Canadian Population Portraits Part 2: Diversity of Black Populations in Canada

Toronto – August 26, 2026 – In this series, UFCW Canada is sharing recently-released population portraits from Statistics Canada, which examine the experiences and socioeconomic outcomes of six racialized population groups in Canada.

In 2026, Statistics Canada released six population portraits based on data collected through the Government of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (2024-2028). This portrait series examines the experiences of the following populations in Canada: Black, South Asian, Filipino, Chinese, Latin American, and Arab populations, using disaggregated data.

The portrait below highlights the growth of Canada's Black population, the diversity within the population groups which identify as Black in Canada, and their significant contributions to the workplace and in society.

Why does data matter to unions?

At UFCW Canada, we believed that diversity is our strength. Understanding how different population groups experience barriers in Canada is essential to shaping our collective response to workplace discrimination, at the bargaining table and in advocating for workers’ and human rights.

Understanding the experiences of diverse communities, including Black communities, helps strengthen our collective union approach to advancing equity and defending worker rights.

Addressing racial injustice through a disaggregated data approach supports efforts to combat discrimination workers face on the job and across intersecting identities such as gender, sexual orientation, creed, and age. UFCW Canada will continue to advocate for workers through collective bargaining processes, strong workplace protections, and government advocacy that prioritizes workers' rights.

Population Portrait #2: Black Populations in Canada

The Statistics Canada profile, The Diversity of the Black Populations in Canada, 2021: A Sociodemographic Portrait, provides an analysis of the sociodemographic, linguistic, ethnocultural and religious diversity of the Black populations in Canada.

Key Demographic Trends

• In 2021, there were 1,547,870 Black people in Canada, representing 4.3% of the total population.
• Black populations are the third-largest racialized group in Canada, after South Asian and Chinese populations.
• Projections suggest the Black population could exceed 3 million by 2041.

Immigration and Origins

• In 2021:
  • 41.0% were Canadian born.
  • 50.9% were immigrants.
  • Nearly 7% were non-permanent residents.
• The source of Black immigration has shifted significantly:
  • In 2021, Caribbean immigrants made up 81.5% of all Black immigrants who arrived in Canada before 1981, but 21.3% of immigrants who came to Canada between 2011 and 2021.
  • The proportion of Black immigrants from Africa increased from 5.7% to 70.9% between 2011 and 2021.
  • In 2021, Canadian-born and African-born Black populations accounted for 73.6% of all Black people in Canada.
• Black people in Canada were born in more than 180 countries.
  • Major Caribbean countries of birth: Jamaica and Haiti.
  • Major African countries of birth: Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Geographic Distribution

• Black communities have become more geographically dispersed across Canada.
• The share living in the Prairie provinces increased from 7.0% in 1996 to 16.0% in 2021.
• In Nova Scotia, 59.5% of Black people were third generation or more, reflecting long-established Black communities.

Age and Gender

• Black populations are among the youngest demographic groups in Canada.
• 41.9% were children and youth aged 0 to 25 years.
• Gender distribution:
  • 51.3% women
  • 48.7% men
• Black people represented 4.3% of Canada's transgender and non-binary population.

Why does this data matter?

The Disaggregated Data Action Plan aims to address systemic racism and gender inequities. In the context of race-based data, disaggregation means breaking down broad categories, such as “visible minority,” into more specific groups, including Black, Chinese, Arab, and others.

This detailed statistical information helps identify the unique experiences and outcomes of specific population groups across health, social, economic, and environmental indicators. By providing a clearer picture of inequities, disaggregated data can support the development of more effective and equitable programs, policies, and services and measure our progress.