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Romanian Canadians

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused withRomani people in Canada.
Romanian Canadians
Total population
215,885
(by ancestry,2021 Census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Greater Toronto Area,Greater Montreal
Languages
Romanian,Canadian English,French
Religion
MainlyRomanian Orthodoxy,but alsoRomanian Greek Catholicism,Roman Catholicism,Protestantism,Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Romanian Americans,European Canadians
Part ofa seriesof articles on
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Romanian CanadiansareCanadian citizensofRomaniandescent or Romania-born people who reside in Canada.

According to the2021 Canadian census,there are 215,885 Romanian-Canadians.[1]

History of Romanian migration in Canada[edit]

Before World War I[edit]

Romaniansmoved to Canada in several periods. The first period was at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Romanians had discovered Canada towards the end of the 19th century, afterClifford Sifton– Minister of Home Affairs representing a Liberal government that had promised to populate the West – had visitedBukovina.From 1896 to 1900, a group of Romanians established themselves inAssiniboia(nowSaskatchewan), atClifford Sifton's advice. The first two Romanian families that migrated to Canada from theBukovinavillage ofBoianstopped inAlbertain 1898. Other 100 Bucovina families took their example and followed them and they gave thesettlementthe name of their home village.

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many Romanians from the formerAustro-Hungarian Empire(Transylvania,Bukovina,Banat,Crişana,andMaramureş) migrated to thePrairie provincesof Canada to work asfarmers.TheDominion Lands Actencouraged homesteaders to come to the area. The migrants from theRomanian Old Kingdomwere mostlyRomanian Jews.Many Romanians moved to Canada and the United States between 1895 and 1920.[2]

St Nicholas's Romanian Orthodox Church (established in 1902[3]inRegina) is the oldestRomanian Orthodoxparish in North America;[4]St George's Cathedral (founded in 1914[5]though the present building dates from the early 1960s), is the episcopal seat of the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Regina. Today, the Romanian school fromBoian, Albertais amuseumshowcasing Romanianimmigration,photos of the first Romanian settlers in the area and the typical Romanian farmer's life in rural Canada.

During theinterwar periodthe number of ethnic Romanians who migrated to Canada decreased as a consequence of the economic development in Romania, but the number ofRomanian Jewswho migrated to Canada increased, mostly after the rise of theIron Guard.

According to the1911 Canadian census,in Canada lived 15,000 Romanians and in 1941: 25,000.

After World War II[edit]

The second period was between 1945 and 1955, when Romanians moved afterWorld War II,duringCommunist Romania,at a time when Romania was in a difficult period in its history. In this period, 1,460,000 Romanian citizens left their country. Many of them werepolitical refugees.Many of them left for Canada.

Post-communism[edit]

Another wave of Romanian emigration to Canada occurred after 1989 following theRomanian Revolution of 1989,when people obtained the right to leave Romania subsequent to the fall ofCommunisminCentral and Eastern Europe.The wave intensified after theMineriadof 13–15 June 1990. After 1998, for the fourth time, a large number of Romanians were leaving Europe to come to Canada.

In 2001, there were 131,830 Canadian residents who identified themselves of Romanian origin, of which 53,320 were single-origin Romanians and 78,505 were of mixed Romanian and other origins.[6]The largest concentrations of Romanian-Canadians are in theGreater Toronto Area(approx. 75,000) and in theGreater Montreal Area(approx. 40,000). According to the2001 Canadian census,the number of people of Romanian mother tongue in Canada was 50,895 and 61,330 Canadians claimed to speakRomanian.The number of people born in Romania was 61,330 and 2,380 were born inMoldova.

According to the2016 census,there were 238,050 Canadian residents who identified themselves of Romanian origin, of which 96,910 were single-origin Romanians and 141,145 were of mixed Romanian and other origins.[7]Almost 100,000 Romanian Canadians live inOntario.[8]

According to the2021 census,there were 215,885 Canadian residents declaring themselves of Romanian origin;[9]Romanian was the mother tongue of 93,160 of Canadian residents.[1]There were 86,770 Canadian residents who were born in Romania.[9]

Immigration from Romania reached a high in the early 2000s. Figures fromCitizenship and Immigration Canadashow that the annual number of new permanent residents from Romania increased from an average of over 3,700 per year in the late 1990s to an average of over 5,500 per year since 2001, peaking in 2004 at 5,658. After 2004, the immigration from Romania constantly decreased.

Map of North America highlighting theOCA Romanian Episcopate
Romanian immigrants to Canada
Year Numberof people
1995 3,851
1996 3,670
1997 3,916
1998 2,976
1999 3,468
2000 4,431
2001 5,589
2002 5,688
2003 5,466
2004 5,658
2005 4,964
2006 4,468
2007 3,834
2008 2,836
2009 2,076
2010 1,922
2011 1,776
2012 1,588
2013 1,512
2014 1,552
2015 1,183
2016 1,361
2017 980
2018 810
2019 675

Source:Citizenship and Immigration Canada,2014:,[10]2015:[11]Facts and Figures 2016:[12]

Community life and associations[edit]

A few parishes and non-profit organizations deal with a series of community related issues. These include the "Buna Vestire" ParishMontreal,the Romanian Association of Canada, the Federation of Romanian Associations of Canada, Women's Society, and Constantin Brancoveanu Society.

In 1914-18 was built the "Buna Vestire" Church (Annunciation Church) (CernăuțiMetropolitan seat), the oldest Romanian Orthodox Church inMontreal.Among the Buna Vestire Church priests were Jida, Glicherie Moraru (1930–1938), Constantin Juga (1938–1950), Petre Popescu (June 10, 1951 – 2003), and Nicolae Stoleru, Tofan

In 1939, on Iberville Street, inMontreal,was built "Casa Romana", where was set up a Romanian school.

In 1957, was set up the Romanian Cultural Association ofHamilton, Ontario.Cuvântul românesc is the newspaper of the association. "The Week of the Romanians" continues the tradition of almost 40 years of the "Romanian Field Week" atHamilton, Ontario.Through the years, the place has combined cultural tributes to Romania withanticommunistmanifestations from Romanians in North America. The Romanian Field covers 40 acres (160,000 m2) in a natural environment nearHamilton.The place features the Nae Ionescu Cultural Center, the St. Mary Chapel, sports fields, a pool, as well as a couple of bungalows and accommodation for mobile homes. The place for the St. Mary Chapel was chosen byValerian Trifa.The Writers' Alley (Rotonda) includes busts (sculptor Nicăpetre (1936–2008) ofNae Ionescu,Vasile Posteucă, George Donev,Aron Cotruş,Vintilă Horia,Mircea EliadeandMihai Eminescu.

Another recreational and Romanian cultural facility in Canada is the Camp atFort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan.Although not quite completed, the camp was blessed and opened for use by ArchbishopValerian Trifain the summer of 1971.

On July 24, 1998, the Romanian community ofBoian, Albertacelebrated its centenary. Besides religious services, there was a cultural program and demonstrations of the early life of the Romanians in Canada. The Romanian Orthodox parish inBoianhas a Romanian ethnic museum housed on its premises. The museum and St. Mary Orthodox Church was proclaimed historical site by the authorities.

Association of Romanian Writers in Canada was incorporated in 2001. Association of Romanian Engineers in Canada was founded in 2003.

Timeline[edit]

  • 1896-1900 – A group of Romanians established themselves to theSaskatchewan,atClifford Sifton's advice.
  • 1898 – The first two Romanian families that migrated to Canada from theBukovinavillage of Boian stopped inAlberta.They gave the settlement the nameBoian, Alberta.
  • 1939 – On Iberville Street, inMontreal,was built "Casa Romana", where was set up a Romanian school.
  • 1952 – The Romanian Association of Canada (A.R.C.) founded in Montreal by Gheorghe Loghiade ( -1986), Gheorghe Stanciu, Petre Sultana, Miron Georgescu, Nichita Tomescu, Florin Marghescu, Ion Ţăranu (1921–2009), Alexandru Fonta (1922–2004) and Mihai Pop. The association was incorporated in 1953.
  • 1965 – The Romanian Association of Canada launches fund raising events in order to build the Romanian Orthodox Church "Buna Vestire", situated on Cristoph Colomb Street inMontreal.
  • 1970 – launches fund raising events to help flood victims in Romania.
  • 1970 – Alexandru Fonta (1922–2004), Vasile Posteucă (1912–1972) and Jean Ţăranu (1921–2009) donate a piece of land known today as "The Romanian Camp" inVal-David, Quebec.In 1980 inVal-Davidare inaugurated two Romanian landmarks, the Predeal-Trudeau Street and the Romanians Bridge.
  • 1971 – A.R.C. launches the first Romanian Radio Show called "Ora de radio". Since 1999 the show airs with a different name, under the supervision of the Federation of Romanian Associations of Canada (F.A.R.).
  • 1973 – A.R.C. participates at The Folk Festival inBaie-Saint-Paul, Quebec,taking 1st place in the competition.
  • 1974 – A.R.C. joins other Romanian community associations to form the Federation of Romanian Associations of Canada (F.A.R.).
  • 1981 – Together with other organizations - Buna Vestire Parish, Women's Society, Constantin Brancoveanu Society, Romanian Radio Show and F.A.R. Canada - A.R.C. launches a series of fundraising events to build The Romanian Cultural Center. F.A.R. obtains a grant of $100.000 from theQuebec Governmentfor the construction of the center. The money were given to F.A.R. in the name of the Romanian Community of Montreal and all its members.
  • 1988 – A.R.C. creates the first Romanian TV Show called "Tele-Roumanie".
  • 1997 - new lyrics for the Canadian song "Maple Leaf Forever" by the Romanian Canadian Vladimir Radian: "CBC Radio's Metro Morning show in Toronto ran a contest to find new lyrics for the song in 1997. The contest was won by Romanian immigrant, mathematician, and now a songwriter, actor and poet, Vladimir Radian, who moved to Canada in the 1980s. This version received its first full orchestral treatment on June 27, 1997, at a concert by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra."
  • 2000 – A.R.C. resigns from F.A.R. Canada after illegal elections are held by this Association on October 5, 1999.
  • 2001 – A.R.C. and Nova.TR (The Young Romanians Association) launch a pilot project to help new immigrants upon their arrival. The project helped about 40 families of newcomers, offering them a low cost housing for a period of two weeks. The project came to an end a year later, due to lack of funds. In 2002, A.R.C. accepts the assimilation request of Nova.TR
  • 2001 – In March, the first issue of the Romanian newspaper Pagini Romanesti (Romanian Pages) at Montréal. The newspaper was printed after the closing of an older magazine, Luceafarul. Pagini Romanesti is still printed being today the oldest newspaper of the Romanian community in Québec.
  • 2003 – A.R.C. celebrates 50 years of existence with a series of cultural and social events.
  • 2003 – On June 11, 2006, a bust ofMihai Eminescuwas unveiled at Saint George Church,Windsor, Ontario.

Canada–Romania relations[edit]

Main articles:Canada–Romania relations,Embassy of Canada in Bucharest,andEmbassy of Romania in Ottawa

Clifford SiftonvisitedBukovinain 1895. From 1912 to 1913Robert W. Servicewas acorrespondentfor theToronto Starduring theBalkan Wars.

Joseph W. Boyleserved the king and queen of Romania during theWorld War I,helping to protect the country from theCentral Powersand to operate Romania's railroads. He was awarded the special title of "Saviour of Romania" for these and many other deeds. He remained a close friend, and was at one time a possible lover of the Romanian Queen, British-bornMarie of Edinburgh.

The formalCanadian-Romanian relationswere established on August 16, 1919, when the General Consulate of Romania was established inMontreal[13]byVasile Stoica.

Canadian general, diplomat and peacekeeperJohn de Chastelainwas born inBucharestto a Scottish father and an American mother.

Bilateral relations at embassy level were initiated on April 3, 1967. Canada commissioned its first resident ambassador in Romania in December 1967. TheEmbassy of Romania in Ottawa[14]was opened in 1970. In 1991, the Consulate General of Romania was established in Toronto, while the consulate general in Montreal resumed its initial functions. In 2011, a consulate general was established in Vancouver.[15]

The Ambassador of Romania in Ottawa, Maria Ligor presented her credentials on June 10, 2013, to David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa. The Ambassador of Canada in Bucharest,[16]Joanne Lemay, presented her credentials on November 13, 2013. Romania has an honorary consulate general inMoncton,and an honorary consulate in Quebec City.[17]

Gallery[edit]

Romanian Canadians by Canadian province or territory (2016)[edit]

Province Population Percentage Source
Ontario 98,235 0.7% [18]
Quebec 53,060 0.7% [19]
Alberta 34,230 0.9% [20]
British Columbia 31,250 0.7% [21]
Saskatchewan 12,730 1.2% [22]
Manitoba 5,835 0.5% [23]
Nova Scotia 1,195 0.1% [24]
New Brunswick 940 0.1% [25]
Newfoundland and Labrador 185 0.0% [26]
Prince Edward Island 125 0.1% [27]
Northwest Territories 120 0.3% [28]
Nunavut 15 0.0% [29]
Yukon 135 0.4% [30]
Canada 238,050 0.7% [31]


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abc"Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Canada [Country]".9 February 2022.
  2. ^"target audience - Demographic Information".Romedia.us.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  3. ^Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America parish directoryArchived2007-06-18 at theWayback Machine,retrieved 10 June 2007.
  4. ^Saskatchewan Settlement Experience: Religion – Churches and Congregations.Retrieved 4 December 2007.
  5. ^Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America parish directoryArchived2007-06-18 at theWayback Machine,retrieved 10 June 2007.
  6. ^"Ethno-Cultural Portrait of Canada, Table 1".2.statcan.ca.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  7. ^"Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables - Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Canada, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".2.statcan.gc.ca. 2017-11-01.Retrieved2021-02-24.
  8. ^"Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables - Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Ontario, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".2.statcan.gc.ca. 2017-11-01.Retrieved2021-02-24.
  9. ^abGovernment of Canada, Statistics Canada (9 February 2022)."Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Canada [Country]".www12.statcan.gc.ca.Retrieved16 March2023.
  10. ^"Immigration to Canada by source country 2014 - Statistics - Immigration Trends".canadaimmigrants.com.
  11. ^"Canada Immigration by Source Country 2015 - Statistics - Immigration Trends".canadaimmigrants.com.
  12. ^"Facts and figures"(PDF).www.cic.gc.ca. 2016.Retrieved2021-02-24.
  13. ^"Diplomacy.ro:: Consulatul General al Romaniei".Montreal. 2010-04-06.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  14. ^"Diplomacy.ro:: Ambasada Romaniei".Ottawa. 2011-02-24.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  15. ^"actmedia:: Romanian Consulate General has been established in Vancouver, Canada".2011-03-29.Retrieved2012-12-27.
  16. ^"Welcome Page | Page d'accueil".Canadainternational.gc.ca. 2009-12-17.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  17. ^"Consulatul General Onorific al Romaniei".Romanianconsulate.ca. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-06.Retrieved2011-02-28.
  18. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Ontario, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  19. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Quebec, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  20. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Alberta, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  21. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), British Columbia, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  22. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Saskatchewan, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  23. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Manitoba, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  24. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Nova Scotia, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  25. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), New Brunswick, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  26. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Newfoundland and Labrador, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  27. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Prince Edward Island, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  28. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Northwest Territories, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  29. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Nunavut, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  30. ^"Ethnic Origin, both sexes, age (total), Yukon, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".Canada 2016 Census.Statistics Canada.25 October 2017.Retrieved30 January2020.
  31. ^"Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables".statcan.gc.ca. 25 October 2017.

Further reading[edit]

  • William Rodney. "The Canadian-Romanian Credit 1919,"Canadian Historical ReviewLXIV, 2 (June, 1983). pp. 276–289.
  • G. James Patterson. "Romanians,"The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples.P.R. Magosci, Ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999.
  • Rodica Albu. "Expressions of Romanian Identity in Quebec,"Regards sur le Quebec.D. Nica, C. Petras, Eds. Iasi: Editura Universitatii Alexandru Ioan Cuza, 2009.
  • Bujea, Eleanor (2009).Romanians in Canada.The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.ISBN978-192-9200-14-6.
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