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Casetta in Canadà
Sicilia a Montreal
Terra italiana
U Canada è bellu
Matrimonio per procura, ovvero Tragedia a Montreal
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Putting Down Urban Roots
The networks of relatives and friends that were so typical of
Italian villages played an important role in Italian immigration
to Canada.
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Meeting at the Toronto International Airport (now Pearson International), 1971
Photo: © Vincenzo Pietropaolo |
Italian immigrants were rarely solitary individuals. They left
behind not only their country, but also relatives, neighbours and
friends who expected to receive money, tickets for the transatlantic
journey, and information about employment opportunities, working
conditions, housing and the climate in Canada. Upon their arrival
here, they were almost always greeted by relatives or friends, who
were ready to provide a place to live, lend them money, help them
find work and show them how to get around.
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The Amatuzio family, Clark Street, Montreal, 1914
Photographer unknown
Lent by Joe Fratino and the Amatuzio family |
These networks of relatives and friends led to the creation of
"migratory chains" through which entire sections of Italian villages
were transplanted to specific locations in Canada. They also provided
an incentive for immigrants to settle permanently as early as the
1910s. Immigration through the migratory chains intensified after
1945. From 1947 to 1967, 90% of Italian immigrants who entered the
country were sponsored by relatives, resulting in immigration that
was largely permanent and family oriented.
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Little Italy, Saint-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, Quebec, 2002
Photo: © Mauro Peressini |
As Canada's cities grew, they attracted more and more immigrants,
since they offered a much greater variety of interesting jobs. In
1976, 90% of Italian Canadians lived in cities of over 100,000 people.
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Distribution of people of Italian origin in Canada
(including multiple origins) by province and territory, 1991
The figures indicate the number of Canadians of Italian origin in Canada
(including multiple origins). In 1991, the total for the whole country was
1,147,780.
Source: © Statistics Canada |
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