Quebec is Canada's largest province by area (second only to Ontario by population) and the heart of French-speaking Canada. For citizenship applicants living in Quebec, the test includes up to 4 province-specific questions — and Quebec has a rich history that often appears in both general and province-specific sections.
Quebec Facts You Must Know
Essential Quebec Quick Facts
- Capital: Quebec City
- Largest city: Montreal
- Official language: French (the only unilingual French province)
- Provincial bird: Snowy Owl
- Provincial flower: Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
- Entered Confederation: July 1, 1867 (founding province)
- Legislature: National Assembly of Quebec (Quebec City)
- Current Premier: Verify at assnat.qc.ca before your test
- Lieutenant Governor: Verify before your test
- Federal ridings: 78 electoral districts
Quebec's Role in Canadian History
- Quebec was originally called Lower Canada (French-speaking), while Ontario was Upper Canada — both united briefly as the Province of Canada before Confederation in 1867
- New France — the French colonial empire in North America — was centred in what is now Quebec; Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608
- The Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759) near Quebec City was a decisive battle in the Seven Years' War — British forces under General Wolfe defeated French forces under Montcalm, leading to British control of New France
- The Quebec Act of 1774 guaranteed French Canadians the right to their language, religion (Roman Catholicism), and civil law — a foundational protection still referenced today
- The Quiet Revolution (Révolution Tranquille) of the 1960s transformed Quebec from a conservative, church-dominated society to a modern, secular, French-nationalist province
- The Official Languages Act (1969) made Canada officially bilingual — largely in response to French Canadian demands for language equality
Quebec Economy and Culture
Key Economic and Cultural Facts
- Quebec is Canada's largest province by area among non-territories
- Major industries: aerospace, pharmaceuticals, aluminum, hydroelectric power, forestry, agri-food
- Hydro-Québec is one of the largest hydroelectric systems in the world
- Quebec has its own immigration system — the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) — giving the province significant control over immigration selection
- Montreal is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris
- The St. Lawrence River — a central feature of Quebec — was the original highway of New France and remains vital for trade
Note for Quebec Applicants: Language Requirement
Quebec has an additional language requirement for citizenship applicants: you must demonstrate adequate knowledge of French. This is a Quebec-specific immigration condition and applies separately from the federal citizenship test. Confirm current requirements at IRCC's website before applying.
Select Quebec as your province when taking practice tests on BecomeACitizen.ca to get Quebec-specific questions in every mock exam.
- Study guide — Canada's History and Regions chapters
- Practice quiz — set province to Quebec
- Full mock exam — 20-question timed simulation