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Armenian Canadians





HISTORY

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Armenians who had escaped persecution from the Armenian Genocide formed communities in southern Ontario . However, Armenian immigration was limited; since the Canadian government had classified Armenians as Asians, they were considered alien and undesirable guests.

Thousands of Armenians made their way to Canada after the Immigration Law became less restrictive in the 1950s. Many of the newcomers were originally from Middle Eastern countries which were hampered by conflict, such as Lebanon , Syria , Egypt , Iran and Turkey .

In the early 1990s, some Armenians immigrated to Canada after the disintegration of the Soviet Union .

Most of the Armenian Canadians are centered in the provinces of Quebec (with significant communities in Montreal and Laval ) and Ontario ( Toronto , Cambridge and St. Catharines ) and are active in community life. Smaller communities exist in the central and Maritime Provinces , with a slightly larger community in British Columbia .

Many Armenian organizations and churches have branches wherever there is Canadian Armenian life.


NOTABLE ARMENIAN CANADIANS


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