thumb|250px|Italian Canadians as percent of population by province/territory
Italian Canadians or Italo-Canadians (; ) are Canadian-born citizens who are fully or partially of Italian descent, whose ancestors were Italians who migrated to Canada as part of the Italian diaspora, or Italian-born people in Canada. According to the 2021 Census of Canada, 1,546,390 Canadians (4.3% of the total population) claimed full or partial Italian ancestry. Residing mainly in central urban industrial metropolitan areas, Italian Canadians are the seventh largest self-identified ethnic group in Canada behind French, English, Irish, Scottish, German and Chinese Canadians.
Italian immigration to Canada started as early as the mid 19th century. A substantial influx of Italian immigration to Canada began in the early 20th century, primarily from rural southern Italy, with immigrants primarily settling in Toronto and Montreal. During the interwar period after World War I, new immigration laws in the 1920s limited Italian immigration. During World War II, approximately 600 to 700 Italian Canadian men were interned between 1940 and 1943 as potentially dangerous enemy aliens with alleged fascist connections.
A second wave of immigration occurred after the World War II, and between the early 1950s and the mid-1960s, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Italians immigrated to Canada each year, many of the men working in the construction industry upon settling. Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia was an influential port of Italian immigration between 1928 until it ceased operations in 1971, where 471,940 individuals came to Canada from Italy, making them the third largest ethnic group to immigrate to Canada during that time period. In the late 1960s, the Italian economy experienced a period of growth and recovery, removing one of the primary incentives for emigration. The importance of the family unit of Italian Canadians has provided a central role in the adaptation of newer socioeconomic realities. In 2010, the Government of Ontario proclaimed the month of June as Italian Heritage Month, and in 2017, the Government of Canada also declared the month of June as Italian Heritage Month across Canada.
History
thumb|right|250px|Italian immigrants lay cobblestones on [[King Street (Toronto)|King Street in Toronto, 1903]]
thumb|250px|right|A grocery store owned by an Italian family in [[Little Italy, Montreal|Little Italy, Montreal, 1910]]
thumb|200px|right|Sign of Mirador, a restaurant in [[Montreal owned by an Italian immigrant, 1948]]
The first explorer to coastal North America was the Venetian John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), making landfall in Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1497. His voyage to Canada and other parts of the Americas was followed by his son Sebastian Cabot (Sebastiano Caboto) and Giovanni da Verrazzano. Immediately after the unification of Italy, the young nation experienced the phenomenon of emigration on a massive scale. While until that time the migratory destinations had been mostly European, starting in the second half of the 19th century transatlantic emigration to the Americas emerged, in the direction of lands that became typical destinations for Italians. The first Canadian census enumerating the population was not conducted until 1871. At this time, there were only 1,035 people of Italian origin that lived in Canada. In 1904, 3,144 of the 8,576 seasonal Canadian Pacific Railway workforce were Italian men. a term coined in England to refer to laborers and which from 1830 onwards was applied in a derogatory sense to those who worked on tunnel or railway construction in uncomfortable conditions.
A substantial influx of Italian immigration to Canada began in the early 20th century when over 60,000 Italians moved to Canada between 1900 and 1913. These were largely peasants from southern Italy and agrarian parts of the northeast (Veneto and Friuli). These numbers were dwarfed in comparison to those of the United States, however, where about four million Italians immigrated between 1880 and 1920. In Toronto, the Italian population increased from 4,900 in 1911, to 9,000 in 1921, constituting almost two percent of Toronto's population. Italians in Toronto and in Montreal soon established ethnic enclaves, especially Little Italies in Toronto and in Montreal. Smaller communities also arose in Vancouver, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Guelph, Windsor, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa and Sherbrooke. Many also settled in mining communities in British Columbia (Trail), Alberta (Crowsnest Pass), Cape Breton Island (Inverness), and Northern Ontario (Sault Ste. Marie and Fort William).
This migration was largely halted after World War I, new immigration laws in the 1920s, and the Great Depression limited Italian immigration. Approximately 40,000 Italians came to Canada during the interwar period, predominantly from southern Italy where an economic depression and overpopulation had left many families in poverty. In May 2009, Massimo Pacetti introduced bill C-302, an "Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their "enemy alien" designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian Canadian history [worth $2.5 million]", which was passed by the House of Commons on April 28, 2010; Canada Post was also to issue a commemorative postage stamp commemorating the internment of Italian Canadian citizens, however, Bill C-302 did not pass through the necessary stages to become law. In 2021, prime minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized for the war internment of Italian Canadians, in the House of Commons.
A second wave occurred after World War II when Italians, especially from the more southern regions, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Apulia, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily regions, left the war-impoverished country for opportunities in a young and growing country. Between the early 1950s and the mid-1960s, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Italians immigrated to Canada each year, surpassing those who went to the United States during the same period. Between 1946 and 1967, more than 90 percent of Italian immigrants took advantage of the sponsorship system whereby they were admitted into Canada if sponsored by relatives residing in Canada that would assume the financial responsibility for them during their settlement period. In the late 1960s, the Italian economy experienced a period of growth and recovery, removing one of the primary incentives for emigration. There has been an overall decline in the use of the Italian language in Canada since 2001.
Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia was an influential port of Italian immigration between 1928 until it ceased operations in 1971, where 471,940 individuals came to Canada from Italy, making them the third largest ethnic group to immigrate to Canada during that time period.
The rapid growth of the metropolitan areas that had attracted Italian immigrants, created a strong demand for construction work, and by the 1960s, more than 15,000 Italian men worked in Toronto's construction industry, representing one third of all construction workers in the city at that time. Italian women who entered the workforce often worked in the garment and clothing industry.
In 2010, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 103 with royal assent proclaiming the month of June as Italian Heritage Month. On May 17, 2017, the Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly passed a unanimous motion, Motion 64, in the House of Commons to recognize the month of June as Italian Heritage Month across Canada — a time to recognize, celebrate and raise awareness of the Italian community in Canada, one of the largest outside of Italy.
In 2019, Canada received the 11th highest number of Italian emigrants, and among non-European countries was the fourth highest after Brazil, the United States and Australia. Compared to the past, the skills of migrants have changed as today there are many researchers, skilled workers and entrepreneurs. In 2018, more than half of the Italian citizens who moved abroad (53 percent) had medium-high educational qualifications: 33,000 high school graduates and 29,000 college graduates. Highly qualified people are in demand in Canada in areas that are lacking in the territory, particularly in information and communication technologies.
Demographics
Ethnicity
As of the 2021 census, 1,546,390 Canadian residents stated they had Italian ancestry, comprising 4.3 percent of Canada's population, marking a 2.6 percent decrease from the 1,587,970 population of the 2016 census.
| align="right" |1,035
| align="right" |0.03%
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
|N/A
|-
|1881
| align="right" |45,411
| align="right" |0.6%
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
|
|-
|1921
| align="right" |459,351
| align="right" |2.5%
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
|
|-
|1971
| align="right" |747,970
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
|
|-
|1991
| align="right" |1,147,780
| align="right" |4.1%
| align="right" |750,055
| align="right" |397,725
|
|-
|1996
| align="right" |1,207,475
| align="right" |4.2%
| align="right" |729,455
| align="right" |478,025
|
|-
|2001
| align="right" |1,270,370
| align="right" |4.3%
| align="right" |726,275
| align="right" |544,090
|
|-
|2006
| align="right" |1,445,335
| align="right" |4.6%
| align="right" |741,045
| align="right" |704,285
|
|-
|2011
| align="right" |1,488,425
| align="right" |4.5%
| align="right" |700,845
| align="right" |787,580
|
|-
|2016
| align="right" |1,587,970
| align="right" |4.6%
| align="right" |695,420
| align="right" |892,550
|
|-
|2021 |name="note4"
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |95
| align="right" |0.4%
| align="right" |125
| align="right" |0.4%
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Canadians of Italian ethnicity by province and territory (2011–2021)
|-
!Province/territory
!Population (2011)
!% of total ethnic population (1996)
!Population (2001)
!% of total ethnic population (2001)
!Population (2006)
!% of total ethnic population (2006)
|-
|Toronto CMA
| align="right" |387,655
| align="right" |10.1%
| align="right" |414,310
| align="right" |9.8%
| align="right" |429,380
| align="right" |9.2%
| align="right" |466,155
| align="right" |9.2%
|-
|Montreal CMA
| align="right" |163,830
| align="right" |9.2%
| align="right" |220,935
| align="right" |6.7%
| align="right" |224,460
| align="right" |6.6%
| align="right" |260,345
| align="right" |7.3%
|-
|Greater Vancouver
| align="right" |58,465
| align="right" |3.8%
| align="right" |64,285
| align="right" |3.5%
| align="right" |69,000
| align="right" |3.5%
| align="right" |76,345
| align="right" |3.6%
|-
|Hamilton CMA
| align="right" |51,320
| align="right" |11.4%
| align="right" |62,035
| align="right" |10.0%
| align="right" |67,685
| align="right" |10.3%
| align="right" |72,440
| align="right" |10.6%
|-
|Niagara Region
| align="right" |43,040
| align="right" |10.9%
| align="right" |44,515
| align="right" |11.0%
| align="right" |44,645
| align="right" |12.0%
| align="right" |48,850
| align="right" |12.7%
|-
|National Capital Region
| align="right" |30,265
| align="right" |4.5%
| align="right" |34,350
| align="right" |3.4%
| align="right" |37,435
| align="right" |3.6%
| align="right" |45,005
| align="right" |4.0%
|-
|Greater Calgary
| align="right" |22,810
| align="right" |3.2%
| align="right" |23,885
| align="right" |2.9%
| align="right" |29,120
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |33,645
| align="right" |3.1%
|-
|Windsor
| align="right" |20,320
| align="right" |10.6%
| align="right" |29,270
| align="right" |10.6%
| align="right" |30,680
| align="right" |10.1%
| align="right" |33,725
| align="right" |10.5%
|-
|Greater Edmonton
| align="right" |17,780
| align="right" |2.9%
| align="right" |20,020
| align="right" |2.3%
| align="right" |22,385
| align="right" |2.4%
| align="right" |28,805
| align="right" |2.8%
|-
|Greater Winnipeg
| align="right" |14,460
| align="right" |2.3%
| align="right" |15,245
| align="right" |2.3%
| align="right" |16,105
| align="right" |2.4%
| align="right" |18,580
| align="right" |2.7%
|-
|Sault Ste. Marie
| align="right" |16,930
| align="right" |20.8%
| align="right" |16,480
| align="right" |20.0%
| align="right" |16,315
| align="right" |21.0%
| align="right" |17,720
| align="right" |22.4%
|-
|Thunder Bay
| align="right" |14,265
| align="right" |12.5%
| align="right" |15,095
| align="right" |12.1%
| align="right" |15,395
| align="right" |12.8%
| align="right" |17,290
| align="right" |14.3%
|-
|London
| align="right" |13,455
| align="right" |4.4%
| align="right" |15,570
| align="right" |4.0%
| align="right" |17,290
| align="right" |4.1%
| align="right" |20,380
| align="right" |4.5%
|-
|Greater Sudbury
| align="right" |12,210
| align="right" |7.6%
| align="right" |11,990
| align="right" |7.5%
| align="right" |12,030
| align="right" |7.8%
| align="right" |13,415
| align="right" |8.6%
|-
|Oshawa CMA
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |11,675
| align="right" |4.4%
| align="right" |13,990
| align="right" |4.8%
| align="right" |18,225
| align="right" |5.6%
|-
|Guelph
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |11,135
| align="right" |9.6%
| align="right" |12,110
| align="right" |9.6%
|-
|Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |10,240
| align="right" |2.5%
| align="right" |11,365
| align="right" |2.8%
| align="right" |13,675
| align="right" |3.1%
|-
|Barrie
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |N/A
| align="right" |10,330
| align="right" |5.9%
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Canadians of Italian ethnicity (greater than 10,000) by metropolitan area and census agglomeration (2011–2021)
|-
!Metropolitan area
!Population (2011)
!% of total ethnic population (2011)
!Population (2016)
!% of total ethnic population (2016)
!Population (2021)
!% of total ethnic population (2021)
|-
|Toronto CMA
| align="right" |475,090
| align="right" |8.6%
| align="right" |484,360
| align="right" |8.3%
| align="right" |444,755
| align="right" |7.2%
|-
|Montreal CMA
| align="right" |263,565
| align="right" |7.0%
| align="right" |279,795
| align="right" |7.0%
| align="right" |267,240
| align="right" |6.3%
|-
|Greater Vancouver
| align="right" |82,435
| align="right" |3.6%
| align="right" |87,875
| align="right" |3.6%
| align="right" |83,200
| align="right" |3.2%
|-
|Hamilton CMA
| align="right" |75,900
| align="right" |10.7%
| align="right" |79,725
| align="right" |10.8%
| align="right" |80,165
| align="right" |10.4%
|-
|Niagara Region
| align="right" |48,530
| align="right" |12.6%
| align="right" |49,345
| align="right" |12.4%
| align="right" |50,210
| align="right" |11.8%
|-
|National Capital Region
| align="right" |47,975
| align="right" |4.0%
| align="right" |53,825
| align="right" |4.1%
| align="right" |55,945
| align="right" |3.8%
|-
|Greater Calgary
| align="right" |36,875
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |42,940
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |41,620
| align="right" |2.8%
|-
|Windsor
| align="right" |30,880
| align="right" |9.8%
| align="right" |33,175
| align="right" |10.2%
| align="right" |37,665
| align="right" |9.1%
|-
|Greater Edmonton
| align="right" |29,580
| align="right" |2.6%
| align="right" |33,800
| align="right" |2.6%
| align="right" |32,235
| align="right" |2.3%
|-
|Oshawa CMA
| align="right" |20,265
| align="right" |5.8%
| align="right" |22,870
| align="right" |6.1%
| align="right" |22,745
| align="right" |5.5%
|-
|London
| align="right" |20,210
| align="right" |4.3%
| align="right" |22,625
| align="right" |4.6%
| align="right" |22,755
| align="right" |4.3%
|-
|Greater Winnipeg
| align="right" |18,405
| align="right" |2.6%
| align="right" |19,435
| align="right" |2.6%
| align="right" |19,060
| align="right" |2.3%
|-
|Sault Ste. Marie
| align="right" |16,005
| align="right" |20.4%
| align="right" |16,025
| align="right" |20.9%
| align="right" |14,945
| align="right" |19.8%
|-
|Thunder Bay
| align="right" |15,575
| align="right" |13.1%
| align="right" |16,610
| align="right" |14.0%
| align="right" |16,615
| align="right" |13.7%
|-
|Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo
| align="right" |14,860
| align="right" |3.2%
| align="right" |18,650
| align="right" |3.6%
| align="right" |19,475
| align="right" |3.4%
|-
|Greater Sudbury
| align="right" |13,115
| align="right" |8.3%
| align="right" |13,500
| align="right" |8.3%
| align="right" |12,935
| align="right" |7.7%
|-
|Guelph
| align="right" |12,915
| align="right" |9.3%
| align="right" |14,430
| align="right" |9.6%
| align="right" |14,075
| align="right" |8.6%
|-
|Barrie
| align="right" |11,415
| align="right" |6.2%
| align="right" |14,460
| align="right" |7.4%
| align="right" |16,190
| align="right" |7.7%
|-
|Victoria
| align="right" |10,535
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |11,665
| align="right" |3.3%
| align="right" |12,750
| align="right" |3.3%
|}
Language and immigration
As of 2021, of the 1,546,390 Italian Canadians, 204,070 are Italian born immigrants,
| align="right" |449,660
| align="right" |12.7%
| align="right" |1.7%
| align="right" |39.2%
|-
| 1996
| align="right" |484,500
| align="right" |10.5%
| align="right" |1.7%
| align="right" |40.1%
|-
| 2001
| align="right" |469,485
| align="right" |9.0%
| align="right" |1.6%
| align="right" |37.0%
|-
| 2006
| align="right" |455,040
| align="right" |7.4%
| align="right" |1.5%
| align="right" |31.5%
|-
| 2011
| align="right" |407,485
| align="right" |6.2%
| align="right" |1.2%
| align="right" |27.4%
|-
| 2016
| align="right" |375,645
| align="right" |5.1%
| align="right" |1.1%
| align="right" |23.7%
|-
| 2021
| align="right" |319,505
| align="right" |4.1%
| align="right" |0.9%
| align="right" |20.7%
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Italian immigrant population to Canada
|-
!Period
!Population
!% of total<br>Canadian immigration
|-
| 1901–1910
| align="right" |332,110
| align="right" |6.7%
| align="right" |1.2%
|-
| 2001
| align="right" |315,455
| align="right" |5.8%
| align="right" |1.1%
|-
| 2006
| align="right" |296,850
| align="right" |4.8%
| align="right" |0.9%
|-
| 2011
| align="right" |260,250
| align="right" |3.6%
| align="right" |0.8%
|-
| 2016
| align="right" |236,635
| align="right" |3.1%
| align="right" |0.7%
|-
| 2021
| align="right" |204,070
| align="right" |2.4%
| align="right" |0.6%
|}
Religion
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Religious affiliation of Italian Canadians
! rowspan="3" |Religious group
! colspan="3" |2001