Communities

Alberta	British Columbia	Manitoba	New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador	Nova Scotia	Ontario	Prince Edward Island
Quebec	Saskatchewan	The Territories

CANADA’S POPULATION: 37,000,000

STATISTICS FOR THE PORTUGUESE IN CANADA:

AS MOTHER TONGUE	AS MOST SPOKEN	KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE	BORN IN PORTUGAL	ETHNIC ORIGIN
221,460 0.6% of population	98,710 0.3% of population	295,945 0.8% of population	139,445 0.4% of population	482,610 1.3% of population

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FROM PIER 21 TO ALL CORNERS OF CANADA IN MERE DECADES

Audio Version:

During the 1950’s, the Portuguese began arriving in Canada in significant numbers. By the turn of the decade, a few associations had already been formed in Toronto and Montreal. The associative movement grew across the country with the formation of various Portuguese community organizations in most provinces, save for the territories and Newfoundland & Labrador. Meanwhile, other informal groups such as soccer teams and ranchos began to form, some of which were the base to eventual formal associations.

The 2016 Canada Census reports that there are 482,610 residents in the country who consider Portuguese their ethnic heritage (1.3% of the population) of which 139,445 were born in Portugal. A whopping 221,460 consider Portuguese their mother tongue and 98,710 speak it most often at home.

When we analyze the statistics by province, we easily find that Ontario has, by far, the largest Portuguese community in Canada, where 2.2% (324,930) of the population consider Portuguese their ethnic origin and 0.7% (103,025) were born in Portugal. It is also in Ontario that we find the most Portuguese city – which is, in fact, more of a village – which is Harrow where 13.6% of the population consider Portugal their ethnic origin.

The province of Quebec follows a distant second if we look at direct numbers, but it finds rivals in Manitoba and British Columbia if we analyze the per capita statistics. In terms of clear numbers, Quebec has 18,985 residents who were born in Portugal, which accounts for 0.2% of the total population. British Columbia matches that percentage, although with a lower number of residents born in Portugal (8,215). In the per capita category, Manitoba takes second place with 0.3% of the total population born in Portugal, which accounts for 4,380 people. When it comes to ethnic origin, again Quebec takes second place with raw numbers (69,805) but falls behind in the per capita category (0.8%). Manitoba, again, takes second spot with 1.1% of residents considering Portuguese their ethnic heritage, which translates to 14,540 people. British Columbia ties with Quebec for third spot in the per capita category (0.8%) but falls behind when it comes to raw numbers (41,770), although surpassing Manitoba by a large margin.

In Eastern Canada, Nova Scotia has the largest Portuguese population with 220 residents born in Portugal and 3,580 considering Portugal their ethnic origin. Newfoundland comes a close second when it comes to residents born in Portugal (140), followed by New Brunswick (130) and Prince Edward Island (70). In the category of ethnic origin, New Brunswick takes second spot with 1,785 residents, followed by Newfoundland with 1,215 and Prince Edward Island with 325.

The prairies are also home to thriving Portuguese communities that have established associations mainly in three cities: Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. In this region, the Province of Alberta has, by far, the largest Portuguese community with 4,050 (0.1%) born in Portugal – compared to 220 (0.02%) in Saskatchewan – and 22,385 (0.5%) who consider Portuguese their ethnic origin – 1,885 (0.2%) in Saskatchewan.

When it comes to the territories, you’d be surprised to know that there are 5 people in Nunavut who consider Portuguese their mother tongue and another 15 in Yukon. Regarding ethnic origin, 115 in Nunavut and 70 in Yukon consider Portugal their ethnic origin. The Northwest Territories are, however, the most Portuguese of the frozen northern Canada with 25 people who consider Portuguese their mother tongue, 5 who speak it most at home, 55 who have knowledge of the language, and 205 who consider Portuguese their ethnic origin. The most interesting fact of all occurs in Yukon: 10 people report being born in Portugal, compared to zero in the other two territories.

In terms of community organizations, again we find that Ontario is first by far, with British Columbia and Quebec competing for second spot. The biggest difference in these three provinces is that while in Ontario and British Columbia the community is scattered throughout various cities, in Quebec it is mostly established in Montreal.

In the Atlantic Provinces, both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia once each had a Portuguese association, but they are no longer in operation. Although a destination for Portuguese fishermen for centuries now, Newfoundland, and particularly Saint John’s, never had a Portuguese association, which is strange. Not surprising, however, is the fact that Prince Edward Island also never had a community organization, although it recently saw a famous Portuguese restaurant close due to the pandemic.

Manitoba is also home to a large Portuguese community that is mostly established in Winnipeg. It is in this city that all of the Portuguese organizations in the Province are located. Much further north, Thompson once had an informal community association and, even further north, in Churchill (Canada’s Polar Bear Capital) there once was a bakery owned by a Portuguese family (Gypsy’s Bakery).

In Saskatchewan, the Portuguese community is somewhat small. More than half of Luso-Canadians established in the Province reside in Saskatoon, where there is a Portuguese club. To the west, Alberta is mostly occupied by the Portuguese in Calgary and in Edmonton.

The territories do not have a Portuguese community organization. However, we have an interesting story to tell you about a young Portuguese descendant who resides and works in Nunavut (check out Territories’ page).

The 2016 Canada Census shows that there are nearly half a million residents in the country who consider Portuguese their ethnic origin. However, and although immigration from Portugal has slowed, we continue to witness the arrival of a few Portuguese families and individuals.

The numbers tell a story, but the most fascinating part of the tale is the experience of traveling the country and finding a Portuguese in the most uncommon of places. We have many of those stories here. As you read them, if some are familiar to you and if you believe that you can contribute to enrich the story, please contact us. At LusoCanada, our motto is writing history together. Let’s do it!

If you notice errors or misrepresentations in the article, please e-mail contact@lusocanada.com

Help us write History. Contribute your story, memory or experience related to this Portuguese community by sending an email to contact@lusocanada.com.