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Canada

(Note: Pending review and approval by the UArctic Indigenous Advisory Board.)

Around 65-90+ Aboriginal languages are/were used on the land now known as Canada, spread across 12 distinct language families and spoken by the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples. A 2016 census found that around 70 languages were being spoken by 260,500+ people, with the Algonquian language family being the most spoken. This linguistic richness is reflected in the offerings of higher education systems, as around 20 languages are represented across 13 of UArctic’s Canadian members alone. 

A part of Canadian history that must not be forgotten and which relates directly to the current state of Indigenous languages in Canada is the residential school system. Tens of thousands of Indigenous children were sent to these schools to assimilate them into Euro-Canadian society, and this continued into the latter half of the 1990s. Thousands of students suffered severe abuse and died at these schools, and many survivors carry trauma from their experiences. This has had significant negative effects on Indigenous communities and families, from disruptions of inter-generational culture and language transfer to individuals left with physical and mental health problems. 

Today, there is much effort across the country devoted to revitalizing and preserving Indigenous languages, and some programs at the higher education level for instance are quite comprehensive in the educational opportunities they offer.  

Ind. Languages - Canada
Map of people who speak an Indigenous language at home in Canada. Image credit: Canadian Geographic. 

Algoma University 

  • Three-year undergraduate degree in Anishnaabemowin Language

Lakehead University 

  • 4-year Indigenous Language Teacher Program, for fluent speakers
  • 5-year blended program, comprising either a 4-year Honours Bachelor of Education Indigenous Teacher Education or a 3-year Bachelor of Arts/Education Indigenous Learning Major + a 2-year Bachelor of Education Professional

Nipissing University 

  • Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program for fluent speakers
  • Beginner courses in the language 

University of Alberta 

  • Language and culture course offerings 

 

Nipissing University 

  • Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program for fluent speakers

Lakehead University 

  • 4-year Indigenous Language Teacher Program, for fluent speakers
  • 5-year blended program, comprising either a 4-year Honours Bachelor of Education Indigenous Teacher Education or a 3-year Bachelor of Arts/Education Indigenous Learning Major + a 2-year Bachelor of Education Professional

Nipissing University 

  • Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program for fluent speakers

University of Alberta 

  • Bachelor of Arts in (Plains) Cree, as part of the five-year Bachelor of Arts (Native Studies)/Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education Combined Degrees program
  • (Plains) Cree language and culture courses 

University of Saskatchewan 

  • 2-year Certificate in Indigenous Languages program, with a focus on nêhiyawêwin (Plains Cree, 'y' dialect), nêhinawêwin (Swampy Cree, 'n' dialect), and nîhithawîwin (Woodland Cree, 'th' dialect)

University of Northern British Columbia 

  • Certificate or diploma in First Nations Language, with a concentration in Dakelh 
  • Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Elementary Years) with a concentration in Dakelh 

University of Alberta 

  • Language and culture course offerings 

University of Northern British Columbia 

  • Certificate or diploma in First Nations Language, with a concentration in Gitxsanimx 
  • Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Elementary Years) with a concentration in Gitxsanimx 

Coast Mountain College 

  • 6-credit language and culture study program

Nunavut Arctic College 

  • Inuinnaqtun Language Revitalization Program

Nunavut Arctic College 

  • English-Inuktitut Interpreter/Translator program (certificate or diploma)
  • Inuit Studies program, which places an emphasis on developing proficiency in Inuktitut and linguistics, and which uses Inuktitut as the primary language of instruction in most courses
  • The Nunavut Teacher Education program: meant for proficient speakers and aims to develop educators who can teach in the language from the primary through high school levels

Nunavut Sivuniksavut 

  • Two certification programs, Inuit Studies and Advanced Inuit Studies, each comprising three levels of Inuktitut language learning courses 

Collège Nordique 

  • Introductory language course 

McGill University 

  • Introductory language course

Nipissing University 

  • Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program for proficient speakers

Nipissing University 

  • Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program for fluent speakers

University of Saskatchewan 

  • Introductory language course 

University of Prince Edward Island 

  • Language courses as electives for the Indigenous Studies Minor

University of Alberta 

  • Language and culture course offerings 

University of Northern British Columbia 

  • Certificate in Nisg̱a’a Studies 
  • Certificate or diploma in Nisg̱a’a Language Fluency 
  • Certificate or diploma in First Nations Language, with a concentration in Nisg̱a’a 
  • Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Elementary Years) with a concentration in Nisg̱a’a 

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute 

  • Certificate in First Nations Language - Nisg̱a’a 

Lakehead University 

  • 4-year Indigenous Language Teacher Program, for fluent speakers
  • 5-year blended program, comprising either a 4-year Honours Bachelor of Education Indigenous Teacher Education or a 3-year Bachelor of Arts/Education Indigenous Learning Major + a 2-year Bachelor of Education Professional

Collège Nordique 

  • Multiple levels of Tłı̨chǫ language and culture courses 

University of Northern British Columbia 

  • Certificate or diploma in First Nations Language, with a concentration Ts’msyen 
  • Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Elementary Years) with a concentration in Ts’msyen 

University of Alberta 

  • Language and culture course offerings 

University of Northern British Columbia 

  • Certificate or diploma in First Nations Language, with a concentration in a First Nations language 
  • Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Elementary Years) with a concentration in a first Nations language

Selected Academic Literature 

Jimerson, J. R. (2021). Ionkwahronkha’onhátie’: Child Perspectives on Adult Second Language Learning within Mohawk Communities. Multiethnica, 41, 68–87. (PDF)

Miyashita, M., & Chatsis, A. (2015). Respecting Dialectal Variations in a Blackfoot Language Class 1. (PDF)

Oxford, W. (2019). Indigenous Languages in Canada (E. Gold, Ed.). Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada. (PDF)

Windsor, Matthew. (2024). Rhythm and Intonation in Oji-Cree. DOI: 10.14321/jj.9345418.20. (PDF)

 

More on higher education opportunities

Accredited Post-Secondary Programs in Indigenous Languages - Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages