Population Of Punjabi In Canada

By purviberia beria Feb 21, 2024, 12:12 IST

Punjabi Canadians count around 9,50,000 and lead to around 2.6% of the country's population. The Punjabis first arrived in Canada in the late 19th century to work in the forestry industry. In the mid 20th century, the Canadian immigration laws were relaxed and this lead to a rapid increase in the population. Talking about today, the largest Punjabi communities in Canada reside around  the province of British Columbia, concentrated in Vancouver, and the province of Ontario, particularly in Toronto.

Population

Punjabi Canadian Population History
1981−2021
Year Population % of total population
1981 73,810 0.306%
1986 95,470 0.377%
1991 167,930 0.622%
1996 248,695 0.872%
2001 338,715 1.143%
2006 456,090 1.46%
2011 545,730 1.648%
2016 668,240 1.939%
2021 942,170 2.593%
Punjabi Canadian Proportion of the South Asian Canadian Population (1981−2021)
Province/territory Percentage
2021 2016 2011 2006 2001 1996 1991 1986 1981
 British
Columbia		 66.46% 66.85% 68.06% 69.5% 67.86% 68.1% 65.85% 68.61% 80.06%
 Manitoba 60.13% 53.07% 47.88% 42.7% 44.61% 42.19% 38.18% 56.28% 38.28%
 Yukon 47.34% 30% 28.77% 50% 43.9% 42.22% 62.5% 64.29% 35.29%
 Alberta 42.46% 39.08% 39.49% 41.3% 39.3% 36.76% 32.9% 25.27% 29.15%
 Prince Edward
Island		 41.44% 18.97% 8% 5.88% 0% 15.38% 42.86% 5.88% 33.33%
 Nova
Scotia		 31.09% 11.89% 13.48% 12.94% 14.94% 20.08% 25.27% 11.63% 18.1%
 Saskatchewan 29.76% 27.7% 25.75% 21.96% 21.92% 19.07% 17.19% 13.33% 24.09%
 New
Brunswick		 28.68% 6.9% 3.72% 5.08% 7.85% 5.11% 5.64% 6.32% 13.89%
 Quebec 26.79% 18.67% 15.84% 20.05% 20.85% 18.08% 14.14% 11.43% 10.67%
 Ontario 26.26% 23.85% 23.74% 24.21% 24.68% 23.19% 22.45% 16.28% 19.2%
 Newfoundland
and Labrador		 22.86% 17.7% 5.75% 8.55% 13.51% 13.21% 21.56% 10.47% 14.48%
 Northwest
Territories		 22.58% 17.07% 15% 11.9% 17.5% 21.43% 29.55% 30% 27.27%
 Nunavut 16.67% 11.54% 13.04% 11.76% 33.33% — — — —
 Canada 36.64% 34.04% 33.77% 34.64% 35.17% 34.38% 33.22% 30.37% 33.06%

At the early stage most of the Punjabis were Sikh but with time they had been adopting to Christianity as well.