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Immigrants to Canada in the 19th century came mainly from Great Britain and Ireland. Many landed in Québec City. The poorest were fed and housed temporarily at the immigration hall, until they found jobs and accommodations. The city’s English-speaking population greatly increased during this time.
1840 - 1889

A partly English-speaking city

Today, the vast majority of Québec City’s population speaks French as their first language. It is hard to imagine that a great part of the city was once English! However, it was the case in the mid-19th century. A large wave of immigration from the British Isles came through Québec City, the point of entry to Canada. The Anglophone presence peaked in Québec City around 1870, when nearly half of the residents, mainly from Ireland, were English-speaking. Come and rediscover Québec City’s English-speaking past!

The immigration hall in Québec City

Eugene Haberer Immigrants to Canada in the 19th century came mainly from Great Britain and Ireland. Many landed in Québec City. The poorest were fed and housed temporarily at the immigration hall, until they found jobs and accommodations. The city’s English-speaking population greatly increased during this time.
Chronoscope Can you locate this place on the map? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Image taken from the Opinion publique newspaper, July 24, 1873, p. 358 - Date: 1873