Middle Eastern Canadians

Canadians of Middle Eastern ancestry

Ethnic group

Middle Eastern CanadiansTotal population

1,366,190[1]
4.0% of the total Canadian population (2016)
Regions with significant populations
Southern Ontario, Southern Quebec, Southwestern BC, Central Alberta, Urban
Languages
Canadian English * Canadian French *
Arabic * Persian * Armenian * Turkish * Hebrew
Other Middle Eastern languages
Religion
Islam * Christianity * Baháʼí Faith * Judaism * Druze * irreligious
Related ethnic groups
Middle Eastern Americans * Arab Canadians * West Asian Canadians * Asian Canadians

Middle Eastern Canadians are Canadians who were either born in or can trace their ancestry to the Middle East, which includes West Asia and North Africa.

## History[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2021)

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### Initial settlement[edit]

Individuals from the Middle East first arrived in Canada in 1882, when a group of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants settled in Montreal.[2] Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine were ruled by the Ottoman Empire at that time. As a result, early Arabic immigrants from these countries were referred to as either Turks or Syrians by Canadian authorities.

### 20th century[edit]

During World War I, Middle Eastern Canadians of Turkish origin were placed in "enemy alien" internment camps.[3]

The Middle Eastern Canadian population grew rapidly during the latter half of the 20th century; the 1979 Iranian Revolution resulted in a spike of immigration to Canada from the West Asian country.[4]

### 21st century[edit]

The Syrian refugee crisis during the 2010s fueled further growth to the already existing Syrian population; increased immigration from the West Asian country resulted in Syria becoming the third highest source country of immigration to Canada adding 35,000 Syrians becoming permanent residents in 2016.[5]

## Demography[edit]

### Ethnic and national origins[edit]

Middle Eastern Canadians Demography by Ethnic/National Origins  Ethnic/National
Origin | 2016[1]

|

Pop. | %
– West Asian | 1,011,145 | 74%
Lebanese | 219,555 | 16.1%
Iranian | 210,405 | 15.4%
– Arab, n.o.s.[a] | 111,400 | 8.2%
Afghan | 83,995 | 6.1%
Syrian | 77,045 | 5.6%
Iraqi | 70,925 | 5.2%
Turkish | 63,955 | 4.7%
Armenian | 63,810 | 4.7%
Palestinian | 44,820 | 3.3%
Israeli | 28,735 | 2.1%
– West Central Asian and
Middle Eastern origins, n.i.e.[b] | 28,735 | 2.1%
– Kurd | 16,315 | 1.2%
Jordanian | 14,250 | 1%
– Assyrian | 13,835 | 1%
– Other | 51,850 | 3.8%
– North African | 355,045 | 26%
Moroccan | 103,940 | 7.6%
Egyptian | 99,140 | 7.3%
Algerian | 67,335 | 4.9%
– Berber | 37,060 | 2.7%
Tunisian | 25,645 | 1.9%
Sudanese | 19,960 | 1.5%
– Other | 19,480 | 1.4%
Total population | 1,366,190 | 100%

### Language[edit]

The vast majority of Middle Eastern Canadians speak West Asian and North African languages as a mother tongue or second language. The top five middle eastern languages spoken in Canada include Arabic, Farsi, Armenian, Turkish and Hebrew.

### Religion[edit]

Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the dominant religions among the middle eastern Canadian population.

## Geographical distribution[edit]

Middle Eastern population by province or territory (2016)  Province / territory | Population  | Percentage

|
|

Ontario[6] | 610,005  | 4.6%
Quebec[7] | 465,920  | 5.8%
Alberta[8] | 120,590  | 3%
British Columbia[9] | 109,400  | 2.4%
Nova Scotia[10] | 19,235  | 2.1%
Manitoba[11] | 15,540  | 1.3%
Saskatchewan[12] | 11,605  | 1.1%
New Brunswick[13] | 8,035  | 1.1%
Newfoundland and Labrador[14] | 3,290  | 0.6%
Prince Edward Island[15] | 1,830  | 1.3%
Northwest Territories[16] | 390  | 0.9%
Yukon[17] | 230  | 0.7%
Nunavut[18] | 130  | 0.4%
Canada[1] | 1,366,190  | 4%

## See also[edit]

* Afghan Canadians
* Armenian Canadians
* Egyptian Canadians
* Iranian Canadians
* Iraqi Canadians
* Israeli Canadians
* Kurdish Canadians
* Lebanese Canadians
* Moroccan Canadians
* Palestinian Canadians
* Syrian Canadians
* Turkish Canadians

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Includes responses of 'Arab,' not otherwise specified.
2. ^ Includes general responses indicating West Asian, Central Asian and Middle Eastern origins as well as more specific responses that have not been included elsewhere (e.g., 'Baloch,' 'Circassian').

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Census Profile, 2016 Census Canada [Country] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
2. ^ "History of Recent Arab Immigration to Canada".
3. ^ "First World War Timeline". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
4. ^ "Iranians". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
5. ^ IRCC (2017). "2017 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration". Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Government of Canada. Table 3: Permanent Residents Admitted in 2016, by Top 10 Source Countries. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
6. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Ontario [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
7. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Quebec [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
8. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Alberta [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
9. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census British Columbia [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
10. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Nova Scotia [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
11. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Manitoba [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
12. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Saskatchewan [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
13. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census New Brunswick [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
14. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Newfoundland and Labrador [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
15. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Prince Edward Island [Province] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
16. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Northwest Territories [Territory] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
17. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Yukon [Territory] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
18. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census Nunavut [Territory] and Canada [Country]". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%]: percentage
*[n.o.s.]: not otherwise specified
*[n.i.e.]: not included elsewhere