українські канадці | |
|---|---|
 Ukrainian Canadians as percent of population by census division (2021) | |
| Total population | |
| 1,258,635 (by ancestry,2021 Census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Alberta | 343,640 (8.1%) |
 Ontario | 342,260 (2.4%) |
 British Columbia | 210,100 (4.2%) |
 Manitoba | 165,305 (12.3%) |
 Saskatchewan | 138,705 (12.2%) |
| Languages | |
| Canadian English,Canadian Ukrainian (alsoQuebec French,Ukrainian,Russian) | |
| Religion | |
| Ukrainian Orthodox,Ukrainian Catholic,Roman Catholic,Baptists,Irreligious,[2]Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Polish Canadians,Ukrainian Americans,Ukrainians,Belarusian Canadians, otherSlavs | |
Ukrainian Canadians[a] areCanadian citizens ofUkrainian descent orUkrainian-born people who immigrated to Canada.
In the late 19th century, the first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in the east coast of Canada. They were primarily farmers[3] and labourers who were looking for a better life and economic opportunities. Most settled in the western provinces of Canada, particularly inManitoba,Saskatchewan, andAlberta. These provinces offered fertile land and economic opportunities for farming, which was a familiar occupation for most Ukrainians. Ukrainian immigrants were able to establish a strong community in Canada. They built churches, community centres, and cultural organizations to preserve their language and traditions. After 1920 many moved to urbanOntario.
During the early years of Ukrainian immigration to Canada, many immigrants faced discrimination and prejudice. Ukrainian immigrants were interned during World War I as a part of the confinement of those deemed to be "enemy aliens." Between 1914 and 1920, thousands of Ukrainian-Canadians were interned in camps.
Today, Ukrainian-Canadians continue to be an important part of Canada's cultural mosaic. They have made significant contributions to Canadian society and continue to preserve and celebrate their rich cultural heritage. In 2021, there were an estimated 1,258,635 persons of full or partial Ukrainian origin residing in Canada (the majority being Canadian-born citizens), making themCanada's eleventh largest ethnic group[1] and giving Canada the world's third-largest Ukrainian population behind Ukraine itself and Russia. Self-identified Ukrainians are the plurality in several rural areas ofWestern Canada.[4] According to the 2011 census, of the 1,251,170 who identified as Ukrainian, only 144,260 (or 11.5%) could speak theUkrainian language (including theCanadian Ukrainian dialect).[5]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 5,682 | — |
| 1911 | 75,432 | +1227.6% |
| 1921 | 106,721 | +41.5% |
| 1931 | 225,113 | +110.9% |
| 1941 | 305,929 | +35.9% |
| 1951 | 395,043 | +29.1% |
| 1961 | 473,337 | +19.8% |
| 1971 | 580,660 | +22.7% |
| 1981 | 529,615 | −8.8% |
| 1986 | 961,310 | +81.5% |
| 1991 | 1,054,295 | +9.7% |
| 1996 | 1,026,475 | −2.6% |
| 2001 | 1,071,060 | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 1,209,090 | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 1,251,170 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 1,359,655 | +8.7% |
| 2021 | 1,258,635 | −7.4% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [6]: 17 [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][1] Note1: 1981 Canadian census did not include multiple ethnic origin responses, thus population is an undercount. Note2: 1996–present census populations are undercounts, due to the creation of the "Canadian" ethnic origin category. | ||
Minority opinions among historians of Ukrainians in Canada surround theories that a small number of Ukrainians settled in Canada before 1891. Most controversial is the claim that Ukrainians may have beeninfantrymen alongsidePoles in theSwiss French “De Watteville's Regiment” who fought for theBritish on theNiagara Peninsula during theWar of 1812 – it has been theorized that Ukrainians were among those soldiers who decided to stay inUpper Canada (southern Ontario).[18] Other Ukrainians supposedly arrived as part of other immigrant groups; it has been claimed that individual Ukrainian families may have settled insouthern Manitoba in the mid- to late 1870s alongsideblock settlements ofMennonites andother Germans from theRussian Empire.[18] "Galicians" are noted as being among the miners of theBritish Columbia gold rushes and figure prominently in some towns in thatnew province's first census in 1871 (these may have been Poles andBelarusians as well as Ukrainians).[19] Because there is so little definitive documentary evidence of individual Ukrainians among these three groups, they are not generally regarded as among the first Ukrainians in Canada.
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During the nineteenth century the territory inhabited by Ukrainians in Europe was divided between theAustro-Hungarian andRussian empires. TheAustrian crownlands ofGalicia andBukovina were home to many Ukrainian speakers. Austrian Galicia wasone of the poorest and most overpopulated regions in Europe, and had experienceda series of blights and famines. Emigration on a large scale from Galicia to theBalkans (thenorth-south border region ofCroatia andBosnia) and even toBrazil was already underway by 1891.
The first wave of Ukrainian immigration to Canada began withIwan (Ivan) Pylypow andWasyl (Vasyl') Eleniak, who arrived in 1891, and brought several families to settle in 1892. Pylypow helped found theEdna-Star Settlement east ofEdmonton, the first and largest Ukrainianblock settlement. However, it is DrJosef Oleskow,[b] along withCyril Genik, who are considered responsible for the large Ukrainian Canadian population through their promotion of Canada as a destination for immigrants from western (Austrian-ruled) Ukraine in the late 1890s. Ukrainians fromCentral Ukraine, which was ruled by theRussian monarchy, also came to Canada[20] – but in smaller numbers than those from Galicia and Bukovina. Approximately 170,000 Ukrainians from the Austro-Hungarian Empire arrived in Canada from September 1891 to August 1914.[21]
Clifford Sifton, Canada'sMinister of the Interior from1896 to 1905, also encouraged Ukrainians fromAustria-Hungary to immigrate to Canada since he wanted newagricultural immigrants to populateCanada's prairies. After retirement, Sifton defended the new Ukrainian and East European immigrants to Canada – who were not from the United Kingdom, the United States, Scandinavia, Iceland, France or Germany – by stating:
I think that a stalwart peasant in asheepskin coat, born to the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for ten generations, with a stout wife and a half-dozen children, is good quality.[22]
This Ukrainian immigration to Canada was largelyagrarian, and at first Ukrainian Canadians concentrated in distinct block settlements in theparkland belt of theprairie provinces:Alberta,Saskatchewan, andManitoba. While the Canadian Prairies are often compared to thesteppes of Ukraine, the settlers came largely from Galicia and Bukovina – which are not steppe lands, but aresemi-wooded areas in thefoothills of the Carpathian Mountains. This is why Ukrainians coming to Canada settled in the woodedaspen parklands – in an arch fromWinnipeg andStuartburn, Manitoba toEdmonton andLeduc, Alberta – rather than the open prairies further south. Furthermore, thesemi-feudal nature of land ownership in the Austrian Empire meant that in the "Old Country" people had to pay thepan (landlord) for all their firewood and lumber for building. Upon arriving in Canada, the settlers often demanded wooded land from federalDominion Lands Act registry officials so that they would be able to supply their own needs, even if this meant taking land that was less productive for crops. They also attached deep importance to settling near to family, people from nearby villages or other culturally similar groups, furthering the growth of the block settlements.
Fraternal andbenevolent organizations established by these settlers include theUkrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association (ULFTA, affiliated with theCommunist Party of Canada),[23] the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (UCB, affiliated with theUkrainian Catholic Church in Canada),[23] and the Ukrainian Self- League (USRL, affiliated with theUkrainian Orthodox Church of Canada).[23] The ULFTA transformed itself into theAssociation of United Ukrainian Canadians in 1946,[24] the UCB and USRL are member organizations of theUkrainian Canadian Congress today.[25]
By 1914, there were also growing communities of Ukrainian immigrants in eastern Canadian cities, such asToronto,Montreal,Hamilton, andWindsor. Many of them arrived from the provinces ofPodillia,Volhynia,Kyiv andBessarabia in Russian-ruled Ukraine.[20] In the early years of settlement, Ukrainian immigrants faced considerable amounts of discrimination at the hands ofNorthern European Canadians, an example of which was theinternment.[26][27][28]
From 1914 to 1920, the political climate of the First World War allowed the Canadian government to classify immigrants withAustro-Hungariancitizenship as "aliens of enemy nationality". This classification, authorized by the August 1914War Measures Act, permitted the government to legally compel thousands of Ukrainians in Canada to register with federal authorities. About 5,000 Ukrainian men, and some women and children, wereinterned at government camps and work sites. Although many Ukrainians were "paroled" into jobs for private companies by 1917, the internment continued until June 20, 1920 – almost a year after theTreaty of Versailles was signed by Canada on June 28, 1919.
There are some two dozen Ukrainian-specific plaques and memorials in Canada commemorating Canada's first national internment operations, including several statues – on the fairgrounds of Canada's National Ukrainian Festival south ofDauphin, Manitoba, the grounds of theManitoba Legislative Building inWinnipeg; and at the locations of the former internment camps inBanff National Park,Alberta,Spirit Lake (La Ferme),Quebec, andKapuskasing,Ontario. Most were placed by theUkrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association (UCCLA) and its supporters. On August 24, 2005, Prime MinisterPaul Martin recognized the Ukrainian Canadian internment as a "dark chapter"[30] inCanadian history, and pledged $2.5 million to fund memorials and educational exhibits[30] although that funding was never provided.
On May 9, 2008, following the 2005 passage ofInky Mark's Bill C-331, the Government of Canada, under Prime MinisterStephen Harper, established a $10 million fund[31] following several months of negotiation with the Ukrainian Canadian community's representatives, including the UCCLA,Ukrainian Canadian Congress and Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko (also known as the Shevchenko Foundation), establishing the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (CFWWIRF). The Endowment Council of the CFWWIRF uses the interest earned on that amount to fund projects that commemorate the experience of Ukrainians and other Europeans interned between 1914 and 1920. The funds are held in trust by the Shevchenko Foundation. Amongst the commemorative projects funded by the Endowment Council was the unveiling, simultaneously across Canada, of 115 bilingual plaques on August 24, 2014, recalling the 100th anniversary of the first implementation of theWar Measures Act. This was known as Project "Сто" (translit.Sto; meaning "one hundred"), and organized by the UCCLA.
In 1923, the Canadian government modified theImmigration Act to allow former subjects of the Austrian Empire to once again enter Canada – and Ukrainian immigration started anew.[32] Ukrainians from westernVolhynia – thePolesie andWołyń Voivodeships (under Polish rule), and southernBessarabia – also known as theBudjak (under Romanian rule), joined a new wave of emigrants from Polish-governedGalicia and Romanian-governedBukovina. Around 70,000 Ukrainians fromPoland,Romania, andCzechoslovakia arrived in Canada from 1923 to September 1939,[21] although the flow decreased severely after 1930 due to theGreat Depression.
Relatively little farmland remained unclaimed – the majority in thePeace River region of northwestern Alberta – and less than half of this group settled as farmers in thePrairie provinces.[33] The majority became workers in the growing industrial centres ofsouthern Ontario, theMontreal region and theEastern Townships of Quebec; themines,smelters andforests ofnorthern Ontario; and the small heavy industries of urbanwestern Canada.[33] A few Ukrainian professionals and intellectuals were accepted into Canada at this time; they later became leaders in the Ukrainian Canadian community.[21]
The second wave was heavily influenced by thestruggle for Ukrainian independence during the Russian Civil War, and established two competing fraternal /benevolent organizations in Canada: the United Hetman Organization (UHO) in 1934[34] – which supported the idea of a Ukrainian "Cossack kingdom" led byPavlo Skoropadskyi;[35] and the rivalUkrainian National Federation (UNF) in 1932[36] – which supported the idea of anindependent Ukrainian republic and politically supported thearmed Ukrainian nationalist insurgency in Polish-occupied Western Ukraine.[37][38] The UHO ceased to exist by 1960, while the UNF continued to expand and became the largest and most influential Ukrainian organization in Canada, spearheading the creation of the coordinating Ukrainian Canadian Committee (laterUkrainian Canadian Congress) during World War II.[c]
From 1945 to 1952, most Ukrainians coming to Canada were political refugees and Displaced Persons. In the aftermath of the Second World War, many Ukrainians who had been displaced by the war began to immigrate to Canada. These immigrants were often refugees who had been forced to flee their homes and were looking for a safe haven. In the 1950s and 1960s, many Ukrainians who had been living in displaced persons camps in Europe were given the opportunity to immigrate to Canada. These immigrants were often highly skilled and educated, and they contributed to the growth and development of Canada's economy.
Another wave of Ukrainian immigration occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, driven by political and economic factors. Many Ukrainians were dissatisfied with the Soviet regime and its policies, and were looking for greater freedoms and opportunities. Additionally, economic factors such as a shortage of jobs and a declining standard of living also played a role in driving migration.
During this period, many Ukrainian immigrants settled in urban areas, such as Toronto and Montreal, and found work in manufacturing and other industries. Despite facing some challenges with discrimination and prejudice, Ukrainian immigrants were able to establish strong communities in Canada and preserve their culture and heritage. The result was large Ukrainian communities in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. They established a number of new organizations and affiliated newspapers, women's and youth groups, the most prominent of which was the Canadian League for the Liberation of Ukraine (renamed the League of Ukrainian Canadians after the collapse of the USSR in 1991). The League joined the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (laterUkrainian Canadian Congress) as a member organization in 1959.[39]
After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, emigration from Ukraine increased. Rising levels of corruption, the dismantlement of some social services, low-paying employment as well as a loss of jobs in Ukraine, made immigration attractive once again. Many Ukrainians saw Canada as a land of opportunity and a place where they could build a better life for themselves and their families. The Canadian government also made it easier for Ukrainians to immigrate, offering various programs and initiatives designed to attract skilled workers and entrepreneurs. One of the most popular programs for Ukrainian immigrants was the Federal Skilled Worker Program, which allowed skilled workers to immigrate to Canada based on their education, work experience, language proficiency, and other factors. Many Ukrainians also immigrated to Canada through family sponsorship, as they had family members already living in Canada.[40] In addition to economic opportunities, Ukrainians were also attracted to Canada's multicultural society and the freedom and rights afforded to its citizens. Many Ukrainian immigrants have made significant contributions to Canadian society in various fields, including business, academia, politics, and the arts.
In the first half of the twentieth century, Ukrainian Canadians overwhelmingly earned their livings inprimary industry – predominantly inagriculture, but also inmining,logging,construction, and the extension of theCanadian railway system;[41] most importantly as labour in completing thetranscontinental mainlines of theCanadian Northern Railway andGrand Trunk Pacific, both thennationalized and consolidated into theCanadian National Railway (CN). As agriculture became more mechanized and consolidated, male Ukrainian Canadians shifted into non-farm primary andsecondary industry jobs, while women took jobs indomestic work and unskilledservice industries.[42] By 1971, only slightly more Ukrainian Canadians worked in agriculture than in the wider Canadian labour force. While they remain somewhat over-represented in agriculture today (7% versus 4% of all working Canadians) and underrepresented in elite managerial positions,[41] Ukrainian Canadians have largely assimilated more into the broader economy, such that the Ukrainian Canadian workforce is now similar to that of Canada as a whole in nearly all other respects.[41][42]
 | This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
| This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
| Year | Population | % of total population |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 [6]: 17 [7] | 5,682 | 0.106% |
| 1911 [6]: 17 [7] | 75,432 | 1.047% |
| 1921 [6]: 17 [7][8] | 106,721 | 1.214% |
| 1931 [6]: 17 [7][8] | 225,113 | 2.169% |
| 1941 [6]: 17 [7][8] | 305,929 | 2.659% |
| 1951 [6]: 17 [7][8] | 395,043 | 2.82% |
| 1961 [6]: 17 [7][8] | 473,337 | 2.595% |
| 1971 [6]: 17 [8] | 580,660 | 2.692% |
| 1981 [9] | 529,615 | 2.199% |
| 1986 [10][11] | 961,310 | 3.842% |
| 1991 [12] | 1,054,295 | 3.906% |
| 1996 [13] | 1,026,475 | 3.598% |
| 2001 [14] | 1,071,060 | 3.614% |
| 2006 [15] | 1,209,090 | 3.87% |
| 2011 [16] | 1,251,170 | 3.808% |
| 2016 [17] | 1,359,655 | 3.946% |
| 2021 [1] | 1,258,635 | 3.402% |
In addition to the officialEnglish andFrench languages, manyprairie public schools offerUkrainian language education for children, including immersion programs. Generally second language students are taught the localCanadian Ukrainian dialect, rather than Standard Ukrainian.
The Canadian Ukrainian dialect is based on the Ukrainian spoken by the first wave of immigrants from theAustro-Hungarian Empire from 1891 to 1914. Because the Ukrainian language of this era had no words for such things asagricultural machinery other than a plow, words for wildlife or vegetation common to North America and uncommon in Ukraine, words related to theautomobile or other self-propelled vehicles on roads, or words forinternal combustion engine-powered orelectrically-poweredtools orhome appliances of any kind, extensive borrowings and adaptations fromCanadian English were independently made by Ukrainian settlers in theblock settlements of thePrairies during their first decades in Canada. The decline of regular communication with relatives in Ukraine, especially the severe restrictions between1939 and1989, further isolated the Western Canadian Ukrainian dialect from an evolving Ukrainian language inSoviet Ukraine. Now, immigrants from Ukraine to Western Canada since 1991, speaking Ukrainian, find the Canadian Ukrainian dialect old-fashioned and sometimes strange, for modern Ukrainian no longer uses some of the expressions and vocabulary common to the Canadian dialect – or, in the case of the Canadian loan words and adaptations, never did use, because Standard Ukrainian either invented other terms or borrowed and adapted from other languages, such as French, German or Russian.
There are a fewUkrainian Catholic elementary schools in theGreater Toronto Area, includingSt. DemetriusCatholic Elementary school,St. Josaphat Catholic Elementary school, andJosef Cardinal Slipyj Elementary school, all inEtobicoke; as well asSt. SofiaCatholic Elementary school inMississauga.[43]
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Most Ukrainians who came to Canada from Galicia wereUkrainian Catholic and those from Bukovina wereUkrainian Orthodox. However, people of both churches faced ashortage of priests in Canada. The Ukrainian Catholic clergy came into conflict with theRoman Catholic hierarchy because they were not celibate and wanted a separate governing structure. At the time, theRussian Orthodox Church was the onlyOrthodox Christian church that operated in North America – because they had arrived first viaAlaska, and traditionally Orthodox churches areterritorially exclusive. However, Ukrainians in Canada were suspicious of being controlled from the Russia, first by theTsarist government and later by the Soviets. Partially in response to this, theUkrainian Orthodox Church of Canada was created as a wholly Ukrainian Canadian-controlled alternative. As well, the Ukrainian Catholic clergy were eventually given aseparate structure from theRoman Church.
| Religious group | 2021[44][d] | 2001[45][e] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Christianity | 661,430 | 52.55% | 827,055 | 77.22% |
| Islam | 1,515 | 0.12% | 570 | 0.05% |
| Judaism | 12,340 | 0.98% | 5,155 | 0.48% |
| Irreligion | 570,730 | 45.35% | 233,310 | 21.78% |
| Buddhism | 1,850 | 0.15% | 1,270 | 0.12% |
| Hinduism | 280 | 0.02% | 135 | 0.01% |
| Sikhism | 210 | 0.02% | 140 | 0.01% |
| Indigenous spirituality | 775 | 0.06% | 0 | 0% |
| Other | 9,505 | 0.76% | 2,905 | 0.27% |
| Total Ukrainian Canadian population | 1 258 635 | 100% | 1 071 055 | 100% |
| Religious group | 2021[44][d] | 2001[45][e] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Catholic | 305,090 | 46.13% | 397,945 | 48.09% |
| Orthodox | 81,345 | 12.3% | 78,820 | 9.53% |
| Protestant | 176,240 | 26.65% | 318,355 | 38.47% |
| Other Christian | 98,755 | 14.93% | 32,445 | 3.92% |
| Total Ukrainian Canadian christian population | 661,430 | 100% | 827,505 | 100% |
| Province / Territory | Percent Ukrainian | Total Ukrainians |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 9.3% | 369,090 |
| British Columbia | 5.0% | 229,205 |
| Manitoba | 14.5% | 180,055 |
 New Brunswick | 0.5% | 3,535 |
 Newfoundland and Labrador | 0.3% | 1,350 |
 Northwest Territories | 3.2% | 1,290 |
 Nova Scotia | 1.0% | 9,115 |
 Nunavut | 0.5% | 190 |
| Ontario | 2.8% | 376,440 |
 Prince Edward Island | 0.7% | 930 |
 Quebec | 0.5% | 42,550 |
| Saskatchewan | 13.4% | 143,700 |
 Yukon | 6.3% | 2,205 |
| Total | 3.9% | 1,359,655 |
| City | Population | Ukrainian Population | Percentage of Ukrainians (out of total population) | Percentage of all Canadian Ukrainians |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | 1,239,220 | 77,670 | 6.4% | 5.7% |
| Edmonton | 932,546 | 98,820 | 10.8% | 7.3% |
| Hamilton | 536,917 | 18,990 | 3.6% | 1.4% |
| Montreal | 1,704,694 | 18,010 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Ottawa | 923,243 | 24,965 | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Regina | 215,106 | 26,590 | 12.6% | 2.0% |
| Saskatoon | 246,376 | 38,600 | 16.0% | 2.8% |
| Toronto | 2,721,571 | 72,345 | 2.7% | 5.3% |
| Vancouver (Metro Vancouver) | 2,463,431 | 94,400 | 3.9% | 6.9% |
| Victoria | 85,792 | 5,015 | 6.1% | 0.4% |
| Windsor | 217,188 | 6,165 | 2.9% | 0.5% |
| Winnipeg | 705,244 | 99,365 | 14.4% | 7.3% |
The provinces with the largest Ukrainian populations (single and multiple origins, 2006) are Ontario, 336,355; Alberta, 332,180; British Columbia, 197,265; Manitoba, 167,175; Saskatchewan 129,265; and Quebec, 31,955. In terms of proportion of the total population, the most Ukrainian provinces and territories are Manitoba (15%), Saskatchewan (13%), Alberta (10%), Yukon (5%), British Columbia (5%), and Ontario (3%).
The metropolitan regions with the largest Ukrainian populations (single and multiple origins, 2006) are: Edmonton, 144,620; Toronto, 122,510; Winnipeg, 110,335; Vancouver, 81,725; Calgary, 76,240; Saskatoon, 38,825; Hamilton, 27,080; Montreal, 26,150; Regina, 25,725; Ottawa-Gatineau, 21,520;St. Catharines–Niagara, 20,990;Thunder Bay, 17,620;Victoria, 15,020;Kelowna, 13,425;Oshawa, 12,555;London, 10,765; andKitchener, 10,425.
The Census Divisions with the largest percentage of Ukrainians (single and multiple origins, 2006) are Manitoba #12 (25%), Alberta #10 (20%), Alberta #12 (19%), Manitoba #11 (15%), Manitoba #7 (13%), Manitoba #10 (12%), Manitoba #9 (12%), Manitoba #2 (10%).
There are a number of smaller rural communities in Western Canada with significant proportions of Ukrainians (single and multiple origins, 2016), including:Canora, Saskatchewan (52.6%),Speers, Saskatchewan (50%),Andrew, Alberta (48%),Mundare, Alberta (46%),Bradwell, Saskatchewan (41%),Vilna, Alberta (40%),Smoky Lake, Alberta (39%),Hafford, Saskatchewan (39%).[47]
Having been separated from Ukraine, Ukrainian Canadians have developed their own distinctive Ukrainian culture in Canada. To showcase their unique hybrid culture, Ukrainian Canadians have created institutions that showcase Ukrainian Canadian culture such asEdmonton'sCheremosh andShumka troupes – among the world's eliteUkrainian dancers; or theUkrainian Cultural Heritage Village – a living-history museum approximately 39 kilometres east of Edmonton where Ukrainianpioneer buildings are displayed along with extensive cultural exhibits.
Ukrainian Canadians have also contributed toCanadian culture as a whole. Actress and comedianLuba Goy, singerGloria Kaye,[48]Jeopardy! hostAlex Trebek, hockey executiveKyle Dubas, and painterWilliam Kurelek, for example, are well known outside the Ukrainian community.
Perhaps one of the most lasting contributions Ukrainian Canadians have made to the wider culture of Canada is the concept ofmulticulturalism,[42][49] which was promoted as early as 1963 bySenatorPaul Yuzyk.[49] During and after the debates surrounding theRoyal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, Ukrainian leaders, such as linguistJaroslav Rudnyckyj, came out in force against the idea ofEnglish – Frenchbiculturalism,[49] which they believed denied the contributions other peoples had made to Canada. Partly in response to this, Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau shifted Canada to a policy of official multiculturalism; notably, the day after theCanadian Multiculturalism Policy of 1971 was officially announced, Trudeau gave a forceful speech in support of the policy at a national assembly of theUkrainian Canadian Congress in Winnipeg.[49]
The Western Ukrainian agricultural settlers brought with them a style of folk architecture dominated by buildings made of unprocessed logs, which were much better suited to the woodedparkland belt rather than the "bald prairie". The first house built – usually aburdei – used some sod; but was not exactly asod hut, more like adugout. The second house was often a white-washed and plasteredlog cabin usually with thatched roof, very similar to those seen in Ukraine. Barns, chicken coops,granaries, and so on were all built using the same techniques as the houses. By the 1930s most Ukrainian Canadians adopted the building styles of the North American mainstream includingframed homes and barns built from commercial plans and using milled lumber.
Early churches, built by pioneer farmers rather than trained builders, were basically log cabins with a few added decorations. They aspired to the designs ofUkraine's wooden churches, but were much more humble. Latter churches – such as the "prairie cathedral" style of FatherPhilip Ruh, using a mixture of Byzantine and Western influences – were much more decorative.
Many Ukrainians fledRussia,Poland,[38] and later, the Soviet Union, to find freedom and a better life in Canada. For them Canada became "an anti-Russia", where they could realize their political and economic ideas. Most Ukrainian Canadians wereanti-Soviet, yet a minor group of Ukrainians hassince 1910 supportedCanadian socialism and contributed to the formation of theCommunist Party of Canada, and formed a significant bloc within that group. They were also active in otherMarxist[dubious –discuss] organizations like theUkrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association (ULFTA). Ukrainians also played a central role in the 1930s formation of theCo-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the 1960s formation of theNew Democratic Party. Ukrainians were a notable portion of theMackenzie–Papineau Battalion of Canadians who volunteered and fought in theSpanish Civil War on the side of theleftist republican government against the nationalist troops ofGeneralísimoFrancisco Franco.
Ukrainians in Canada at first supported theLiberal Party federally andprovincially, a minority moved towards the1930s protest parties ofSocial Credit and the CCF federally and provincially. The vocal anti-communism ofJohn Diefenbaker in the 1950s led the more nationalist-minded to support thefederal Progressive Conservatives. Today's Ukrainian community tends to vote based on economic class interests andregional preferences.[50]
The nationalist movement, through theUkrainian National Federation and the Canadian League for the Liberation of Ukraine, was also an important part of the community. After Ukraine became independent Canada was one of the first nations to recognize Ukraine. From 1992 to 1994, Ukrainian Canadians were vital in fundraising to purchase a building inOttawa to house theEmbassy of Ukraine. As well, Canada has recognized theHolodomor (Ukrainian Famine) as an act of genocide. Canada also sent many observers to Ukraine during the disputed2004 presidential election (see:Orange Revolution). TheGovernment of Canada as well as its provincial governments – especially the Ukrainian strongholds inAlberta,Manitoba andSaskatchewan – do much to support Ukraine's economic and political development.
The Ukrainian Canadians had and have much more influence in Canadian society and policy than any other East European group; therefore they have had several prominent figures in top positions.Ray Hnatyshyn was the 24thGovernor General of Canada (1990–1995) and the first Governor General of Ukrainian descent. Ukrainians were also elected leaders of Canada's prairie provinces:Gary Filmon wasPremier of Manitoba (1988–1999), andRoy Romanow wasPremier of Saskatchewan (1991–2001).[51]
Ed Stelmach becamePremier of Alberta in 2006 as the thirdprovincial premier of Ukrainian descent. He succeededRalph Klein (1992–2006), who hadcabinets with many Ukrainian ministers. Stelmach himself is the grandson of Ukrainian immigrants and speaks fluent Ukrainian.[51] He left office in October 2011.
Chrystia Freeland, who wasDeputy Prime Minister of Canada from 2019 to 2024, is of Ukrainian descent and speaks Ukrainian.Rona Ambrose (née Chapchuk), who wasLeader of the Opposition and interim Conservative party leader from 2015 to 2017, is of Ukrainian descent.
Canada is home to some very vibrantUkrainian dance groups. Some examples of Ukrainian dance ensembles in Canada are theUkrainian Shumka Dancers and theCheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company inEdmonton, theRusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble andRozmai Ukrainian Dance Company inWinnipeg, theSvitanok Ukrainian Dance Ensemble inOttawa,Saskatoon's Rushnychok Ukrainian Folk Dance Association, and hundreds of other groups.
The Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko provides some financial support for Ukrainian Canadian performing,literary andvisual arts.
Ukrainians in general are noted for their elaborately decorated Easter Eggs orpysanky, and that is also true in Canada. The world's second largest pysanka is inVegreville,Alberta.
Ukrainian Canadian churches are also famous for theironion domes, which have elaborately paintedmurals on their interior, and for theiriconostasis, oricon walls.
Ukrainian Canadians[who?] have contributed to the literature of Canada and to the field of folklore.
Professor of folklore and Kule Chair Emerita at theUniversity of Alberta,Natalie Kononenko, is well respected, and has made numerous contributions to her field.[52][53] In 2023,Kononenko published a book entitled, "Ukrainian Ritual on the Prairies: Growing a Ukrainian Canadian Identity.".[54]
FromBritish Columbia, Ukrainian Canadian author Danny Evanishen wrote and published more than eleven books retellingUkrainian folk tales in English and sharing stories from his childhood and travel.[55][56][57]
Ukrainian Canadian musicians and groups includeRandy Bachman,Luba, theCanadian Bandurist Capella,Ron Cahute,Rick Danko, Victor Mishalow,Chantal Kreviazuk,Gordie Johnson,Canadian Idol season 2 runner-upTheresa Sokyrka,Zirka from Toronto,D-Drifters from Winnipeg, Cheremshyna (ensemble) from Montreal,Sons of the Steppes (known asСини степів orSyny Stepiv) from Montreal, Wasyl Kohut of the progressive rock bandCANO, andRushnychok from Montreal.[58][59][60][61] The Edmonton-based group theKubasonics focuses on afolk fusion of traditional Ukrainian music with modern touches.
Cultural food is an important part of Ukrainian culture. Special foods used at Easter as well as Christmas are not made at any other time of the year. In fact on Christmas Eve (January 6[f] in theGregorian calendar), aspecial twelve-dish meatless meal is served. The best-known foods areborshch (a vegetable soup, usually with beets),holobtsi (cabbage rolls),pyrohy orvarenyky (dumplings often called "perogies"), andkovbasa (sausage).
Several items of Ukrainian food and culture have been enshrined withroadside attractions throughout the Prairie provinces. These are celebrated in the polkaGiants of the Prairies by theKubasonics. For example, the world's largest perogy is inGlendon, Alberta,[64] and the world's biggestkovbasa is inMundare, Alberta.[65]
There are a number of Ukrainian Canadian institutions, mostly affiliated with an umbrella organization or with a university, such as:
see for exampleDivision No. 12, Manitoba
In 1981 only 30.0% and 18.6% of Ukrainian Canadians belonged to the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox churches, respectively; 16.8% were Roman Catholic and 13.3%United Church adherents.
A unique religious experiment originated with a Russian Orthodox priest, S. Ustvolsky. As the monk Seraphim, self-proclaimedbishop andmetropolitan of the Orthodox Russian church for America, he arrived in Canada in 1903 andbegan to ordain priests. In 1904, alarmed by Seraphim's growing eccentricities, several priests, led by I. Bodrug, broke with him and formed the Ruthenian Independent Greek church. The new church retained theEastern rite and liturgy but was supervised and financially supported by thePresbyterian church, with which Bodrug had contacts. At its height, the Independent Greek Church claimed 60,000 adherents. It declined after 1907 when Presbyterian pressure forced genuine Protestant reform; it became part of the Presbyterian church and then of theUnited church. Bodrug remained within the Ukrainian evangelical movement, working closely with theUkrainian Evangelical Alliance in North America (est. 1922). In 1931, 1.6 percent of Ukrainian Canadians were United church adherents. By 1971 intermarriage and assimilation had increased the figure to 13.9 percent, the fourth-largest denomination among Ukrainian Canadians.
Isolated individuals of Ukrainian background may have come to Canada during theWar of 1812 as mercenaries in thede Meuron andde Watteville regiments. It is possible that others participated in Russian exploration and colonization on the West Coast, came withMennonite and other German immigrants in the 1870s, or entered Canada from the US.[United States – ed.]
Only about one-fifth of the Ukrainians in Canada would come from Ukrainian lands controlled by the tsarist empire until 1917 and by the Soviets thereafter.
Because most of the 'free' lands available for agricultural settlement had already been granted to earlier immigrants, the incoming population tended not to establish themselves as farmers. A substantial number settled in the Prairie provinces and worked as farm hands, while some took advantage of land grants being offered in the northern Peace River region of Alberta. Eventually, some of these immigrants did start up their own farming operations in and around the main areas of Ukrainian settlement. The majority of Ukrainians in this second wave, however, worked as labourers in the mining and forestry regions of northern Ontario and in the cities of central Canada and the Prairies. A small portion of the incoming immigration consisted of individuals with a higher level of education than that possessed by the earlier immigrants, affording them the opportunity to exact a different entry-level status. Among this group were skilled individuals who could assume critical positions in the Ukrainian press and the community's cultural-educational institutions.
Between the 2 world wars some 70,000 Ukrainians immigrated to Canada for political and economic reasons. They included war veterans, intellectuals and professionals, as well as peasants
Interwar immigrants introduced a number of new organizations. The paramilitary sporting Sitch[sic] (renamed theCanadian Sitch Organization in 1928) was founded in 1924 with official support from theUkrainian Catholic church. It declined with the appearance of the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and in 1934 was reorganized without church backing as theUnited Hetman Organization, a conservative monarchist movement that favoredP. Skoropadsky as hetman of Ukraine. After the death of his son,D. Skoropadsky, in 1957 the movement, never too popular, rapidly declined. In 1928 the republican-inclinedveterans of the Ukrainian independence struggle formed theUkrainian War Veterans' Association (UWVA). In 1932 it provided the base for theUkrainian National Federation, which espoused the militant nationalism of theOrganization of Ukrainian Nationalists.
National organizations emerged in the interwar years. The procommunistUkrainian Labour-Farmer Temple Association (est. 1924) attracted the unemployed in the 1930s. The Ukrainian Self- League (est. 1927) and the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (est. 1932) represented Orthodox and Catholic laity, respectively. Organizations introduced by the second immigration reflectedUkrainian revolutionary trends in Europe. The small conservative, monarchical United Hetman Organization (est 1934) was counterbalanced by the influential nationalistic, republicanUkrainian National Federation (est. 1932). Despite tensions, all groups publicizedPolish pacification andStalinist terror in Ukraine in the 1930s; only the Ukrainian Labour-Farmer Temple Association condoned the Soviet purges and theartificial famine of 1932–33 that killed 6 million people; its successor, theAssociation of United Ukrainian Canadians (est. 1946), has declined steadily.
During the 1930s there was considerable friction between the Canadian-oriented Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and Ukrainian Self- League and such Ukraine-oriented organizations as theUkrainian National Federation. In spite of rivalries, Ukrainian-Canadian organizations gave moral and financial assistance to Ukrainian émigré centers in Western Europe and to Ukrainian veterans, war orphans, and numerous causes inPoland and neighboring countries. In the 1930sPolish pacification in Western Ukraine andStalinist terror in the Soviet Union were widely publicized. TheULFTA, which extolled theSoviet Ukrainian state and especially itscultural flowering in the 1920s, failed to question the purges, forced collectivization, andartificial famine of the 1930s.
Gloria Kaye was born in northern Alberta as Gloria Slavka Kolmatycki on March 10, 1956, the youngest of five children of Mike and Annie Kolmatycki.[...] Kolmatycki changed her Ukrainian name to 'Kaye' for 'ease in handling.' As Gloria Kaye, she sang on Canadian television on theTommy Hunter Show, It's Happening, Show of the Week,Juliette,Music Hop,Robbie Lane, and theMerv Griffin show in the United States.
For many years Ukrainians supported the Liberal party, which wasin power when they first arrived. Together with other Canadians from the lower socioeconomic strata, Ukrainians have shown considerable support for Canadian protest parties, which emerged in the 1930s – the Social Credit party and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (subsequently the New Democratic party). During the Great Depression the Ukrainians,Jews, andFinns were the most prominent ethnic groups within theCommunist Party of Canada. In the late 1950s many Ukrainians turned to the Progressive Conservative party, approving J. Diefenbaker's anticommunism and hisappointment of the first Ukrainian Canadian tothe federal cabinet. Increasingly, the voting habits of Ukrainians reflect their economic class or region rather than any common ethnic pattern.
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