Asian Canadians

Asian Canadians are Canadians who can trace their ancestry back to the continent of Asia or Asian people. The term refers to a group of people that includes diverse populations, who have their Progenitor from East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia. Canadians with Asian ancestry comprise the largest and fastest growing visible minority group in Canada, with roughly 17.7% of the Canadian population. Most Asian Canadians are concentrated in the urban areas of Southern Ontario, the Greater Vancouver area, Calgary, and other large Canadian cities.

Asian Canadians considered visible minorities may be classified as East Asian Canadian (e.g. Taiwanese Canadians, Chinese Canadians, Korean Canadians, Japanese Canadians; South Asian Canadians (e.g. Sri Lankan Canadians, Bangladeshi Canadians, Indian Canadians, Pakistani Canadians, Tibetan Canadians); Southeast Asian Canadian (e.g. Vietnamese Canadians, Filipino Canadians) or West Asian Canadians (e.g. Lebanese Canadians, Iraqi Canadians).^[1]

History

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 In 1947, the act was repealed.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, a large wave of Vietnamese 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. As of 2016, South Asians make up over 16 percent of the Greater Toronto Area's population, and are projected to make up 24 percent of the region's population by 2031.^[2]

Today, Asian Canadians form a significant minority within the population, and over 5 million Asians call Canada their home. Often referred by the Canadian media as "model minorities", Asian Canadians are among the educated and socioeconomically affluent groups in Canada. Asian Canadian students, in particular those of East Asian or South Asian background, make up the majority of students at several Canadian universities.

Demographics

The Asian Canadian population by province or territory according to the 2016 Census.^[3]

Province or territory	Asian origins	%
Ontario	3,100,455	23.4%
British Columbia	1,312,445	28.8%
Alberta	756,335	19.0%
Québec	563,150	7.1%
Manitoba	178,650	14.4%
Saskatchewan	99,125	9.3%
Nova Scotia	42,495	4.7%
New Brunswick	19,410	2.7%
Newfoundland and Labrador	10,090	2.0%
Prince Edward Island	6,485	4.6%
Northwest Territories	3,125	7.6%
Yukon	2,855	8.1%
Nunavut	615	1.7%
Canada	6,095,235	17.7%

Asian Canadian Demographics according to the 2016 census.^[4]

See also

• Cultural assimilation of Asian immigrants in Canada
• Demographics of Canada
• Immigration to Canada
• Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• List of Canadians of Asian ancestry
• South Asian Canadians
• Asian Americans
• Asian Argentines
• Asian Australians
• Asian Brazilians
• Asian New Zealanders
• Asian people

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asian diaspora in Canada.

• Asian Canadian Website
• Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• 2001 demographics from Statistics Canada
• Information for South Asians and Indians in Canada
• Asian Canadian Wiki