Canada • Demographics

Black Canadians

Black Canadians are Canadians who identify as Black or who have ancestry from Black racial groups, including people with African and Caribbean origins.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Black Canadians are Canadians who identify as Black or who have ancestry from Black racial groups, including people with African and Caribbean origins. In the 2021 Census, about 1.5 million people in Canada identified as Black, making them the country’s third-largest racialized group and 4.3% of the population.

Definition and identity

Black Canadians are people in Canada who identify as Black, including people of African and Caribbean ancestry. Sources describe the group as ethnically and culturally diverse rather than monolithic.

Population and demographics

Statistics Canada reported 1,547,870 Black people in Canada in 2021, equal to 4.3% of the national population. The population is younger on average than the total Canadian population and includes substantial immigrant and Canadian-born communities.

Geographic distribution

Most Black Canadians live in urban areas, with the largest populations in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa-Gatineau. Recent data also show growth in the Prairie provinces, particularly Alberta.

Historical presence and diversity

Black communities have a long history in Canada, and the population includes multiple migration histories and ethnic origins. Statistics Canada notes more than 300 reported ethnic or cultural origins among Black people in Canada.

Key facts

Black Canadians are the third-largest racialized group in Canada, after South Asian and Chinese Canadians.
The Black population in Canada reached 1,547,870 in the 2021 Census.
Black populations have grown rapidly since 1996 and were about 2.7 times larger in 2021 than in 1996.
In 2021, 97.8% of Black people in Canada lived in urban areas.
Ontario and Quebec contain the largest Black populations, but the population is also growing in the Prairie provinces, especially Alberta.

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Canadian context

This is a major Canadian demographic group with strong representation in urban centres, public policy, education, labour-market research, and Canadian history.

Frequently asked questions

How many Black Canadians were there in 2021?

Statistics Canada reported 1,547,870 Black people in Canada in 2021, or 4.3% of the population.

Are Black Canadians a visible minority group?

Yes. Black Canadians are classified by Statistics Canada as a racialized group and were the third-largest racialized group in 2021.

Where do most Black Canadians live?

Most Black Canadians live in urban areas, especially Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa-Gatineau.

Are Black Canadians mostly immigrants or Canadian-born?

In 2021, 50.9% of Black people in Canada were immigrants, while a substantial share were born in Canada.

Is the Black population in Canada growing?

Yes. Statistics Canada reports that the Black population grew substantially between 1996 and 2021 and was the fastest-growing racialized group over parts of that period.

References

Statistics Canada — https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-657-x/89-657-x2024005-eng.htm
Supports: 2021 population count, percentage of total population, growth since 1996, immigrant share, urban concentration, age profile, geographic distribution
Department of Justice Canada — https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/obpccjsce-spnsjpcce/populations.html
Supports: Third-largest racialized group, long historical presence in Canada, regional distribution, linguistic diversity, urban settlement patterns
The Canadian Encyclopedia — https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/black-canadians
Supports: Definition and overview of Black Canadians as people of African or Caribbean ancestry living in Canada
Statistics Canada — https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/daily/by-the-numbers/black-history-month/infosheet
Supports: 2021 population share, educational attainment, and demographic overview