Summary
- Canadian society has tremendously benefited from immigrants’ knowledge and expertise.
- Among all the 10 provinces, British Columbia has the highest 17% population of individuals with a predominant language at home other than English and French.
- Successive Canadian governments have also been promoting multiculturalism at the highest levels.
Government’s Role in Promoting Multiculturalism
One of the defining aspects of multiculturalism is the ability to keep your identity and take pride in your ancestral heritage while still feeling like you belong in Canada.
Canada’s current strength stems from its open society. A society that encourages its inhabitants to accept and learn from one another can give equal possibilities for all citizens. A society that encourages skill and creativity is more likely to produce new breakthroughs and scientific developments.
Diversity is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of Canadian society and the state. For almost 200 years, people from all countries and areas have arrived in Canada and made it their home.
For more than two centuries, immigrants have contributed valuable ideas, information, experience, languages, and traditions. Canadian society has tremendously benefited from immigrants’ knowledge and expertise. In short, diversity has made Canada stronger.
Successive governments have also been promoting multiculturalism in Canada at the highest levels. From enacting special laws to providing additional funds to institutions, federal and provincial governments have supported institutions to encourage multiculturalism and the integration of new immigrants in the country.
“Multiculturalism is at the heart of who we are as British Columbians. We all benefit from our growing diversity, from exchanging cross-cultural ideas in government, business and civil society to enjoying multicultural festivals and food. Yet many people in our province continue to experience racism and discrimination. That’s why our government is taking action to end hate, create true and lasting reconciliation in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, and build a province where everyone feels safe and welcome.” British Columbia Premier David Eby
As British Columbia becomes more diverse, provincial ministries and Crown corporations continue to play an important role in ensuring equal treatment and full participation of all British Columbians in society.
Among all the 10 provinces, British Columbia has the highest 17% population of individuals with a predominant language at home other than English and French, according to the 2021 census. Ontario comes in second position with 15.7%, Alberta and Manitoba at 13%, Saskatchewan at 8.1%, etc.
Communities in British Columbia and Victoria, BC
Linguistic variety is important to multiculturalism in British Columbia. In Vancouver, more than one in every four people speaks a non-official language at home, while Abbotsford and Mission have somewhat less than 21%.
According to the 2021 Census of Canada, the most prevalent languages spoken at home by newcomers and second-generation immigrants in British Columbia were Mandarin, Punjabi, and Cantonese. The remaining immigrant languages spoken at home include Korean, Farsi, Hindi, Spanish, Russian, and Vietnamese.
British Columbia recognises the critical role that language plays in providing accessible services and programs, and is constantly looking for new ways to improve the availability of translated resources and interpretation services across ministries and Crown businesses.
Looking ahead, the diversity of languages in British Columbia’s population is likely to grow, contributing to more creativity, innovation, and economic success, as well as stronger and more resilient communities.
Victoria, BC, has a total metropolitan population of 388,475, out of which 64,775, or 16.67%, are from visible minority populations, according to the 2021 census and Statistics Canada.
In 2021, English was the most often stated ethnic or cultural origin, accounting for approximately 121,950 people, or 31.4% of the entire population. The second origin was Scottish, accounting for around 91,865 people, or 23.6% of the total population. The third origin was Irish, which accounted for approximately 71,380 people, or 18.4% of the overall population.
Filipino Community in Victoria, BC
Victoria, BC, is the fifteenth largest metropolitan area in Canada, and it has visible representation of minorities.
The Filipino community has the third largest population here after the Chinese and South Asian communities. The Chinese community is leading with a population of 17,390; the South Asian community comes second with 13,715 members, and then comes the Filipino community with 8,525 members.
The Victoria, BC, metropolitan area celebrates many multicultural festivals and events. Filipino Heritage Month is also celebrated in the Victoria, BC, metropolitan area, in which hundreds of Filipino community members take part. They wear their traditional dresses during the parades as well.
The Filipino community has several representative organisations in Victoria, BC, such as the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association (VFCA), the Victoria Filipino Canadian Seniors’ Association (VFCSA), the Victoria Filipino Canadian Caregivers Association (VFCCA), etc.
These organisations are working under the umbrella of the Bayanihan Cultural and Housing Society (BCHS), and they support Filipino cultural events in Victoria, BC.
Conclusion
Immigrants come and settle down in this country and call it their home. This country thrives on collaboration, respect and cooperation with each other, and it is due to the multicultural identity of this nation. In essence, the Canadian identity is based on the concept of multiculturalism.
Join Edison College
Edison College in Victoria, BC, welcomes students from different cultures. We take pride in celebrating multiculturalism. If you want to be a part of this diverse community and build your career in health, business and technology, contact us to get more information.
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