TALQ Community Survey Results
TALQ recently conducted a survey to get the pulse of the English-speaking community going into the October 5 election, having already consulted community group leaders. Below is an analysis of the key findings.
The survey reflects an English-speaking community deeply rooted in Quebec and invested in its future. With 732 respondents from 16 regions, the survey reflects broad representation from across the province. More than 86% of respondents have lived in Quebec for more than 20 years, including nearly two-thirds who have lived here all their lives. This longevity provides important context for the results: respondents have built their lives in Quebec, and their concerns about its future – and the place of the English-speaking community within it – come from a strong sense of belonging.
That sense of belonging is also reflected in respondents’ views on language. More than 95% believe French can be protected and promoted while respecting English-speaking communities, including nearly 88% who strongly agree. The findings point to a longstanding community that sees its own future as part of Quebec’s future – within a proudly French Quebec where its rights, institutions, and vitality also have a place.
The findings also reveal an important distinction in perspective. When respondents consider what the next Government of Quebec should prioritize for them as Quebecers, everyday needs come first. Healthcare is the dominant priority, at approximately 85%, followed by education at approximately 58%. Employment, financial security, and access to justice also reflect the practical concerns of daily life. By comparison, priorities related specifically to government attention to the English-speaking community rank lower in this context.
When the focus shifts from what respondents need as Quebecers to what would increase their confidence in the future as members of the English-speaking community, the hierarchy changes significantly. Priorities related to community vitality move to the forefront. Greater consideration of English-speaking communities in government decision-making emerges as the leading choice, with stronger support for English-language education a close second. Both stand clearly ahead of the other options, demonstrating how priorities shift when respondents consider what they need for the future of their community rather than what they need in their everyday lives as Quebecers.
These are not competing priorities. They reflect the different perspectives people carry as Quebecers and as members of the English-speaking community. In the latter context, recognition of the English-speaking community, consideration of its needs and realities, meaningful engagement with it, and policies that support its vitality become more significant. The context determines which concerns rise to the top.
This distinction is particularly important given respondents’ level of confidence in the future. Only 36.6% are very or somewhat confident that English-speaking Quebecers can build a fulfilling future and thrive in Quebec, while more than 61% are not very or not at all confident. This sits alongside a significant gap in perceptions of government: only 9.9% agree that the Government of Quebec understands the needs and realities of English-speaking communities, and just 7.5% believe their concerns are taken into account in government decision-making.
Access to services is where the two perspectives intersect most clearly. More than 97% consider access to healthcare and education in English important or very important, with similarly strong support for online access to essential government services in English. These are different kinds of services, but the results demonstrate how language can affect both everyday needs and people’s interactions with government.
Those concerns are grounded in experience. More than 75% report frequently or occasionally having difficulty accessing a public service in English during the past three years. Healthcare is the most commonly reported area of difficulty, at 62%, followed by essential government services online at 50% and municipal services at 48%. More than 67% also say their ability to access public services in English is worse than it was five years ago, compared with fewer than 3% who say it is better.
The context again matters. Healthcare may be an immediate concern for someone as a Quebecer, while reliable access to healthcare in English can also affect their confidence as a member of the English-speaking community. Similarly, government services meet practical needs, while government consideration and decision-making have broader implications for whether the community feels recognized and included. Uncertainty surrounding the application of language requirements adds to this concern: it is not simply whether a service exists in English, but whether people can rely on being able to access it when they need it.
Taken together, the findings present a coherent picture. They are not about choosing between French and English, or between the priorities of Quebecers and those of the English-speaking community. They are about recognizing the vitality of the English-speaking community as part of the future of a proudly French Quebec