Population

• 1,775,710 Muslims in Canada (2021) up from 1,053,945 in 2011.
• 4.9% of the total national population, up from 3.2% in 2011.
• Overwhelmingly urban.
• Over half live in Ontario (53.1%, a slight reduction since 2011 indicating internal migration patterning).
• Greater Toronto Area and Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and cities in Alberta.
  Canadian North population is low (505 people) but did increase by 38.3% since 2011.

Immigration

• Immigration:
  • 1991-2001: 13.7% of all immigrants were Muslims.
  • 2011: This rose to 18%.
  • 2021 Census: 63.1% of total Muslims being immigrants.
• The majority of Muslim immigrants come from Asia (approximately 64.7%), especially Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, Lebanon, and Iraq.
• Significant numbers also come from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, and Palestinian territories.
• African-origin Muslim immigrants (29.1%) are from Morocco, Algeria, Somalia, Egypt, and Tunisia.
• Smaller groups come from South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania.

High-Density Areas

• GTA: Currently 10.2% of the total population and expected to rise to 13.2% by 2036 (StatsCan).
• Quebec: Especially Montreal, which comprises 8.9% of the city’s total population.
• Ottawa now replaces Vancouver as 3rd place, contending with Calgary and Edmonton.

Language and Diversity

• Arabic: Most common mother language, followed by Urdu, Bengali, Persian, Somali, and Turkish.
• Bilingualism: 95% of Muslims in Canada can converse in either or both official languages.
• Visible Minorities:
  • 89.2% of Canadian Muslims identify as a “visible minority.”
  • Over 60 ethnocultural groups are represented.
  • Dominated by South Asians (37.6%), Arabs (32.2%), West Asians (13%), and Black Muslims (11.6%, an increase from 9% in 2011).
  • Indigenous Muslims: 1,840, up from 1,065 in 2011, mainly female (58%).

Age and Cultural Identity

• Young population.
• 31.5% were born in Canada, the US, or Europe (28% of that was Canada specifically).
• “No Arab country ranks in the top three source countries of Muslim populations, by birth” (StatsCan 2021).

Education

• 60% of Muslims over the age of 15 have post-secondary education, including trade, college, or university (the latter being the largest).
• 44% of working-age Muslim men and women hold degrees, compared to only 25.8% of the Canadian national average.

Employment

• 13.9% unemployment rate among Muslims, higher than Sikhs, Hindus, and other minorities, but second to Indigenous communities.
• 12% self-employed.
• Muslims earn up to 25% less than the Canadian national salary average, face lower pension incomes, and are overrepresented in rental economies.
• Only 62% of Canadian-born Muslim professionals are employed in their trained fields.

Intersecting Challenges

• Discriminatory hiring and retention practices.
• Housing discrimination, lack of halal financing options.
• High cost of living, with larger families facing added financial strain.

Halal Industry Growth

• Halal Food Market Size: In 2022, the Canadian halal food market was valued at approximately $10.39 billion. Projections indicate that this market will reach around $18.34 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.90% from 2023 to 2032. 
• Retail Expansion: Major grocery chains in Canada, such as Walmart, Costco, and Sobeys, have responded to the growing demand by stocking more halal-certified products, introducing halal store brands, and adapting existing products to meet halal requirements.
  Canadian Grocer
• Consumer Perception: Despite the increased availability, a 2014 survey indicated that approximately 65% of halal food consumers felt that food companies and leading food chains were insufficient in meeting their halal demands, suggesting room for further market development.