Canada is the third country after Ukraine and Russia in terms of the number of residents with Ukrainian roots. Today, the number of Ukrainians in the total population of Canada is approximately 4% and ranks seventh in the TOP of national minorities in the country.
In September 2022, 1,359,655 people confirmed their Ukrainian origin . This was announced by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Yulia Kovaliv . Of these, approximately 350 thousand people have both Ukrainian parents, more than 950 thousand people have one of the parents.
The first immigration movements in Canada began because of the desire of Ukrainians to get rid of the huge extortions that were imposed by the Austro-Hungarian government. Whereas they were not here at that time at all. Therefore, Ukrainians settled in remote deaf regions with their families, forming small communities. The initiator of the mass migration of Ukrainians to Canada is considered to be Dr. Joseph Oleskiv , who stimulated and popularized emigration to Canada from Western Ukraine, as well as Galicia and Bukovina in the late 1890s.
The second wave of migrations recorded by history falls at the end of the First World War.
At that time, people began to move from farming to urban life, and to move en masse to industrial centers, mainly Toronto and Montreal. Now they still account for the largest number of Ukrainians.
The third wave of emigration was driven mainly by political motives and began at the end of World War II. To a greater extent, these are repatriates from the British, American, French occupation zones.
The fourth wave – the so-called ” zarobitchanskaya ” – began in the 1990s. Its main reasons are the economic difficulties of the transition period in Ukraine.
Now it is already possible to identify the fifth wave, which began after the events in Ukraine in 2013-2014.
It is not customary to remember this, but the fate of Ukrainian immigrants was far from being as rosy as it is sometimes presented.
After the entry of Great Britain into the First World War, almost 10,000 Ukrainians were interned and placed in Canadian camps. The fact is that most of the interned Ukrainians came to Canada from Bukovina and Galicia, which at that time belonged to Austria-Hungary.
They entered on Austro-Hungarian passports. Thus, with the outbreak of the First World War, they were enrolled in Canada in the category of internal enemies.
The absurdity was that the Ukrainians, who moved to Canada not at all from a good life, could not have any warm feelings for Austria-Hungary. Ukrainians were deprived of their property and possessions and sent to camps. Having come to Canada with dreams of well-being and prosperity, Ukrainians were deprived of their freedom of livelihood.
Most of the interned Ukrainians worked in industry and mining. There was a war, there were not enough workers. Their wages were much lower than the wages of hired workers.
One of the important factors that attract numerous migrants from Ukraine to the country is the help and support of the diaspora, ties here are very well developed. Whatever city you move to, you will find compatriots who will help you adapt, solve everyday and more serious issues.
The country is loyal to national minorities, everything is regulated by law – all diasporas have the right to preserve their cultural values, to pass on their cultural heritage and traditions to their descendants.
Three midwestern provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba became the center of Ukrainian culture. Ukrainian settlers have become fighters for advanced multiculturalism.
To date, the geography of settlement is as follows: the main part of Ukrainians is concentrated in the eastern part: Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, the cities of Toronto, Edmonton, Leithbridge , Montreal.
Ukrainians lead an active social life: they organize festivals, parades, their own holidays.