario|Newmarket]] ({{Percentage| 30230 | 86615 | 1 }})
* [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] ({{Percentage | 76010 | 226465 | 1 }})
* [[Ottawa]] ({{Percentage | 324955 | 1000940 | 1 }})
* [[Kitchener, Ontario|Kitchener]] ({{Percentage | 80485 | 254145 | 1 }})
* [[Oshawa]] ({{Percentage | 50280 | 174010 | 1 }})
* [[London, Ontario|London]] ({{Percentage | 119355 | 416265 | 1 }})
{{div col end}}

'''Quebec'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brossard]] ({{Percentage | 44830 | 89145 | 1 }})
* [[Dollard-des-Ormeaux]] ({{Percentage | 20775 | 47930 | 1 }})
* [[Montréal]] ({{Percentage | 668970 | 1723230 | 1 }})
* [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]] ({{Percentage| 140270 | 429555 | 1 }})
* [[Mount Royal, Quebec|Mount Royal]] ({{Percentage | 6690 | 20695 | 1 }})
* [[Kirkland, Quebec|Kirkland]] ({{Percentage | 6095 | 19240 | 1 }})
* [[Dorval]] ({{Percentage | 5320 | 19015 | 1 }})
{{div col end}}

==== 2016 census ====
'''National average: 22.3%'''<br>Source: [[Canada 2016 Census]]<ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2016">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2017-10-09 |title= Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables Visible minority (total – population by visible minority), both sexes, age (total), Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities) with 5,000-plus population, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/imm/index-eng.cfm |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.

'''Alberta'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Edmonton]] (37.1%)
* [[Brooks, Alberta|Brooks]] (36.8%)
* [[Calgary]] (36.2%)
* [[Chestermere]] (35.0%)
* [[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo|Wood Buffalo]] (26.7%)
* [[Banff, Alberta|Banff]] (24.4%)
{{div col end}}

'''British Columbia'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] (76.3%)
* [[Burnaby]] (63.6%)
* [[Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A, British Columbia|Greater Vancouver A]] (67.3%)
* [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] (58.5%)
* [[Vancouver]] (51.6%)
* [[Coquitlam]] (50.2%)
* [[New Westminster]] (38.9%)
* [[West Vancouver]] (36.4%)
* [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] (36.0%)
* [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] (33.7%)
* [[Port Coquitlam]] (32.4%)
* [[North Vancouver (city)]] (31.3%)
* [[Port Moody]] (30.5%)
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (district)]] (25.6%)
{{div col end}}

'''Manitoba'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Neepawa]] (40.7%)
* [[Winnipeg]] (28.0%)
{{div col end}}

'''Ontario'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]] (77.9%)
* [[Brampton]] (73.3%)
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]] (60.0%)
* [[Mississauga]] (57.2%)
* [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]] (56.7%)
* [[Toronto]] (51.5%)
* [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] (42.9%)
* [[Milton, Ontario|Milton]] (42.8%)
* [[Whitchurch-Stouffville]] (36.9%)
* [[Vaughan]] (35.4%)
* [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]] (30.8%)
* [[Aurora, Ontario|Aurora]] (26.9%)
* [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] (26.9%)
* [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] (26.4%)
* [[Ottawa]] (26.3%)
* [[Newmarket, Ontario|Newmarket]] (25.8%)
* [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]] (25.3%)
{{div col end}}

'''Quebec'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brossard]] (42.9%)
* [[Dollard-des-Ormeaux]] (38.8%)
* [[Montréal]] (34.2%)
* [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]] (26.1%)
* [[Mount Royal, Quebec|Mount Royal]] (24.7%)
* [[Kirkland, Quebec|Kirkland]] (24.2%)
* [[Dorval]] (23.4%)
{{div col end}}

==== 2011 census ====
'''National average: 19.1%'''<br>Source: [[Canada 2011 Census]]<ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2011">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2018-05-24 |title= NHS Profile, 2011 |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.

'''Alberta'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Calgary]] (30.1%)
* [[Edmonton]] (30.0%)
* [[Chestermere]] (29.2%)
* [[Brooks, Alberta|Brooks]] (26.7%)
* [[Banff, Alberta|Banff]] (22.2%)
{{div col end}}

'''British Columbia'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] (70.4%)
* [[Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A, British Columbia|Greater Vancouver A]] (62.1%)
* [[Burnaby]] (59.5%)
* [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] (52.6%)
* [[Vancouver]] (51.8%)
* [[Coquitlam]] (43.8%)
* [[New Westminster]] (34.8%)
* [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] (30.2%)
* [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] (29.6%)
* [[North Vancouver (city)]] (29.2%)
* [[Port Moody]] (28.9%)
* [[Port Coquitlam]] (28.5%)
* [[West Vancouver]] (28.2%)
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (district)]] (22.0%)
{{div col end}}

'''Manitoba'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Winnipeg]] (21.4%)
{{div col end}}

'''Ontario'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]] (72.3%)
* [[Brampton]] (66.4%)
* [[Mississauga]] (53.7%)
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]] (52.9%)
* [[Toronto]] (49.1%)
* [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]] (45.8%)
* [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] (35.4%)
* [[Vaughan]] (31.4%)
* [[Milton, Ontario|Milton]] (29.9%)
* [[Whitchurch-Stouffville]] (24.5%)
* [[Ottawa]] (23.7%)
* [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] (22.9%)
* [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]] (22.8%)
* [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] (20.4%)
* [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]] (19.2%)
* [[Newmarket, Ontario|Newmarket]] (19.2%)
{{div col end}}

'''Quebec'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brossard]] (38.3%)
* [[Dollard-des-Ormeaux]] (35.9%)
* [[Montréal]] (31.7%)
* [[Dorval]] (22.1%)
* [[Kirkland, Quebec|Kirkland]] (20.8%)
* [[Mount Royal, Quebec|Mount Royal]] (20.8%)
* [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]] (20.7%)
{{div col end}}

==== 2006 census ====
'''National average: 16.2%'''<br>Source: [[Canada 2006 Census]]<ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2006">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2010-02-17 |title= Visible minority groups, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities) with 5,000-plus population – 20% sample data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-562/index.cfm?Lang=E |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.

'''Alberta'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Calgary]] (23.7%)
* [[Edmonton]] (22.9%)
* [[Chestermere]] (17.8%)
* [[Brooks, Alberta|Brooks]] (17.1%)
* [[Banff, Alberta|Banff]] (16.8%)
{{div col end}}

'''British Columbia'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] (65.1%)
* [[Burnaby]] (55.4%)
* [[Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A, British Columbia|Greater Vancouver A]] (55.2%)
* [[Vancouver]] (51.0%)
* [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] (46.1%)
* [[Coquitlam]] (38.6%)
* [[New Westminster]] (29.6%)
* [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] (27.0%)
* [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] (26.4%)
* [[North Vancouver (city)]] (26.2%)
* [[Port Coquitlam]] (25.7%)
* [[Port Moody]] (25.3%)
* [[West Vancouver]] (22.8%)
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (district)]] (22.2%)
{{div col end}}

'''Manitoba'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Winnipeg]] (16.3%)
{{div col end}}

'''Ontario'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]] (65.4%)
* [[Brampton]] (57.0%)
* [[Mississauga]] (49.0%)
* [[Toronto]] (46.9%)
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]] (45.7%)
* [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]] (35.6%)
* [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] (30.5%)
* [[Vaughan]] (26.6%)
* [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] (21.0%)
* [[Ottawa]] (20.2%)
* [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]] (18.4%)
* [[Milton, Ontario|Milton]] (17.1%)
* [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]] (17.0%)
* [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] (16.9%)
{{div col end}}

'''Quebec'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brossard]] (34.3%)
* [[Dollard-des-Ormeaux]] (30.9%)
* [[Montréal]] (26.0%)
* [[Mount Royal, Quebec|Mount Royal]] (19.7%)
* [[Dorval]] (19.1%)
* [[Kirkland, Quebec|Kirkland]] (18.7%)
{{div col end}}

==== 2001 census ====
'''National average: 13.4%'''<br>Source: [[Canada 2001 Census]]<ref name="MinoritySubdivisions2001">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-02-12 |title= Visible Minority Groups, 2001 Counts, for Canada, Provinces, Territories and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) With 5,000-plus Population – 20% Sample Data |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/97F0024X2001006 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*Note: Subdivisions shown below have visible minority populations above the national average.

'''Alberta'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Edmonton]] (19.7%)
* [[Calgary]] (18.7%)
* [[Banff, Alberta|Banff]] (17.3%)
{{div col end}}

'''British Columbia'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] (59.0%)
* [[Vancouver]] (49.0%)
* [[Burnaby]] (48.6%)
* [[Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A, British Columbia|Greater Vancouver A]] (43.5%)
* [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] (36.7%)
* [[Coquitlam]] (34.3%)
* [[New Westminster]] (24.9%)
* [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] (23.4%)
* [[North Vancouver (city)]] (22.6%)
* [[Port Coquitlam]] (22.3%)
* [[Port Moody]] (20.7%)
* [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] (20.4%)
* [[West Vancouver]] (20.3%)
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (district)]] (19.3%)
* [[Squamish, British Columbia|Squamish]] (16.8%)
* [[Fort St. James]] (14.7%)
* [[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]] (13.7%)
{{div col end}}

'''Manitoba'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Winnipeg]] (13.4%)
{{div col end}}

'''Ontario'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]] (55.5%)
* [[Toronto]] (42.8%)
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]] (40.4%)
* [[Mississauga]] (40.3%)
* [[Brampton]] (40.2%)
* [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]] (26.4%)
* [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]] (24.3%)
* [[Vaughan]] (19.0%)
* [[Ottawa]] (18.0%)
* [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] (17.2%)
* [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] (13.5%)
{{div col end}}

'''Quebec'''
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Saint-Laurent, Quebec|Saint-Laurent]] (38.2%)
* [[Brossard]] (27.7%)
* [[Dollard-des-Ormeaux]] (26.0%)
* [[Pierrefonds, Quebec|Pierrefonds]] (25.8%)
* [[Montréal-Nord]] (23.5%)
* [[Montréal]] (22.7%)
* [[Saint-Leonard, Quebec|Saint-Léonard]] (20.8%)
* [[LaSalle, Quebec|LaSalle]] (20.6%)
* [[Kirkland, Quebec|Kirkland]] (17.2%)
* [[Roxboro, Quebec|Roxboro]] (16.6%)
* [[Mount Royal, Quebec|Mount Royal]] (15.4%)
* [[Anjou, Quebec|Anjou]] (15.1%)
{{div col end}}

==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".<ref>Employment Equity Act (1995, c. 44) [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/E-5.401/page-2.html#anchorbo-ga:s_3 Act current to Oct 20th, 2010]</ref>

This definition can be traced back to the 1984 Report of the [[Abella commission|Abella Commission on Equality in Employment]]. The Commission described the term visible minority as an "ambiguous categorization", but for practical purposes interpreted it to mean "visibly non-white".<ref>{{cite web|last=Woolley|first=Frances|title=Visible Minorities: Distinctly Canadian|url=http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2013/05/visible-minorities-distinctly-canadian.html|publisher=Worthwhile Canadian Initiative|access-date=May 26, 2013}}</ref> The Canadian government uses an [[operational definition]] by which it identifies the following groups as visible minorities: "Chinese, South Asian, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Arab, West Asian, Korean, Japanese, Visible minority, n.i.e. (''n.i.e.'' means "not included elsewhere"), and Multiple visible minority".<ref>"Visible Minority Population and Population Group Reference Guide," 2006 Census [http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/rp-guides/visible_minority-minorites_visibles-eng.cfm#Classifications Statcan]</ref> 

If census respondents write-in multiple entries, like "Black and Malaysian", "Black and French" or "South Asian and European", they would be included in the Black<ref>{{cite web|title=Visible Minority Population and Population Group Reference Guide, 2006 Census|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/rp-guides/visible_minority-minorites_visibles-eng.cfm#Classifications|access-date=June 18, 2023|website=Statcan|quote=Respondents who checked 'Black' and wrote-in 'French' or 'Malaysian' are also included in the 'Black' count.}}</ref> or South Asian counts respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=June 18, 2023|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/98-500/006/98-500-x2021006-eng.cfm|website=Statistics Canada|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230618075111/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/98-500/006/98-500-x2021006-eng.cfm|archive-date=June 18, 2023|quote=For example, respondents who checked both “South Asian” and “White” are included in the “South Asian” category. In addition, respondents who checked “South Asian” and had a write-in response such as “Swedish” would also be included in the “South Asian” category.}}</ref> However, the 2006 Census states that respondents that add a European ethnic response in combination with certain visible minority groups are not counted as visible minorities. They must add another non-European ethnic response to be counted as such:

{{quotation|In contrast, in accordance with employment equity definitions, persons who reported 'Latin American' and 'White,' 'Arab' and 'White,' or 'West Asian' and 'White' have been excluded from the visible minority population. Likewise, persons who reported 'Latin American,' 'Arab' or 'West Asian' and who provided a European write-in response such as 'French' have been excluded from the visible minority population as well. These persons are included in the 'Not a visible minority' category. However, persons who reported 'Latin American,' 'Arab' or 'West Asian' and a non-European write-in response are included in the visible minority population.<ref>''Visible Minority Population and Population Group Reference Guide,'' 2006 Census – Catalogue no. 97-562-GWE2006003 [http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/rp-guides/visible_minority-minorites_visibles-eng.cfm#Classifications Statcan]</ref>}}

The term "non-white" is used in the wording of the Employment Equity Act and in employment equity questionnaires distributed to applicants and employees. This is intended as a shorthand phrase for those who are in the Aboriginal and/or visible minority groups.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Mentzer, M. S. |date=January 2002 |title=The Canadian experience with employment equity legislation |journal=International Journal of Value-Based Management |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=35–50 |doi=10.1023/A:1013021402597 |s2cid=141942497 |issn=0895-8815 }}</ref>

==Controversy==
The classification "visible minorities" has attracted controversy, both nationally and from abroad. The [[International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination#Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination|UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination]] has stated that they have doubts regarding the use of this term since this term may be considered objectionable by certain minorities and recommended an evaluation of this term. In response, the Canadian government made efforts to evaluate how this term is used in Canadian society through commissioning of scholars and open workshops.<ref>{{cite web|title=Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/A.67.18%20English.pdf|website=United Nations|publisher=United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination|access-date=4 March 2017}}</ref>

Since 2008, census data and media reports have suggested that the "visible minorities" label no longer makes sense in some large Canadian cities, due to immigration trends in recent decades. For example, "visible minorities" comprise the ''majority'' of the population in many municipalities across the country, primarily in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta.<ref>{{cite web| title = Visible minorities the new majority| author=Hamilton, Graeme| work=National Post| date=2008-04-03| url = https://nationalpost.com/news/visible-minorities-the-new-majority|access-date =2012-05-21|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230617102140/https://nationalpost.com/news/visible-minorities-the-new-majority|archive-date=17 June 2023}}</ref>

Yet another criticism of the label concerns the composition of "visible minorities". Critics have noted that the groups comprising "visible minorities" have little in common with each other, as they include both disadvantaged groups and non-disadvantaged groups.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Affirmative action and ethnic inequality in Canada: The Impact of the Employment Equity Act of 1986|journal=Ethnic Groups| date= 1992|first=Marc S.|last=Mentzer|author2=John L. Fizel|volume=9|issue=4| pages=203–217|issn= 0308-6860 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Not all visible minorities face labour market discrimination|journal=Policy Options/Options Politiques| date= 2000|first=Derek|last=Hum|author2=Wayne Simpson | volume=21| issue=10| pages=45–48| issn= 0226-5893 }}</ref> The concept of visible minority has been cited in demography research as an example of a [[statistext]], meaning a census category that has been contrived for a particular public policy purpose.<ref name="Kobayashi">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Kobayashi |first=Audrey |encyclopedia=Challenges of Measuring an Ethnic World: Science, Politics, and Reality |title=Representing Ethnicity: Political Statistexts |date=1993 |publisher=Statistics Canada and U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, DC |pages=513–525 |isbn= 0-16-042049-0}}</ref><ref name="Bauder">{{cite journal|title=Visible minorities and urban analysis|journal=Canadian Journal of Urban Research |date=2001|first=Harald|last=Bauder|volume=10|issue=1|pages=69–90|issn=1188-3774}}</ref> As the term "visible minorities" is seen as creating a [[racialization|racialized]] group, some advocate for "[[global majority]]" as a more appropriate alternative.<ref name="thestar">{{cite news |last1=Maharaj |first1=Sachin |title=We are not visible minorities; we are the global majority |url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/02/09/we-are-not-visible-minorities-we-are-the-global-majority.html |access-date=26 November 2022 |work=Toronto Star |date=9 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada}}
*[[Affirmative action]]
*[[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom]]
*[[Colourism]]
*[[Employment equity (Canada)]]
*[[Ethnic penalty]]
*[[Global majority]]
*[[Invisible disability]]
*[[List of visible minority politicians in Canada]]
*[[Majority minority]]
*[[Minority language]]
*[[Multiculturalism in Canada]]
*[[Race and ethnicity in censuses]]
*[[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census]]
*[[Racialism (racial categorization)]]

==References==

{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary}}
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/rp-guides/visible_minority-minorites_visibles-eng.cfm Visible minority population and population group reference guide (2006 Census)] from Statistics Canada
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/release/ethnicorigin.cfm Visible minority population, by census metropolitan areas (2006 Census)] from Statistics Canada

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