June 18, 2026 – Ottawa, ON
The Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages and Statistics Canada have collaborated to produce two new analyses examining Indigenous languages in Canada using data from the 2021 Census of Population. These reports were released on June 18, 2026.
Building on previous collaborative analyses, the report The Use of Indigenous Languages in Urban Areas in Canada explores Indigenous language speakers living in urban areas, offering insights into the presence and use of Indigenous languages in Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations across the country. The report Silent Speakers of Indigenous Languages in Canada: A Socio-Demographic and Geographic Analysis focuses on individuals who learned an Indigenous language as their mother tongue but who can no longer speak it well enough to conduct a conversation.
Together, these analyses provide new insights into the use and vitality of Indigenous languages in Canada and increase access to information that may support community-led language revitalization efforts.
These reports support the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act and aligns with the Commission’s mandate under Section 24(b). By advancing research on the use and vitality of Indigenous languages in Canada, these analyses increase access to information available to Indigenous Peoples as they reclaim, revitalize, maintain, and strengthen their languages.
“This collaboration with Statistics Canada continues to expand access to information that can support Indigenous Peoples in their language revitalization efforts. These new analyses deepen our understanding of Indigenous language vitality, while reinforcing the importance of ensuring language reclamation and revitalization efforts reflect the diverse realities of Indigenous Peoples wherever they live.”
– Dr. Ronald E. Ignace, Commissioner of Indigenous Languages
Click Here to Access Reports
Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages
Media Relations
media@ocil-ila.ca
Statistics Canada
Media Relations
statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca