Asian Canadian

Asian Canadians
Total population

Asian Canadians
5,011,225 (15.3% of the Canadian population)

2011 National Household Survey
Regions with significant populations
Southern Ontario  · Lower Mainland British Columbia  · Most urban areas
Languages
Canadian English  · Canadian French  · Asian Languages
Religion
Christianity  · Buddhism/East Asian religions  · Islam  · Hinduism  · Sikhism  · Irreligion
Related ethnic groups
Asian American  · British Asian  · British East Asian  · Asian Australian  · Asian New Zealander  · Asian French  · Asian people

Asian Canadians ancestry refers to Canadians who can trace their ancestry back to the continent of Asia or Asian peoples. Canadians of Asian ancestry comprise the largest visible minority group in Canada, at 15% of the Canadian population, and is the fastest growing. Most "Asian Canadians" are concentrated in the urban areas of Southern Ontario, the Greater Vancouver area, Calgary, and other large Canadian cities.

History

Canada has a long history of East Asian immigration. During the 19th century, many Chinese arrived to take part in the British Columbia gold rushes and later for the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Chinese who came from Guangdong Province helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Fraser Canyon. Many Japanese people arrived in the 1890s and became fishermen and merchants in British Columbia. In 1923, the federal government passed the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, which banned all Chinese immigration, and led to immigration restrictions for all East Asians. In 1947, the act was repealed.

During and after the Vietnam War and the Korean War, a large wave of Vietnamese and Korean refugees began arriving in Canada. The Canadian Parliament created the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada in 1985 to better address issues surrounding Canada-Asia relations, including trade, citizenship and immigration. When Hong Kong reverted to mainland Chinese rule, people emigrated and found new homes in Canada.

In recent decades, a large number of people have come to Canada from India and other South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. As of 2011, South Asians alone make up over 15% of the Greater Toronto Area's population.

Today, Asian Canadians form a significant minority within the population, and over 5 million Asians call Canada their home.

Demographics

Based on 2011 census,[1] there are 5.01 million Asian Canadian with the following ethnic identities.

West Central Asian and Middle Eastern origins: 778,465

South Asian origins: 1,615,925

East and South East Asian origins: 2,650,000

The Asian Canadian population by province or territory according to the 2011 Census.

Province Asian origins %
Ontario 2,604,595 20.6%
British Columbia 1,122,445 26.0%
Alberta 551,710 15.5%
Quebec 488,905 6.3%
Manitoba 126,600 10.8%
Saskatchewan 55,095 5.5%
Nova Scotia 31,875 3.5%
New Brunswick 14,535 2.0%
Newfoundland and Labrador 6,310 1.2%
Prince Edward Island 4,360 3.2%
Yukon 2,205 6.7%
Northwest Territories 2,165 5.3%
Nunavut 425 1.3%
Canada 5,011,225 15.3%

Top 20 of Asian Canadian Demographics according to the 2011 Census.

Population of Various Asian Canadian Groups
Ethnic OriginsPopulation
Chinese Canadians1,487,580
Indo-Canadians1,165,145
Filipino Canadians662,600
Pakistani Canadians305,310
Vietnamese Canadians220,425
Lebanese Canadians190,275
Korean Canadians168,890
Iranian Canadians163,290
Sri Lankan Canadians139,415
Japanese Canadians109,740
Afghan Canadians62,815
Armenian Canadians55,740
Turkish Canadians55,430
Iraqi Canadians49,680
Syrian Canadians40,840
Cambodian Canadians34,340
Bangladeshi Canadians34,205
Palestinian Canadians31,245
Taiwanese Canadians30,330
Laotian Canadians22,090

See also

References

  1. ↑

External links