Becoming an Immigrant City: A History of Immigration into Toronto since the Second World War

Abstract

Following an overview of the history of Toronto, Ontario, as an immigrant-receiving city from the late 19th & early 20th centuries, patterns of immigration following WWII are described, focusing on related policy issues. With the growth of a new urban industrial base & a revitalized export market, an urgent need for new workers caused Canada to reopen the doors to immigration that had been closed during the economic depression of the 1920s. Despite ethnic & racial reservations & restrictions, an urban-friendly immigration policy evolved that led to Toronto's becoming the most ethnically diverse city in Canada. In 1966, a government white paper attempted to appease both pro- & antiimmigration forces by removing racial criteria for immigration, but setting strict limits on family reunification. By the 1970s, three major factors influenced immigration: (1) multiculturalism as a federal policy, (2) a major shift in immigrant demographics, particularly the arrival of greater numbers of refugees, & (3) economic downturn. Provisions of a subsequent green paper & the passage of a new immigration act late in that decade are reviewed, along with changes in refugee policy. Ways in which immigration has transformed Toronto's urban core & suburban periphery are explored, & contradictory elements characterizing the city's racial & cultural pluralism are discussed. K. Hyatt Stewart