Muslim population of Canada triples in 15 years

Islam is now the fastest-growing religion in the country, says Statistics Canada.

Blacklock’s Reporter says the Muslim population as a portion of the entire country has more than tripled since 1996 but remains outnumbered 9 to 1 by Catholics.

“The religious landscape in Canada has undergone significant changes,” analysts wrote in a report.

Statistics Canada said the impact was far-reaching.

“From a sociological standpoint, the study of the evolution of religion allows for a better understanding of some of the changes modern societies are facing,” said StatsCan.

“In addition, religion is important with respect to population change because it can influence important demographic factors such as marriage, divorce and fertility.”

The majority of Canadians surveyed, 68%, said they had some religious affiliation though fewer, 23%, regularly attended a church, temple, mosque or synagogue. Only 16% of Canadians attend weekly religious group activities like Mass, while 23% said they attended monthly.

“In recent decades there has been a decline in religious affiliation, participation in group or individual religious or spiritual activities, and the importance of religious and spiritual beliefs in how people live their lives,” wrote analysts.

From 1996 to 2019 figures on various religious groups’ share of the total population indicated:

• the proportion of Jewish Canadians declined from 1.1% to 1%;
• the Sikh population doubled from 0.7% to 1.4%;
• the Hindu population doubled from 0.5% to 1.7%;
• the Muslim population tripled from 1.1% to 3.7%.

As late as 1985 there were so few Muslims in Canada the religion was categorized as “others” in a federal survey. The postwar population of Muslims was so small StatsCan’s predecessor agency, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, deleted “Muslim” from its 1944 Census questionnaire.

Catholics remain the largest religious group in Canada at 32% of the population. Anglicans and United Church members account for a combined 8%

StatsCan said Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons and Baptists had the most regular attendance at group activities of any Canadians.

StatsCan in a 2017 report predicted dramatic changes in the country’s religious make-up by 2036. The proportion of Christians that averaged 90% in the 1981 Census and is currently 63%, is projected to fall to about 52%.

Canadian religious groups in 2036 would number 12.9 million Catholics, 5.4 million Protestants, 2.8 million Muslims, 1.2 million Hindus and 1.1 million Sikhs, said the report.

SOURCE: https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/10/muslim-population-of-canada-triples-in-15-years/