Determinants Of Health

Official Language

Key Messages
Simcoe Muskoka
Technical Notes
Further Reading

Key Messages

According to the 2021 Census, the majority of people living in Simcoe Muskoka could speak one or both of Canada’s two official languages, English and French.
A higher proportion could speak English only in the District of Muskoka compared to Simcoe County, while more residents of Simcoe County could speak French only compared to the District of Muskoka.
The number of people who could not speak English or French in Simcoe Muskoka has increased by 75% from 2,360 people (0.4%) in 2016 to 4,135 people (0.7%) in 2021. The southern Census subdivisions in Simcoe County had the highest proportion of their population being unable to speak English or French.

Simcoe Muskoka

Within Simcoe Muskoka, 92.9% or 551,035 people spoke English only, 0.1% or 290 people spoke French only, and 6.4% or 37,680 were English and French bilingual. Less than one percent (0.7% or 4,135 people) of Simcoe Muskoka residents could not speak English or French.
The proportion of the population that spoke English only was higher in Simcoe Muskoka (92.9% or 551,035 people) than Ontario (86.5% or 12,196,575). However, Ontario had a higher proportion who spoke French only (0.3% or 39,310), were English and French bilingual (10.8% or 1,519,365 people), or who could not speak English or French (2.4% or 344,545 people), compared to Simcoe Muskoka.
In a few Simcoe Muskoka Census subdivisions, more than 10% of the population could speak both English and French in 2021. This included Penetanguishene (16.9% or 1,555 people) and Tiny (15.5% or 1,975 people).
Knowledge of neither English nor French was very low in all Simcoe Muskoka municipalities (1.0% or less) except for Bradford West Gwillimbury (3.0% or 1,270 people) and Innisfil (1.1% or 460 people).

Knowledge of Official Languages Simcoe Muskoka

Additional analysis of official languages data by income will be updated as it becomes available.

Technical Notes

Census subdivision (CSD) generally refers to municipalities (e.g. Clearview Township) as well as areas considered equivalent to municipalities for reporting census data, such as First Nations reserves (e.g. Chippewas of Rama First Nation).