In 2021, there were 41,620 Canadian citizens of Albanian descent living in Canada.[1] The Albanian Canadians are predominantly distributed in theprovinces ofOntario andQuebec followed by growing communities inAlberta andBritish Columbia.[2][3][4][5]
The Albanian migration in Canada began in the early 20th century, when the first Albanians emigrated to this country. This emigration was due to internal uprisings that occurred in their country of origin. However, after World War II (1939–1945) very few Albanians moved to Canada, and most arrived from the former Yugoslavia, due to a communist regime in Albania, which prohibited foreign travel. Most Albanians who emigrated to Canada country after the war decided to settle inMontreal orToronto. There were also some Albanian workers who lived inCalgary andOntario (e.g.Peterborough).[13] Despite this migration, by 1986, less of 1,500 Albanians emigrated to Canada. However, in 1991, the Albanian community exceeded the 2,500 people. In the 1990s, the economic and political upheavals experienced in theBalkans as a whole (including in Albania andKosovo) led to significant Albanian migration abroad, including to Canada. This is when the Albanian migration to Canada reached its peak.[14]
Between 1998 and 1999,a new war prompted a second wave of immigration of Albanians in Canada. This armed conflict was a clash between Albanian and Serb authorities, both military and police, which caused many Albanians to feel compelled to leave Kosovo as refugees, many of them emigrating to Canada. Thus, in 1999, the Government of Canada established a residency program to allow the settlement of 7,000 refugees of Kosovar Albanian origin.[13]
As with professionals from other countries, there has been a large influx of young Albanian professionals who immigrate to Canada for a better life.
According to the 2006 census, there were 22,395 people of ethnic Albanian descent living in Canada, most of whom 11,385 (51%) lived in Toronto.[13]Hamilton,Kitchener,London, Ottawa andPeterborough are areas elsewhere inOntario which also have Albanian communities.[14]
InToronto, there are around 17,000 Albanians.[15]InMontreal, there are around 3,000 Albanians.[16]
There are also 2,870 Canadian residents, or roughly 0.01% of the population of Canada, who stated that they hadKosovar ancestry. They are geographically distributed as well as in the particular regions with Albanian populations such as in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.[1]
Windsor, Ontario is 0.6% Albanian, much higher than the Canadian national rate of 0.1%. The city is south ofDetroit, a U.S. city with another large Albanian community within its metro area.[17]
Albanian Canadians founded many organizations in Canada, to maintain their language, traditions and culture. Some of these association have also helped other immigrants adapt to Canadian life. Many of these partnerships are in Toronto, a major city of the Albanian population. In this city, the largest associations are the Albanian Muslim Society of Toronto (founded in 1954) and the Albanian-Canadian Community Association of Toronto (founded in 1990).[14][21] There are also other notable organizations, such as the Albanian Canadian Organization of Ottawa. www.albcanorg.ca
Tie Domi is s former ice hockey player and enforcer, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets over a 16-year NHL career.
Canada 41,625 (2021)[1]
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Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Québec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
