The English-speaking communities of the Gaspé are dispersed over the peninsula, which often influences conditions affecting personal, community and professional life. The entire population of the Gaspé Peninsula has been steadily declining over the past 25 years.

Between 1996 and 2001, the population decreased by 7.8%, the largest decline of all administrative regions of the province of Quebec. The English-speaking community, which once totaled 50% of the population, now totals less than 10%. Youth exodus, a low birth rate and assimilation of English-speakers have contributed to a decline of the population of the English-speaking community.

The total population of the four MRC’s of the Gaspé Coast (Avignon, Bonaventure, Le Rocher Percé and La Cote de Gaspé with English as mother tongue is 8,055. Of this population, 4,320 individuals are unilingual English and 3,705 speak both
English and French.

The Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine administrative region now has the highest unemployment rate in Quebec. Work is mostly seasonal and dependent upon the primary sector and development of natural resources (fishing, agriculture, forestry and mining). The first quarter of 2003 stood at 19.9%, a year-over-year decrease of three percentage points. However, this was still the highest unemployment rate of any region in Quebec, with the provincial unemployment rate currently at 8.6%.

Close to 30% of residents receive personal income from government programs, compared with just over 16% in the province as a whole. The region receives almost 5% of Quebec benefit payouts, even though the population only makes up 1.4% of the population.

Contrary to the provincial norm, English-speaking Gaspesians are generally less educated than French-speaking Gaspesians. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of English-speaking Gaspesians do not have a secondary school certificate and only 4% have completed a university degree.

The residents of the Gaspésie are faced with many challenges including population decline, youth exodus, dependency on government support and a precarious labour market. For English-speaking Gaspesians the challenges increase, compounded by poverty, isolation, language barriers and lack of English resources.