Community Vitality: What Is It and How Does It Apply to English-Speaking Quebec?

Type of resource
Author/collaborator
Title
Community Vitality: What Is It and How Does It Apply to English-Speaking Quebec?
Abstract
The author looks at what community vitality means for Quebec’s English-speaking population. Using frameworks developed by sociolinguists and the federal government, she shows how factors such as population trends, institutional access, and social standing shape the long-term sustainability of English-speaking communities across the province. The key takeaways from this research brief are: Demographic Strength Varies by Region: The English-speaking population has grown in most regions since 2001, but in pockets of some areas, such as the Eastern Townships and the Gaspé, there is continued decline; Institutional Support Is Uneven: While advocacy and organization remain strong, access to English education, public service employment, and local media has weakened over time; Social Status of English Has Changed: While English is the global lingua franca and has high status overall, the status of English relative to French has diminished in Quebec over the years; and Overall Vitality Shows Strengths and Weaknesses: Community mobilization and demographic growth are encouraging signs, but socioeconomic challenges pose the greatest threat to long-term vitality.
Report Number
Research Brief no, 21
Place
Montreal
Institution
Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN), Concordia University
Date
March 2025
Pages
10p.
Language
en
URL
Notes
Citation
Bell, Shannon. Community Vitality: What Is It and How Does It Apply to English-Speaking Quebec? Montreal: Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN), Concordia University, March 2025. https://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/artsci/scpa/quescren/docs/Brief_21_ENG.pdf.
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