Ethiopian Canadians are Canadians who are of full or partial Ethiopian national origin, heritage and/or ancestry, Canadian citizens of Ethiopian descent, or an Ethiopia-born person who resides in Canada. According to the 2016 Canadian Census, 44,065 people reported Ethiopian ancestry.
History Ethiopians began to immigrate to Canada in small numbers following new immigration regulations in 1962, which allowed skilled immigrants into the country regardless of ethnicity or country of origin. However, significant immigration did not occur until the mid-1980s.
Demographics According to the 2011 Canadian Census, approximately 30,810 people reported Ethiopian ancestry. This number increased to 44,065 by 2016. In addition, a number of people reported other Ethiopian ethnicity: 1,530 people had Amhara ancestry, 660 had Harari ancestry, 3,350 had Oromo ancestry. A further 2,155 reported Tigrayan ancestry, although some of these might be Eritrean. Canada's censuses list four major ethnic identities considered to be Ethiopian ethnic groups: Amhara, Harari, Oromo, and Tigrayan. These numbers cannot be added to people reporting Ethiopian ancestry as this may lead to double counting. Of the people reporting Ethiopian ancestry, 32,790 were Canadian residents born in Ethiopia and 7,510 were recent immigrants.
Religion + Ethiopian Canadian demography by religionReligious group20212001 Christianity 28,305 10,625 Islam 10,465 4,140 Irreligion 3,305 855 Judaism 290 60 Buddhism 15 0 Hinduism 20 10 Indigenous spirituality 0 35 Sikhism 10 0 Other 135 10 Total Ethiopian Canadian population 42,550 15,725
+ Ethiopian Canadian demography by Christian sectsReligious group20212001 Catholic 1,715 1,030 Orthodox 14,260 5,980 Protestant 3,960 1,320 Other Christian 8,370 2,295 Total Ethiopian Canadian Christian population 28,305 10,625
Geographic distribution The following table lists Canadian provinces by Ethiopian population.
Rank State Population (2016)1 22,560213,22532,90042,55051,5756675728081809701030112012151310
Toronto The largest group of Ethiopians in Canada is that of Toronto. In the 2016 census, there were 17,730 people who reported their ethnic origin as Ethiopian (15,990), Amhara (500), Oromo (830) and/or Tigrinya (410) in the Toronto CMA. In the 2021 census, the number of people who reported their ethnic origin as Ethiopian (13,515), Amhara (2,165), Oromo (2,000) and/or Tigrinya (2,570) was 20,250. Toronto is home to community organizations such as the Ethiopian Association Toronto, which was founded in 1980. There is a concentration of Ethiopian restaurants and businesses along Danforth Avenue East; the area is unofficially referred to as "Little Ethiopia".
Calgary As of 2016, approximately 6,355 people of Ethiopian descent live in Calgary.
Edmonton As of 2016, approximately 5,210 people of Ethiopian descent live in Edmonton.
Ottawa As of 2016, approximately 2,850 people of Ethiopian descent live in Ottawa. The Dawit family, who were among the first Ethiopians to settle in Canada in the 1960s, lived in Ottawa.
Winnipeg As of 2016, approximately 2,520 people of Ethiopian descent live in Winnipeg.
Vancouver As of 2016, approximately 2,020 people of Ethiopian descent live in the Vancouver CMA.
Other places Approximately 1,575 people of Ethiopian descent live in the province of Quebec, the majority (1,020) of whom live in Montreal.
Notable individuals
Athletes
Media personalities
Musicians
Writers
Other
See also
Demographics of Ethiopia Ethiopian Americans Canada–Ethiopia relations
Notes
References