Francophones a Minority in Montreal by 2030

Immigration patterns, birth rates mean allophones are making a bigger and bigger part of the population.

Politicians in Quebec are working themselves into a tizzy over the release of a report that suggests francophones will be a minority on the Island of Montreal by 2030. The Office québécoise de la langue Francais says that in 20 years' time, only 47 per cent of islanders will speak French as their first language, with allophones – those whose first language is neither French nor English – will make up more and more of the population. Hipsters transplanted from Ontario and the East Coast will make up the remainder, we guess. Quebec Solidaire, the sovereigntist political party, says these trends mean there needs to be stricter language laws, such as requiring any business with more than 25 employees, instead of the current 50, to comply with French language laws. Quebec Premier Jean Charest disagreed, and said he was heartened to hear in the same report that more and more immigrants to Montreal were learning French.