2021 Census - Demographics for the Montreal Jewish Community

Highlights of Part 1: Basic Demographics

The Jewish population of Montreal was 90,250 in 2021. Jews comprised 2.1% of the total Montreal population of 4,206,445.
Between 2011 and 2021 the local Jewish community grew by 580 people, or 0.6%. This marked the first population gain since the 1971 Census, and represented a reversal of the losses experienced by the community for four decades.
Montreal has the second largest Jewish community in Canada, and less than a quarter (22.3%) of the country’s Jewish population.
The number of children between 0-14 years of age increased in 2021 to 18,785, from 17,580 in 2011. A significant proportion of this cohort is likely comprised of Ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Between 2011 and 2021 the total number of Jewish seniors increased significantly, from 18,480 to 21,710 individuals. Almost a quarter (24.1%) of Jews living in Montreal are 65 years or over.
The median age of the Montreal Jewish community (39.6 years) is somewhat younger than that of the Canadian Jewish population (41.6 years). This finding probably relates to the large numbers of Ultra-Orthodox living in the metropolitan area, who have higher fertility rates and larger families, on average.
The size of the Jewish community’s population ranks eleventh among ethnic groups in Montreal. The largest representations are among the Canadian, French, Arab, Italian, African, Caribbean, Latin American, and British communities.
Jews rank fifth in size among religious groups. Catholics are the largest group, followed by Protestants, Muslims and Christian Orthodox.

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Highlights of Part 2: Jewish Populations in Geographic Areas

The primary geographic area with the largest Jewish population in the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is Cote St. Luc, with 18,180 Jews. The West Island has 11,445 Jewish residents.
Hampstead has the highest density of Jews, who comprise 63.8% of its total populace. Cote St. Luc also has a high density of Jews, comprising 53.9% of its overall population. Both these areas have the highest densities of Jews in the country.
Only four of the fourteen primary geographic areas examined in this report have shown Jewish population increases between 2011 and 2021. These areas include: Outremont (+1,560), Park Avenue / Park Extension (+500), Westmount (+70), and a miscellaneous area labelled “Rest of Montreal CMA” (+5,085).
The most significant Jewish population losses between 2011 and 2021 occurred in Ville Saint Laurent (-1,330), Snowdon (-1,180), Cote St. Luc (-930), and Hampstead (-890).
The Dollard community has been diminishing since its peak in 2001 of 10,385 Jews. The size of its Jewish population is currently 7,625 individuals. However, the decline between 2011 and 2021 (-8.5%) was smaller than that between 2001 and 2011 (-19.7%).
Significant increases of Jewish populations were registered on the West and South Shores of the Montreal CMA in the last decade (+89.7% and +63.8% respectively). In fact, these are among the fastest growing Jewish communities in the country.
Jewish residents in Chomedey have a median age of 64.5 years, the highest of any Jewish population in the Montreal CMA, and among the highest for Jewish communities in the country. The lowest median age is found for the Tosh Chasidic community in Boisbriand (14.7 years), followed by the Outremont Jewish community (17.6 years).

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Highlights of Part 3: Jewish Seniors

There are 21,710 Jewish elderly 65+ years residing in the Montreal CMA. Seniors comprise 24.1% of the 90,270 members of the Jewish community here. There are 10,275 Jews 75+ years, comprising 11.4% of the Montreal Jewish population.
Although in absolute terms the number of Jewish seniors was larger in 1991 than in 2021 (22,690 and 21,715 respectively), in relative terms, the 1991 seniors comprised 22.4% of the Jewish population compared to 24.1% for seniors in 2021. There has never been a greater proportion of elderly among the local Jewish community as there is currently.
The percentage of elderly in the Montreal Jewish community (24.1%) is much higher than the proportion of seniors in the overall Montreal population (16.7%). It is a little higher than the percentage of elderly in the Canadian Jewish population (23.2%).
In the last decade, there were significant increases in the percentages of senior Jews among all major Jewish communities across Canada. This reflected the Baby Boomer generation that turned elderly between 2011 and 2021, swelling the ranks of “younger seniors” (65-74 years).
A large number of elderly Jews reside in Cote St. Luc (6,575), comprising more than a third (36.2%) of the total Jewish population in that area. There are also large contingents of Jewish seniors in the West Island (2,370), Westmount (1,745), and Ville St. Laurent (1,735).
A significant minority (40.9%) of elderly Jewish women live alone, comprising 4,790 individuals. Only 21.6% of men live in single person households, comprising 2,160 persons.
There are 3,285 elderly women and 700 elderly men in the Montreal Jewish community who are widowed
A total of 2,615 elderly in the Jewish community live below the poverty line. Of 7,605 poor in the Montreal Jewish population, more than a third (34.4%) is elderly.
There are 1,550 poor elderly women in the Jewish community, compared to 1,010 poor elderly men. The number of poor elderly women who live alone is about twice that of men (1,340 and 695 individuals respectively).
Of 21,565 Jewish seniors in the Montreal CMA, about half (50.4%) claim they do not have a disability, and 49.6% have at least some disability. More than a quarter (26.5%) have a disability “often or always”, and 19.8% have a disability “always”.
More than a third (39.8%) of seniors between 65-74 years report at least some disability, compared to 50.7% of those 75-84 years, and 80.5% of those 85+ years.
There are 3,225 Holocaust Survivors residing in the Montreal CMA. Survivors represent 34.6% of Montreal’s Jewish seniors 76+ years. There were 5,795 Survivors in 2011, compared to 3,225 in 2021.
Holocaust Survivors are more than twice as likely to live below the poverty line as not-Survivors (20.4% and 9.9% respectively).
Statistical projections suggest that the Jewish elderly population is predicted to diminish slightly from 21,710 in 2021 to 21,127 by 2031. By 2041, the number of seniors is expected to decline to 19,011 individuals, a figure which is nonetheless higher than the dip experienced in 2011 with 18,475 seniors.

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Highlights of Part 4: The Jewish Poor

There are 7,605 Jews living below the poverty line in the Montreal CMA, comprising 8.4% of 90,255 members of the Jewish community. There are 1,790 “very poor” Jews in the local community. The “very poor” are those whose annual income is below 50% of the Low-Income Cut-off or poverty line.
There are 4,895 individuals who are the “near poor”, those whose annual income is between 100% - 125% of the low-income cut-off. The “near poor” are at highest risk of sliding into poverty themselves.
The number of Jewish poor diminished from 17,690 in 2011 to 7,605 in 2021, a difference of -10,085 individuals. In short, the number of poor declined by 57% in the last decade. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the enhanced Canada Child Benefit (CCB), significantly reduced the proportion of the population in a low-income situation.
The overall Montreal population has a 10.2% poverty rate, compared to 8.4% for the Jewish community.
There are 750 children 0-14 years in the local Jewish community who live under the poverty line. There are 300 children 0-4 years who are economically disadvantaged.
There is a large representation of Jewish poor in Cote St. Luc (1,570). There are also relatively large contingents of Jewish poor in Snowdon (670), NDG / Montreal Ouest (590), Ville St. Laurent (430), and the West Island (430).
When it comes to living arrangement, unattached individuals (those living alone or with non-relatives) are by far at highest risk of poverty (32.3%). There are 4,910 unattached individuals living below the poverty line in the Montreal Jewish community.
Several groups at high risk of economic disadvantage were identified in this analysis. For instance, middle-aged individuals between 45 and 64 years, who are receiving social assistance, have the highest level of economic disadvantage of any group considered in this report (76.8%).
Young Jewish adults between 18 and 24 years who are unattached (living alone or with non-relatives) are another particularly vulnerable group for poverty (70.1%). Another high-risk group are Holocaust Survivors, specifically those who live alone. Their poverty level is at 41.4%.
Middle-aged men between 55 and 64 years, who never married, have a poverty level of 38.5%. Finally, other particularly vulnerable groups for economic disadvantage include middle-aged men between 55 and 64 years not participating in the labour force (36.4%), and non-permanent residents living in Montreal (32.2%).

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Highlights of Part 5: People with Disabilities

The data on persons with disabilities should be considered with caution. According to Statistics Canada, there is a relatively high rate of “false positives”, in that people tend to over-identify personal issues related to health. This response bias is less evident in cases where the disabilities are affirmed to be experienced “often” or “always”.
About a third of the local Jewish community (33.2%) has some form of disability (is disabled “sometimes”, “often” or “always”); whereas 66.8% report that they have no disability. Moreover, 16.3% report that they are “often” or “always” disabled. More than one in ten (11.4%) say they are “always” disabled.
In terms of absolute numbers, 10,145 members of the Jewish community are “always” disabled, and 14,580 are “often” or “always” disabled.
14.3% of children 0-14 years have at least some disability, compared to 28.3% for those 15-24 years, 34.3% for those 25-44, 34.4% for those 45-64 years, and 49.6% for those 65+ years.
3.8% of children 0-14 years are “always” disabled. Although this does not seem like a large proportion, it represents 685 children in the community. Regarding those 15-24 years, 7.9% are “always” disabled, or 905 teens and young adults.
Almost 4,000 individuals in the local Jewish community suffer from psychological or mental conditions “often” or “always”.
The most common disability for children 0-14 years relates to having difficulty learning or remembering “often or always”. Although only 3.7% of children experience this challenge, in absolute terms, this figure represents 680 individuals.
In terms of teens and young adults 15-24 years, 6.2%, or 705 individuals have psychological / mental issues “often or always”. The prevalence of psychological / mental conditions is highest for the 25-44 cohort. In fact, 7.8% of people in this age group, or 1,555 individuals, experience such challenges.

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Highlights of Part 6: Intermarriage

There are 31,200 Jews who are married / partnered to other Jews, and 8,780 Jews who are married / partnered to non-Jews in the Montreal CMA. The 8,780 individuals married / partnered to non-Jews represent an intermarriage rate of 22%.
Of spouses / partners who live in intermarried arrangements, 55.2% live in situations where the husband is Jewish and the wife is non-Jewish; and 44.8% live in arrangements where the husband is non-Jewish and the wife is Jewish. In other words, Jewish men are more inclined to intermarry than Jewish women.
Another way of determining the intermarriage rate is to look at the total number of Jews living in intermarried families, including children. There are 12,760 individuals who live in intermarried households, representing 19.2% of all persons living in couple arrangements.
Between 2011 and 2021, the number of Jews living in intermarried families grew from 9,900 to 12,760, an increase of 28.9%.
The intermarriage rate among Montreal's Jewish population (19.2%) is the lowest in Canada. The Canadian intermarriage rate is 31.1%, well above the figure for Montreal's Jewish population.
The geographic area with the largest proportion of Jews living in intermarried households is the miscellaneous area of "Rest of Montreal CMA" (50.3%), followed by NDG / Montreal Ouest (35.2%) and Centre Ville (27.7%). In absolute terms, the largest number of intermarried Jews live in "Rest of Montreal CMA" (5,965). These individuals are more geographically distant from Jewish centers and therefore represent a special challenge for community outreach and engagement efforts.
The level of intermarriage among spouses less than 30 years of age is 25.8%. Among spouses where both are at least 40 years old, it is 18.5%.
16.4% of all Jewish children (< 15 years), who reside with both parents, live in an intermarried arrangement. This represents 2,765 children 0-14 years in the local community.
Among immigrants, Jews born in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) (39.1%), Western Europe (28.2%) and South America (28.2%) have the highest levels of intermarriage. The lowest rates of intermarriage are found among those born in North Africa / Middle East (excl. Israel) (12.8%) and Israel (12.9%).
Sephardim have a slightly lower level of intermarriage than Ashkenazim (17.6% and 18.5% respectively). If a noteworthy population of Ultra-Orthodox was removed from the category of Ashkenazim, it is likely that the percentage of intermarried among this group would be significantly higher.
Regarding the youngest children of intermarried couples, almost a third (32.1%) are identified by their parents as Jews; about half (54.5%) are assigned no religious affiliation; and the rest (13.4%) are identified as having other religions. In other words, more than two-thirds (67.9%) of these children in intermarried families are not identified as belonging to the religious orientation of the Jewish spouse.
Within intermarried families, whether the husband or wife is of the Jewish faith has a significant bearing on the religious orientation of their children.

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Highlights of Part 7: Immigration & Language

About a third (30.4%) of the Montreal Jewish population are immigrants, that is, they were born outside Canada; whereas 69.6% were born in this country.
Of 124,545 Jewish immigrants residing in Canada, 22% live in the Montreal metropolitan area, comprising 27,415 individuals.
In the local Jewish population, 7,145 individuals were born in North Africa / Middle East (excluding Israel), 4,050 Jews were born in Israel, 3,400 in the Former Soviet Union, 4,145 in Western Europe, 2,265 in Eastern Europe, 4,550 in the United States, and 885 in South America.
During the period 2010 to 2021, 3,505 Jewish immigrants settled in Montreal. Of these, 1,890 arrived between 2015 and 2021.
Between 2010 and 2021, the largest number of Jewish immigrants came from the United States (880), followed by 715 from Western Europe, 680 from the Former Soviet Union, and 660 from Israel. Many of the Jewish immigrants from the United States are likely Ultra-Orthodox Jews.
The youngest median ages, of any immigrant group in the Montreal Jewish community, are for those born in the United States (36 years), Brazil (40.4 years), and France (40.8 years). The oldest include Jews born in Poland (82 years), Egypt (75 years), Romania (74.5 years), Iraq (74.5 years), and Hungary (74 years).
Cote St. Luc has the largest number of foreign-born Jews in Montreal (6,105), followed by "Rest of Montreal" (5,760), the West Island (2,510), and Ville St. Laurent (2,155).
In terms of those who arrived most recently (between 2015 and 2021), by far the largest contingent is found in the “Rest of Montreal” (670); followed by Outremont (245), Cote St. Luc (210), and the West Island (160).
More than half (53%) of the local Jewish population report English as their native language. Less than a quarter (22.1%) say French is their mother tongue.
More than two-thirds (67.3%) of the Jewish community has a conversational knowledge of both English and French. In terms of age cohorts, 75.5% of Montreal Jews between 15-24 years are bilingual, compared to 80.1% of those 25-44 years, and 77.8% of those 45-64 years. Only 60.2% of seniors 65+ years are bilingual.

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Highlights of Part 8: Cultural & Ethnic Groups

The Sephardic population comprises 23,065 individuals, or 25.6% of Jews residing in the Montreal CMA. Ashkenazim number 58,375 persons, or 64.7% of the Montreal Jewish community. Individuals of mixed extraction number 805 individuals, or 0.9% of the Jewish community. Finally, the ethnic extraction of 8,010 Jews, 8.9% of the local Jewish population, could not be identified.
There are 37,360 Sephardim residing in Canada. Montreal has less than two-thirds (61.7%) of Sephardim living in this country.
The largest number of Sephardim reside in Cote St. Luc (6,790), followed by the “Rest of Montreal” (4,300), Ville St. Laurent (2,905), and the West Island (2,105).
The largest concentration of Sephardim relative to total Jews can be found in Ville St. Laurent, where Sephardim comprise slightly more than half (50.8%) of the Jewish population in this geographic area.
Sephardim and Ashkenazim have similar median ages (43.2 years and 42.4 years respectively). Note that if the Ultra-Orthodox communities were removed from the ranks of the Ashkenazim, their median age would be significantly higher; well above that of Sephardim.
The large number of Sephardic seniors (5,610) suggests a need for culturally sensitive services for the elderly in that community.
Three definitions were used to identify Israelis in this report: Israelis by origin, by extraction, and by connection. Please find these definitions on Page 59 of this text.
There are 4,050 Israelis by origin, 9,415 by extraction, and 13,530 by connection living in the Montreal metropolitan area. They comprise 4.5%, 10.4% and 15% of the local Jewish community respectively.
Cote St. Luc has the largest population of Israelis in Montreal, with 925 Israelis by origin, 2,095 by extraction, and 2,920 by connection. The “Rest of Montreal” has the next largest number of Israelis. There are 730 Israelis by origin, 1,485 by extraction, and 2,315 by connection in the “Rest of Montreal”.
Israelis by origin have a significantly older median age than the average for the Jewish community as a whole (45.6 years and 39.6 years respectively). On the other hand, Israelis by extraction and Israelis by connection have a relatively young median age (both 26.2 years).
Two definitions were used to identify Jews from the FSU: FSU Jews by origin and FSU Jews by extraction. Please find these definitions on Page 67.
There are 3,400 Jews of FSU origin in the Montreal metropolitan area, comprising 3.8% of the local Jewish population. There are 9,325 FSU Jews by extraction, comprising 10.3% of the total Jewish population here.
The “Rest of Montreal” has the largest number of FSU Jews by origin (1,280) and by extraction (2,405). The next largest population of FSU Jews is found in Cote St. Luc, with 700 Jews of FSU origin and 2,145 of FSU extraction.
FSU Jews generally have median ages that are significantly older than the Jewish community at large. The median age of FSU Jews by origin is 50.8 years, and for FSU Jews by extraction it is 59.2 years. The Montreal Jewish population has a median age of 39.6 years/

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