A Tense History

John Chow, who came to Canada in 1922, holds his torn Chinese Head Tax certificate.

Before the 1960s, most of the immigrants moving to Canada were from Europe. Immigration rules at the time were against non-European immigrants and blocked them from arriving based on race or where they were from. Back then, Chinese immigrants were extremely discriminated against using unfair policies such as the Chinese Head Tax, landing fees, and other restrictive agreements. For example, the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 blocked nearly all Chinese immigration for 24 years showing how extreme the immigration rules were at the time.

Letter issued by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration denying Chin Ng’s sponsorship of his two sons, Chin Park Chue and Chin Park Jue, from China to Canada under family reunification.

The anti-Chinese sentiment started when Chinese immigrants first arrived during the Gold Rush in 1858. Later, a large number of Chinese laborers arrived, who were very important in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Despite their big impact on the project, these Chinese workers faced exclusion from Canadian society, pushing them to seek other ways to create their own community. This led to the creation of Chinatowns as ethnic enclaves for Chinese immigrants to protect themselves and support each other, as well as to preserve their cultural identities.

Chinatowns in Canada have a long history of facing racial exclusion and discrimination, yet they have persevered through tough times. These neighborhoods were places where Chinese immigrants came together to build a community and grow their wealth. The City tried to stop Chinatowns from growing, with city planners and some local residents labeling these areas as slums or ghettos.

A former laundromat, Mr. Lee Hong’s laundry on 48 Elizabeth Street in Toronto, pictured in 1912.

For example, in 1902, a group of White businessmen known as the Laundry Association of Toronto, pressured the City to make Chinese owners pay a large fee to run their laundromats. This tactic succeeded, and the taxation of Chinese laundromats continued for many years.

Another example was from 1947, when the government expropriated most of Chinatown to make way for the construction of a new Toronto City Hall.  Most Chinese businesses were forced to move out without any compensation or support from the government. Many of the businesses moved to where downtown Chinatown is today, at Spadina & Dundas. However, in the 1960s, this new Chinatown was again in danger because of a development plan.

Jean Lumb during the Save Chinatown campaign, Toronto, 1960s. Courtesy of Arlene Chan.

But this time, the Chinese community fought back. They formed a committee led by Jean Lumb, a Chinese activist, community leader and restaurant owner. She rallied the Chinese community and brought their case to Toronto City Council and fought for the preservation of the remaining buildings in their old Chinatown.

Things changed slowly from there, when activists pushed for human rights reforms in the 1960s. These pressures forced the Canadian government to reform their immigration practices by introducing the universal point system in 1967. This system gave applicants points based on their age, education, work experience, language skills, if they have a job in Canada, and their ability to adjust to Canadian society, regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, or sex.