Sheet No. 05
By Dr. Reza Moafi, Founder and President ·
In short
Diversity is the simple fact that we are different: our origins, our languages, our ages, our ways of living. It is not a project. It is already here, on our street.
A true picture: a bus in LaSalle
Get on a bus in LaSalle and listen. According to the 2021 Census, at home, 35% of LaSalle residents speak only French, 34% only English, and 23% only another language. More than one resident in three is an immigrant.
And it is not only LaSalle. In Canada, more than 450 ethnic or cultural origins were reported in 2021, and almost one person in four (23%) is an immigrant.
Diversity is not only about origin. It is also the grandmother and the teenager, the person in a wheelchair and the runner, the woman who lives alone and the family of six.
The role of Canada, Québec and the City
Statistics Canada counts this diversity at every census. These figures help governments and cities plan: which languages in services, which books in libraries, which activities in the maisons de la culture.
The City of Montréal publishes these figures, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, in “Montréal en statistiques”. Anyone can look them up.
And Matin? Matin has gathered these official figures in its Local Guide, with a link to each source.
Matin’s role
Diversity is a richness, but it is not enough. You can live on a very diverse street and never talk to anyone. That is why the next sheet is about inclusion.
And Matin? Already done: our walk on November 7, 2026, offered a conversation circle about an autumn tradition from each person’s country, in French, our common language. On our site, we also greet the national day of many countries.
To remember
- Diversity is a fact: it is already on our street.
- It is not only origin: age, health and family count too.
- Being diverse does not mean being together.