Canadians of Latin American descent
Ethnic group
Latin American Canadians Canadiens d'Amérique latine (French ) Canadenses da América Latina (Portuguese ) Canadienses de América Latina (Spanish ) Latin American Canadians as percent of population by census division (2021)
Total population Est.580,235 Regions with significant populations Central-west Greater Toronto Area ,Hamilton-Burlington ,St. Catharines ,Simcoe County ,Southwestern Ontario •Greater Montreal ,Sherbrooke ,Quebec City Area • increasing populations inOttawa–Gatineau ,Metro Vancouver ,Vancouver Island ,Greater Calgary andEdmonton Ontario 249,190 Quebec 172,925 Alberta 66,520 British Columbia 65,970 Manitoba 12,835 Languages Canadian English ,Canadian French ,Brazilian Portuguese ,Spanish Religion PredominantlyChristianity (Roman Catholicism ; minorityProtestantism ) Related ethnic groups Latin Americans , Hispanic and Latino Americans,Spanish Canadians ,Portuguese Canadians ,Native Americans
Latin American Canadians (French :Canadiens d'Amérique latine ;Portuguese :Canadenses da América Latina ;Spanish :Canadienses de América Latina ), areCanadians who are descendants of people from countries ofLatin America . The majority of Latin American Canadians aremultilingual , primarily speakingSpanish ,Portuguese ,French andEnglish . Most are fluent in one or both of Canada's two official languages,English andFrench . Spanish and Portuguese areRomance languages and share similarities inmorphology andsyntax with French.
Latin American Canadians have made distinguished contributions to Canada in all major fields, includingpolitics , themilitary ,diplomacy ,music ,philosophy ,sports ,business andeconomy , andscience and technology .
The largest Latin American groups represented in Canada areMexican Canadians , Colombian Canadians and Salvadoran Canadians. The Latino population is mostly concentrated in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Ontario holds the largest Latin American population withToronto having the largest concentration (including the suburbs ofMississauga andBrampton ), as well as other cities such asLondon ,Leamington ,Ottawa andKitchener -Waterloo . Quebec has the second-largest Latin American population withMontreal having the largest concentration.
Latin American Canadians make up one of the major groups designated as avisible minority according toStatistics Canada . However, the census acknowledges the fact that Latin Americans can be white, as is the case of many Latin Americans in Canada, since Latin Americans are not a homogenous race and can have their origins in European, African, Indigenous, Asian people, or any mix of those groups.[ 1]
Over 580 thousand (1.6% of Canadians) are of Latin American or Hispanic descent, according to2021 Canadian Census .
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The majority of Latin American Canadians are recent immigrants who arrived in the late 20th century fromMexico ,Colombia ,El Salvador ,Puerto Rico ,Peru with smaller communities fromChile ,Venezuela ,Brazil ,Cuba ,Guatemala , and elsewhere, with nearly all Latin American countries represented.[ 2] political repression in their native countries, as in the case ofChileans escaping fromAugusto Pinochet 's rule,Salvadorans fleeing from theSalvadoran Civil War ,Peruvians escaping from theInternal conflict in Peru ,Dominicans opposed to the regimes ofRafael Trujillo andJoaquin Balaguer ,Mexicans escaping from theMexican drug war , andColombians from the violence in their country.
As of the2021 Canadian Census , the largest Latin American communities are in thecensus metropolitan areas ofToronto (396,459; 3.5%),[ 3] Montreal (287,856; 3.2%),[ 4] Vancouver (151,500; 2.0%),[ 5] Calgary (134,395; 2.3%),[ 6] Edmonton (121,960; 1.6%),[ 7] Ottawa (90,620; 1.4%),[ 8] Hamilton (30,605; 1.9%).[ 8] Alberta ,Manitoba , andNova Scotia .
Latin American population of Canada by census year [ edit ] Census Latin American population Change from previous census Total Canadian population Change from previous census Latin American population (%) 1996 [ 9] 176,970 N/A 28,528,125 N/A 2001 [ 10] 216,980 29,639,030 2006 [ 11] 304,245 31,241,030 2011 [ 12] 381,280 32,852,325 2016 447,325 17.3% 34,460,065 4.9% 1.3% 2021 580,235 29.7% 36,991,981 7.3% 1.6%
Latin American Canadian population in Canada by province or territory according to the Census [ edit ] Province 2001 2011 2016 2021 Number % Number % Number % Number % Ontario 106,835 0.9% 172,560 1.4% 195,950 1.5% 249,190 1.8% Québec 59,520 0.8% 116,380 1.5% 133,920 1.7% 172,925 2.0% Alberta 18,745 0.6% 41,305 1.2% 55,090 1.4% 66,520 1.6% British Columbia 23,885 0.6% 35,465 0.8% 44,115 1.0% 65,970 1.3% Manitoba 4,775 0.4% 9,140 0.8% 9,895 0.8% 12,835 1.0% Saskatchewan 2,010 0.2% 3,255 0.3% 4,195 0.4% 5,680 0.5% Nova Scotia 520 0.0% 1,360 0.2% 1,685 0.2% 2,915 0.3% New Brunswick 425 0.0% 1,160 0.2% 1,285 0.2% 2,450 0.3% Prince Edward Island 75 0.1% 235 0.2% 255 0.2% 585 0.4% Newfoundland and Labrador 80 0.0% 185 0.0% 635 0.1% 755 0.2% Yukon 45 0.1% 105 0.3% 130 0.4% 235 0.6% Northwest Territories 60 0.2% 105 0.3% 135 0.3% 125 0.3% Nunavut 10 0.0% 30 0.1% 40 0.1% 60 0.2% 216,980 0.8% 381,280 1.2% 447,325 1.3% 580,235 1.6%
Top 10 countries of origin for Latin American Canadians (2021)[ 13] Region Number of immigrants Region's share of total Latin American immigrants to Canada Colombia 71,205 Mexico 57,820 15.5% El Salvador 47,450 12.8% Peru 26,295 7.1% Chile 22,015 5.9% Brazil 20,400 5.5% Venezuela 18,855 5.1% Guatemala 16,865 4.5% Equador 14,615 3.9% Cuba 10,855 2.9% Others 122,785 28.7% Total Latin American immigrant population 428,180 100%
List of Canadian census subdivisions with Latin American populations higher than the national average [ edit ] Source:Canada 2021 Census [ 14] National average: 1.6%
As of 2021 Census reports; the Latin American community increased in the late 2010s and early 2020s in BC, especially in New Westminster and Vancouver proper:
List of notable Latin American Canadians [ edit ] Eva Avila ,pop singer and 2006Canadian Idol Boogat , rapperFito Blanko , tropical/urban singer-songwriter, born inPanama Camila , member of American girl group,Vcha Patricia Cano , singerMarco Castillo , singer-songwriterJosé Miguel Contreras ,rock musician and lead vocalist ofBy Divine Right Criollo ,hip-hop groupBeto Cuevas , rock musician and former lead vocalist ofLa Ley Eliana Cuevas , singer-songwriterLhasa de Sela , folk musicianCarlos del Junco ,harmonica player, member of the Cubandel Junco familyQuique Escamilla , Mexican-born musicianCarole Facal , rock musicianAlberto Guerrero , music composer and pianist, born in ChileDJ Kemo , producer and DJ for hip-hop groupRascalz Tom Landa , Mexican-born folk-rock musicianOscar Lopez ,flamenco musician, born in ChileLindi Ortega , singer-songwriterJohn Paul Ospina , singerLido Pimienta , singer-songwriterAdonis Puentes , singer-songwriterAlexis Puentes , musician known by the stage name Alex CubaQuilla , singer-songwriterJessie Reyez , singer-songwriterAlejandra Ribera , singer-songwriterSmiley , rapperIsabella Lovestory , singer-songwriterRodrigo Bascuñán , author and journalist, born in ChileCaroline Dawson , born in ChileNicholas Dawson , born in ChileGloria Escomel , writer and journalist born in UruguayGabriela Etcheverry , poet and novelist, born in ChileJosé Latour , novelist, born in Cuba.José Luis Rodríguez Pittí , writer and photographer born in Panama.Silvia Moreno-Garcia , novelist, born in Mexico.[ edit ] David Alvarez , actorDaniela Bobadilla , actress born inMexico Ariane Castellanos , actressJoana Ceddia , YouTube Personality, born inBrazil Martha Chaves , stand-up comedianJuan Chioran , stage actor, born inArgentina Nick Cordero , stage actor,Costa Rican descentNelson Coronado , actorLaysla De Oliveira , actressHumberly González , actressOna Grauer , television and film actress, born in MexicoMarito Lopez , actor and stand-up comedian, born in El SalvadorLisette Morelos , telenovela actressMichael Mando , film and television actor (ofMexican descent).Flora Martínez , actress, part-Colombian descentEmilia McCarthy , actress (of Mexican descent).Emma Rabbe , television and film actressKlea Scott , television and film actress, born inPanama Tasya Teles , actressPaulina Ayala , formerMP forHonoré-Mercier (New Democratic Party ), born in ChileEstefania Cortes-Vargas , Canadian politician, elected in theAlberta general election, 2015 to theLegislative Assembly of Alberta , representing theelectoral district ofStrathcona-Sherwood Park , born inColombia Joseph Facal , former minister in Quebec (Parti Québécois ), born in UruguayMiguel Figueroa , leader and President of theCommunist Party of Canada Andrés Fontecilla , leader ofQuébec solidaire , born in ChileRosa Galvez , Senator, born in PeruRod Loyola , Canadian politician, elected in theAlberta general election, 2015 to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing theelectoral district ofEdmonton-Ellerslie , born inChile Soraya Martinez Ferrada , mayor ofMontreal , born in ChileSergio Marchi , formerMP (Liberal Party of Canada ), born in ArgentinaRicardo Miranda , Canadian politician, elected in theAlberta general election, 2015 to the Legislative Assembly ofAlberta , representing theelectoral district ofCalgary-Cross , born inNicaragua [ 15] Osvaldo Nunez , formerMP (Bloc Québécois ), born in ChileCesar Palacio , first Latino person elected to theToronto City Council , born inEcuador Saul Polo , MNA in Quebec, born in ColombiaPablo Rodríguez ,MP forHonoré-Mercier (Liberal Party of Canada ), born in Argentina.Science and technology [ edit ] Eleider Álvarez professional boxer, born inColombia Michel Acosta , professional soccer player, born in UruguayOscar Albuquerque , former professional soccer player, born in PeruKeven Aleman , professional soccer player, born inCosta Rica Manny Aparicio , professional soccer player, born in ArgentinaMauro Biello , former professional soccer player, current assistant coach of theCanada men's national soccer team Marco Bustos , professional soccer playerSergio Camargo , professional soccer player, born inColombia Miguel Cañizalez , professional soccer player, born inEl Salvador Lucas Cavallini , professional soccer playerCarly Colón , professional wrestler, born inPuerto Rico via Canadian motherOscar Cordon , professional soccer playerEurico Rosa Da Silva , Ice jockey from BrazilMarco Dominguez , professional soccer playerChris Duarte , professional basketball playerLeylah Fernandez , professional tennis playerMarcelo Flores , professional soccer playerAndres Fresenga , professional soccer playerKianz Froese , professional soccer player, born inCuba Manny Gomez , professional soccer player, born inArgentina Vladimir Guerrero Jr. , professional baseball playerCristián Gutiérrez , professional soccer playerMelissa Humana-Paredes , professionalbeach volleyball playerOtto Lopez , professional baseball player, born in the Dominican RepublicJuan Cruz Mascia , professional soccer playerRosa Mendes ,WWE Diva and professional wrestlerJuan Mendez , professional basketball playerTony Menezes , Brazilian soccer playerIvan Menjivar , mixed martial artistArturo Miranda , professionaldiver , born in CubaDavid Monsalve , professional soccer playerCristian Nuñez , professional soccer playerBrady Oliveira , professional football player,CFL Jonathan Osorio , professional soccer playerDamiano Palmegiani , professional baseball playerCarlos Patino , professional soccer player, born in ColombiaYoana Peralta , professional soccer playerDaniel Pinero , professional baseball playerWilli Plett , professional hockey player,NHL Robyn Regehr , professional hockey player, NHLÓscar Rivas professional boxer, born inColombia Bryce Salvador , professional hockey player, NHLDavis Sanchez , professional football player,CFL andNFL Isidro Sánchez Macip , professional soccer player, born in MexicoO. J. Santiago , professional football player, NFL and CFLEduardo Sebrango , former professional soccer player, born in CubaOscar Taveras , late professional baseball player inMLB , born in the Dominican RepublicAbraham Toro , professional baseball playerRaffi Torres , professional hockey player, NHLSamuel Vargas , professional boxer, born inColombia ^ "Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021" .Statistics Canada . 30 March 2022. Archived fromthe original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved18 June 2023 .The main groups designated as visible minorities are South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese. ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics."Statistics Canada: Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada Highlight Tables, 2006 Census" .www12.statcan.ca . Archived fromthe original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved13 March 2011 . {{cite web }}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )^ "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Toronto [Census metropolitan area], Ontario" . 9 February 2022.^ "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Montréal [Census metropolitan area], Quebec" . 9 February 2022.^ "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Vancouver [Census metropolitan area], British Columbia" . 9 February 2022.^ "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Calgary [Census metropolitan area], Alberta" . 9 February 2022.^ "Visible minority (Latin American), both sexes, age (total), Canada, Alberta and census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data" .Canada 2016 Census . Retrieved3 February 2020 .^a b "Visible minority (Latin American), both sexes, age (total), Canada, Ontario and census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data" .Canada 2016 Census . Retrieved3 February 2020 .^ [1] , Total Population by Visible Minority Population(1), for Canada, Provinces and Territories, 1996^ [2] Archived 6 October 2008 at theWayback Machine , 2001 Community Profiles^ [3] , Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Province/Territory^ [4] , National Household Survey (NHS) Profile, 2011^ "Latin American immigration to Canada" . 29 October 2024.^ [5] , Canada 2021 Census Profile, 2021^ "Quien Es Ricardo Miranda? | Hola Calgary" .Hola Calgary . 9 April 2017. Retrieved14 April 2017 .
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