Research

People of Colour in Canada (Quick Take)

Dec 15, 2021

Note: The term “visible minorities” is widely used in Canada. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as “persons, other than Aboriginal persons, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color.” 1 This population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean, and Japanese. However, there is a growing sense that the term “visible minority” is outdated due to population shifts and even discriminatory.2 Instead, we use the term “people of colour” throughout this Quick Take to describe this population group.

POPULATION

More Than One-Fifth of Canadians Are People of Colour3
  • 7,674,580 people of colour live in Canada, or 22.3% of the total population in 2016.3

Women are slightly over half (51.5%) of all people of colour.3

  • Women of colour are 11.5% of Canada’s total population.3
People of Colour Account for an Increasing Share of Canada’s Population4

By 2036, people of colour are projected to be about a third (31% to 36%) of the population.5

  • This population growth is driven, in part, by an increase in immigration.6
The Proportion of People of Colour Among Canada’s Youth Is Also Rising7

More than a quarter (27%) of young Canadians aged 15–34 self-identified as a member of a diverse racial/ethnic group in 2016, slightly more than double the share (13%) in 1996.7

The median age of people of colour in 2016 was 33.9, compared to the overall population’s median age of 40.7.8

DIVERSITY

Among Canadians of Colour, South Asians, Chinese, and Blacks Are the Largest Groups9

The most populous group, South Asians, account for about one-quarter (25.1%) of Canada’s people of colour population and 5.6% of Canada’s total population.9

Populations of People of Colour in Canada10
Racial/Ethnic Group Percentage of Canada’s People of Colour Population
South Asian 25.1%
Chinese 20.5%
Black 15.6%
Filipino 10.2%
Arab 6.8%
Latin American 5.8%

EDUCATION

People of Colour Are Highly Educated

As of the 2016 Census, 68.6% of people of colour aged 25–64 have a postsecondary certificate, diploma, or degree—compared to 64.8% of the general population.11

  • Over two-thirds of women of colour (69.2%) and men of colour (67.8%) have a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.11

About two in five (42.0%) Canadians of colour have a university certificate, diploma, or degree at the bachelor level or above—compared to only 28.5% of the general population.11

  • Women of colour are about as likely as men of colour (41.8% and 42.2%, respectively) to have a university certificate, diploma, or degree at the bachelor level or above.11
People of Color Represent a Higher Share of University Graduates

Among students completing undergraduate degrees in 2017–2018, 40% self-identified as people of colour, an increase from only 13% in 1999–2000.12

  • In 2018-2019, 44% of first year students identified as people of colour.13

LABOUR FORCE

The Share of People of Colour in the Labour Force Is Increasing14

People of colour were almost a quarter (22%) of Canada’s labour force in 2016 and are expected to be over a third of the labour force (36%) in 2036.14

In 2016, most of the population of people of colour was in the labor force: 66.5%.15

  • Women of colour: 61.9%15
  • Men of colour: 71.5%15
Among People of Colour, Women Hold Almost 40% of Management Positions16

However women of colour occupy only a small percentage of total management positions (6.5%).16

  • Almost one-third (30.6%) of women of colour in the labour force work in sales and service occupations, while only 0.6% work in natural resources, agriculture, and related production occupations.16
People of Colour Experience an Emotional Tax at Work17

Black, East Asian, and South Asian professionals report being highly “on guard” at work—anticipating and consciously preparing for potential bias or discrimination.17

  • Women of colour are more likely to cite anticipating racial or ethnic bias (40%) and gender bias (38%) than men of colour (38% and 14% respectively).17
  • Among professional Canadians of colour who are highly on guard:17
    • 50% to 69% have a high intent to leave their jobs.
    • 22% to 42% report high rates of sleep problems.

LEADERSHIP

Racial/Ethnic Diversity on Financial Post 500 Boards Is on the Rise18

5.9% of board directors in Financial Post 500 organizations in 2018 were people of colour, up from 4.3% in 2017.18

Of the 23 companies on the S&P/TSX 60 who submitted Board of Director demographic data as of June 2020, only 5.5% of directors identified as people of colour.19

Representation in Government Is Also Increasing20

In 2019, 51 people of colour were elected as MPs, up from 47 in 2015.21

  • They now make up 15.1% of Canada’s parliament.21

In 2017, the first candidate of colour was elected to lead a major federal party.22

PAY GAP

Women of Colour Are Underrepresented Among Canada’s Top Earners23

Based on median total income, women of colour earn:24

  • 79.7% of what men of colour earn.
  • 56.7% of what all men earn.

Only 13.8% of women among the top 1% of earners in Canada were women of colour in 2015.23

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Catalyst Canada.

Catalyst, Flip the Script: Race & Ethnicity in the Workplace (May 7, 2018). (View in French / En Français.)

Government of Canada, “Supporting Visible Minority Newcomer Women,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (December 5, 2018).

Ryerson University Diversity Institute, Diversity Leads—Diverse Representation in Leadership: A Review of Eight Canadian Cities (2020).

Statistics Canada, “Diversity of the Black Population in Canada: An Overview,” Ethnicity, Language, and Immigration Thematic Series (February 27, 2019).

Statistics Canada, Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016 (October 25, 2017).

Tamara Hudon, “Visible Minority Women,” Women in Canada: A Gender-Based Statistical Report (Statistics Canada, 2016).

 

How to cite this product: Catalyst, Quick Take: People of Colour in Canada (October 20, 2020).

  1. Statistics Canada, Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016 (October 25, 2017).
  2. Tavia Grant and Denise Balkissoon, “‘Visible Minority’: Is It Time for Canada to Scrap the Term?” The Globe and Mail, February 6, 2019; Clare Henning, “StatsCan Looks to Modernize Decades-Old Term ‘Visible Minority’ When Measuring Diversity,” CBC News, May 8, 2019.
  3. Statistics Canada, “Visible Minority (15), Generation Status (4), Age (12) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census – 25% Sample Data,” Data Tables, 2016 Census (2019).
  4. Éric Grenier, “21.9% of Canadians Are Immigrants, the Highest Share in 85 Years: StatsCan: Census 2016 Shows More Immigrants, Visible Minorities and Indigenous People,” CBC News, October 25, 2017.
  5. Jean-Dominique Morency, Éric Caron Malenfant and Samuel MacIsaac, Immigration and Diversity: Population Projections for Canada and Its Regions, 2011 to 2036 (Statistics Canada, January 25, 2017).
  6. Statistics Canada, “Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity: Key Results from the 2016 Census,” The Daily, October 25, 2017.
  7. Statistics Canada, “A Portrait of Canadian Youth: March 2019 Updates” (May 8, 2019).
  8. Statistics Canada, “Population By Visible Minority Group and Median Age, Canada, 2011 and 2016,” Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census (2019).
  9. Statistics Canada, “Population by Visible Minority Group and Median Age, Canada, 2011 and 2016,” Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census (2019).
  10. The remaining 15.9% of people of colour in Canada identify as Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean, Japanese, Not Included Elsewhere (n.i.e.), and Multiple Visible Minorities; Statistics Canada, “Population by Visible Minority Group and Median Age, Canada, 2011 and 2016,” Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census (2019).
  11. Statistics Canada, “Visible Minority (15), Highest Certificate, Diploma or Degree (15), Generation Status (4), Age (9) and Sex (3) for the Population Aged 15 Years and Over in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 2016 Census -25% Sample Data,” Data Tables, 2016 Census (2019).
  12. Canadian Association of University Teachers, “Table 4.12: University Undergraduate Students, Selected Equity-Seeking Groups,” CAUT Almanac of Post-Secondary Education in Canada (2019).
  13. Canadian Association of University Teachers, “Table 4.12: University Undergraduate Students, Selected Equity-Seeking Groups,” CAUT Almanac of Post-Secondary Education in Canada (2019).
  14. Laurent Martel, “The Labour Force in Canada and Its Regions: Projections to 2036,” Insights on Canadian Society (Statistics Canada, March 20, 2019).
  15. Statistics Canada, “Labour Force Status (8), Visible Minority (15), Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (11), Highest Certificate, Diploma or Degree (7), Age (13A) and Sex (3) for the Population Aged 15 Years and Over in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census – 25% Sample Data,” Data Tables, 2016 Census (2019).
  16. Statistics Canada, “Visible Minority (15), Age (15A), Sex (3) and Selected Demographic, Cultural, Labour Force, Educational and Income Characteristics (900) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census – 15% Sample Data,” Data Tables, 2016 Census (2019).
  17. Jennifer Thorpe-Moscon, Alixandra Pollack, and Olufemi Olu-Lafe, Empowering Workplaces Combat Emotional Tax for People of Colour in Canada (Catalyst, 2019).
  18. Canadian Board Diversity Council, Annual Report Card 2018 (2018): p. 12.
  19. Geoffe Zochodne, “Visible Minorities Vastly Underrepresented in the Boardroom, New Disclosures Suggest,” Financial Post, June 12, 2020.
  20. Alia Dharssi, “Canada Federal Election Candidates Include More Visible Minorities in 2015 Than in the Past Four Votes,” National Post, October 19, 2015.
  21. Andrew Griffith, “House of Commons Becoming More Reflective of Diverse Population,” Policy Options Politique, November 5, 2019.
  22. Roshini Nair, “‘A Long Time Coming’: Jagmeet Singh’s Victory a Historic Win for Visible Minorities: Singh Won the Federal NDP Leadership Race Becoming First Visible Minority to Lead Major Canadian Party,” CBC News, October 2, 2017.
  23. Elizabeth Richards, “Who Are the Working Women in Canada’s Top 1%,” Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series (Statistics Canada, January 21, 2019).
  24. Statistics Canada, “Visible Minority (15), Income Statistics (17), Generation Status (4), Age (10) and Sex (3) for the Population Aged 15 Years and Over in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census – 25% Sample Data,” Data Tables, 2016 Census (2019).