# Canada's Official Languages — English and French Explained
Canada has two official languages: English and French. This is one of the most fundamental facts about Canada — and one of the most reliably tested topics on the citizenship exam. Here is the full story.
The basics
Canada's two official languages are equal in status under federal law. This means:
- Federal government services must be available in both English and French
- Federal courts operate in both languages
- Acts of Parliament are passed in both English and French (both versions are equally authoritative)
- Federal employees in bilingual regions work in both languages
- Crown corporations (like Canada Post and CBC/Radio-Canada) provide services in both
How Canada became officially bilingual
Before 1969
Although both English and French had been used in Canada since long before Confederation, they were not equal in practice. English dominated federal government, business, and most institutions outside Quebec.
The Royal Commission (1963–1971)
In 1963, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson created the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (the "Bi and Bi Commission"), led by André Laurendeau and Davidson Dunton. The Commission's findings showed deep inequality — French speakers had less access to federal jobs, government services, and public life.
The Official Languages Act (1969)
On September 9, 1969, Parliament passed the Official Languages Act under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It declared:
- English and French are the official languages of Canada
- Both languages have equal status, rights, and privileges in federal institutions
- Canadians have the right to communicate with and receive services from the federal government in either language
The Act was a foundational moment in modern Canadian identity.
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982)
The Constitution Act, 1982 entrenched language rights even more firmly. Section 16 of the Charter declares English and French the official languages of Canada. Section 23 protects minority-language education rights — the right of English-speaking parents in Quebec and French-speaking parents elsewhere to have their children educated in their mother tongue, where numbers warrant.
Where French and English are spoken
| Region | Primary language(s) |
|---|---|
| Quebec | French (~80% of population) |
| New Brunswick | English + French (officially bilingual) |
| Ontario | English + significant Franco-Ontarian community (~5%) |
| Western provinces | English + small francophone communities |
| Atlantic provinces (NS, PEI, NL) | Mostly English; some Acadian communities |
| Nunavut | English + Inuktitut + French |
About 22% of Canadians speak French as their mother tongue, and about 57% speak English. Many Canadians speak languages other than the two official languages at home — Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, Arabic, Italian, Tagalog — but the two official languages remain the languages of federal government and law.
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The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
The Commissioner of Official Languages is an independent officer of Parliament who enforces the Official Languages Act. The Commissioner investigates complaints, audits federal institutions, and reports annually to Parliament on the state of bilingualism in Canada.
What the test asks
Common citizenship-test questions:
- What are Canada's two official languages? *(English and French)*
- When did Canada become officially bilingual? *(1969 — Official Languages Act)*
- Which province is officially bilingual? *(New Brunswick)*
- Who was Prime Minister when the Official Languages Act was passed? *(Pierre Trudeau)*
For more, see [Bilingualism in Canada — What It Means](/blog/bilingualism-in-canada-explained) and [The Atlantic Provinces of Canada](/blog/atlantic-provinces-canada-guide).
Practice the actual citizenship test
Try our [free practice test](/practice-test) — it covers official-languages questions in the same format you will see on test day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1When did Canada become officially bilingual?
1969 — when the federal Parliament passed the Official Languages Act under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Before that, English dominated federal government, even though French had been used since Confederation in 1867.
2What does the Official Languages Act do?
It gives English and French equal status in the federal government. Canadians can communicate with and receive services from federal institutions in either language. Federal employees in 'designated bilingual regions' must work in both languages.
3Is Canada officially bilingual at the provincial level?
Only New Brunswick is officially bilingual at the provincial level. Quebec is officially French-only. The other provinces and territories have varying rules — Ontario, for example, provides many services in French in designated regions.
4How many Canadians speak French?
About 22% of Canadians have French as their mother tongue. Most francophones live in Quebec (about 80% of Quebec's population), but there are also significant French-speaking communities in New Brunswick (Acadians), Ontario (Franco-Ontarians), and Manitoba (Franco-Manitobans).
5Is this on the citizenship test?
Yes. Common questions: name Canada's two official languages, when did Canada become officially bilingual, and which province is officially bilingual.