Canada's "Bible belts"

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

In most of the province, they're a minority and don't impact the overall atmosphere of a place. But on the Eastport Peninsula, they are the dominant social force. There are Christian symbols engraved into the stucco of commercial and industrial buildings, Christian-themed hotels and tourist attractions, and a wealth of Christian bumper stickers and the like. The hairstyles are big, the LGBT youth from that region who end up in the city are traumatized. I've met quite a few of them and can't believe their horror stories even occurred in this province, but they did. Personally, I've always felt a little uncomfortable there. It's the type of place where, "What church do you belong to?" is a common second or third question upon making someone's acquaintance.

Glovertown is one of the main communities up there.

Nearer to the city, basically all the suburban communities around are called "God's country", derisively by townies, affectionately by baymen. The most notorious of these is Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, which even uses a Christian message as its official town motto (Three in Unity Become One, or something). The local church has a permanent statue in memory of all the aborted babies outside. But it's still pretty benign in comparison to Eastport, and the religious aspect isn't the dominant atmosphere of these more suburban places - just an obvious, notable one.

I think you may be confusing that area with what I believe to be the true bible belt, which is around Lewisporte and Embree. The exit off the TCH with the sign warning you about burning in hell if you don't attend their church is there, and is really the only positive about driving across the island

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.12103...7i13312!8i6656

Can't wait to go to hell because I'd rather catch my ferry on time than exit off the highway and worship the imaginary skyman.

[SignalHillHiker]

Yes, you're right. Oops. That is the main area. Eastport is the one I've visited on my own though lol.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Docere

Here's some data for Ontario, using "Baptist + Pentecostal + other Christian" as a proxy for evangelical:

Census divisions (20%+):

Elgin 26.8%
Haldimand-Norfolk 22.6%
Chatham-Kent 21.1%
Oxford 21%

Federal ridings (20%+):

Kitchener-Conestoga 26.6%
Elgin-Middlesex-London 24.5%
Chatham-Kent-Leamington 24.4%
Niagara West 24%
Perth-Wellington 23%
Haldimand-Norfolk 22.7%
Oxford 21%

No real surprises there.

I knew the rural southwest was quite socially conservative (yet the Liberals were very strong there at both levels until recently, now that is one of their worst regions in Canada). The rural east from what I can tell has more conservative Catholics.

Where is the LOWEST proportion of them? (I'm guessing in Toronto, and particularly in the downtown ridings where I think it is less than 1%).

[Docere]

Probably something like University-Rosedale or St. Paul's.

Or an overwhelmingly Catholic riding.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Not sure if there is a real bible belt in Alberta, but there are pockets of very religious people. The main one I can think of centers around Three Hills, home of the Prairie Bible Institute, people there are very churchy for obvious reasons.

Another one would be Cardston, that's home to a very large Mormon population, pretty sure there are no liquor stores or bars in that town. The Mormon Temple is cool looking at least lol.

Alberta always gets a reputation as "religious rednecks" yet I believe it ranks near the middle of the pack in terms of religious adherence. It's lower than Saskatchewan, Manitoba and at least some of the Atlantic provinces, but definitely higher than British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

In Quebec, one area that might strike me as having some religious tradition being maintained today might be the Quebec City south shore through the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, and perhaps into the Beauce region (although it seems more libertarian there). It's definitely the most conservative part of Quebec overall.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

The Upper Ottawa Valley is a strong bible belt from my observations as well. Significant Polish and Irish Catholic populations in the rural areas.

It is also one of the most conservative parts of Ontario.

Not just Catholic. There are large Pentecostal churches on Highway 17 at Cobden and Pembroke.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

Southern Alberta along highway 3 struck me as being very religious, even more so than the interior of BC (which really varies from town to town). Seemingly every farmer had slapped a giant aborted fetus poster on an abandoned semi-trailer and parked it in his field.

This is a bible belt thread, and not a "religiousness" thread, but it's possible that the census tracts with the highest percentage of "very devout" residents could probably be South Asian Muslim communities in Toronto suburbs. That's obviously not something the census asks, but you might find some large-scale social survey on the matter.

Also, there's a striking number of Pentecostal/Evangelical churches in the lower income suburban 416.

This reminds me of a talk I once went to in NYC. An author was writing about evangelicals in America, and the general mood of the East Village audience was that that was a "Red State/Flyover Country" phenomenon. The author corrected them by pointing out that you could take a subway ride to any number of Spanish-speaking Evangelical churches in the Bronx whose pastors were just as ardently conservative as those in rural West Virginia.

Yes this area is super creepy weird vibe Christian zone. 3 is our main highway east so ive been through several times. And I wanna say that Alberta (rural) is one large bible belt from the many times I come through. Probably the province most bibly. And no I don't include the most urban parts of Alberta in this generalization.

[eternallyme]

Using the same groups as proxy for Evangelical, out of curiousity I looked at central Toronto:

* Beaches-East York: 10.3%
* Davenport: 9.0%
* Don Valley West (not central, but very affluent/"elitist"): 8.1%
* Eglinton-Lawrence: 10.3%
* Parkdale-High Park: 9.5%
* Spadina-Fort York: 9.5%
* Toronto-St. Paul's: 9.8%
* Toronto-Danforth: 9.4%
* Toronto Centre: 10.8%
* University-Rosedale: 7.2%

Not as low as I personally expected. That could be because of immigrant-focused evangelical churches?

[Docere]

There are also some smaller groups of more liberal Christians, like Quakers or the Metropolitan Community Church, that fall under the "other Christian" as well.

While they're very small groups, they may make up a non-insignificant share in these urban ridings.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by someone123

I wonder if some of the "Bible Belts" that people talk about today aren't merely just examples of typical rural areas that happened to contrast against more liberal cities nearby.

Manitoba's bible belt isn't very bible thumping compared to pretty much anywhere in the rural Midwest. We have one pretty sedate anti-abortion highway-side billboard that I know of. Compare that to dozens of them, everywhere, in the rural Midwest.

That said, I think that speaks more to how overly-religious Americans are compared to Canadians or Europeans than to the Manitoba bible belt being a subject of contrast. Not only does it feature the Mennonite communities that Jeff mentioned, it continues to draw some very religious German immigrants to its Christian local culture and abundant lebensraum.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Not just Catholic. There are large Pentecostal churches on Highway 17 at Cobden and Pembroke.

At the risk of sounding terminally Orange, I can't associate Roman Catholics and "Bible Belt". To me Bible Belt refers to a very Protestant thing.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Closest thing to one would be just south of North Bay, in east/central Parry Sound District.

But that's not Northern Ontario!

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

Coming from eastern Ontario I thought the North (drove highway 17 this September) was pretty bible-belty. There were road signs saying Jesus loves you everywhere.

That's basically because of one guy in Englehart and another in Heyden (I think) who got people to put those signs up on their properties along Hwys 11 and 17. Don't forget that the signs are always on private property and usually in unorganized townships where there are no regulations.

The only somewhat bible belt parts of Northern Ontario I can think of:

-Englehart
-a few places along the North Shore of Lake Huron
-Heyden and maybe Goulais River (north of Sault Ste Marie) but that's only going by what people have said and not personal observation.
-Along Hwy 11 between Fort Frances and Rainy River along the Minnesota border. (not sure if this is true but have heard this from others)

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

I think you may be confusing that area with what I believe to be the true bible belt, which is around Lewisporte and Embree. The exit off the TCH with the sign warning you about burning in hell if you don't attend their church is there, and is really the only positive about driving across the island

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.12103...7i13312!8i6656

Can't wait to go to hell because I'd rather catch my ferry on time than exit off the highway and worship the imaginary skyman.

My wife and I laughed at that each time we have visited NL. Equally interesting are the spray-painted messages on the nearby overpass that criticize that church's message.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

No real surprises there.

I knew the rural southwest was quite socially conservative (yet the Liberals were very strong there at both levels until recently, now that is one of their worst regions in Canada). The rural east from what I can tell has more conservative Catholics.

Where is the LOWEST proportion of them? (I'm guessing in Toronto, and particularly in the downtown ridings where I think it is less than 1%).

I think the lowest may be found in Northeastern Ontario, specifically Timmins and Hwy 11 communities from Cochrane to Hearst. Timmins alone is about 70% Catholic and it's higher in the towns. Our region yields very poor results for conservative candidates in elections.

[Gerrard]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Alberta always gets a reputation as "religious rednecks" yet I believe it ranks near the middle of the pack in terms of religious adherence. It's lower than Saskatchewan, Manitoba and at least some of the Atlantic provinces, but definitely higher than British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

In Quebec, one area that might strike me as having some religious tradition being maintained today might be the Quebec City south shore through the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, and perhaps into the Beauce region (although it seems more libertarian there). It's definitely the most conservative part of Quebec overall.

After B.C., Alberta is at the bottom of religious adherence & identification (Ontario and Quebec rank higher). In Canada religiosity and conservatism aren't really that closely linked.

[Docere]

Originally Posted by Gerrard

After B.C., Alberta is at the bottom of religious adherence & identification (Ontario and Quebec rank higher). In Canada religiosity and conservatism aren't really that closely linked.

That's because those with Catholic backgrounds are much more likely to identify as such. Quebec is still overwhelmingly Catholic by identity, while having low levels of church attendance.

Also "Bible Belt" is not synonymous with any religious identification.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Loco101

That's basically because of one guy in Englehart and another in Heyden (I think) who got people to put those signs up on their properties along Hwys 11 and 17. Don't forget that the signs are always on private property and usually in unorganized townships where there are no regulations.

The only somewhat bible belt parts of Northern Ontario I can think of:

-Englehart
-a few places along the North Shore of Lake Huron
-Heyden and maybe Goulais River (north of Sault Ste Marie) but that's only going by what people have said and not personal observation.
-Along Hwy 11 between Fort Frances and Rainy River along the Minnesota border. (not sure if this is true but have heard this from others)

Manitoulin Island to some degree as well (at least outside the many Indigenous reserves), although that you may not consider Northern Ontario.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

In Quebec, one area that might strike me as having some religious tradition being maintained today might be the Quebec City south shore through the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, and perhaps into the Beauce region (although it seems more libertarian there). It's definitely the most conservative part of Quebec overall.

The most religious areas in the province (and by far!) are all 'ethnic' Montreal neighborhoods.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Manitoulin Island to some degree as well (at least outside the many Indigenous reserves), although that you may not consider Northern Ontario.

Yes, it absolutely does have of a bit of a bible belt feeling to it outside the First Nations! Manitoulin Island is definitely part of Northern Ontario. I meant to mention it with parts of the North Shore of Lake Huron but I forgot. I'm pretty sure that Manitoulin is one of the few areas where the Protestant population is larger than the Catholic population in Northern Ontario.

Manitoulin is very anglophone and has many people from British background with the exception of the Indigenous populations. Many Haweaters (what the residents are known as) are quite conservative politically by Northern Ontario standards.

Here are some stats that I took from Wikipedia but come from the 2006 census:

Ethnic groups

61.1% White (European-Canadian)
38.9% Aboriginal (First Nations)

Religious groups

42.3% Protestant
37.3% Roman Catholic
2.7% other Christian
17.7% other/none

The most common first languages on Manitoulin Island in 2011 were English (85.8%), Ojibwe (8.8%), French (3.0%), German (0.6%), and Dutch (0.3%).