One of the changes brought about by WWI was the great lessening of transatlantic emigration to North America. Not only to the United States but also to Canada. If we can avoid the all-out European conflict (perhaps limiting things to no more than a series of "damned fools things in the Balkans?), what butterflies manage to move to Canada? Greater settlement of the prairie provinces (and relative electoral strength)? Closer (or looser?) ties to Britain? Economic development (I recall the emigration stop and the war economy were cited as significant factors in the financial embarrassment of both the Grand Trunk and Canadian Northern Railways)?
No WWI - Canadian Immigration
- Thread starter Kevin C. Smith
- Start date
Shame it didn't receive any replies. The immigration into Canada and the other immigration receiving countries really dropped once WWI was declared. Most countries had relatively free movement of people (of European descent), usually only excluding those who were ill.
As you can see below the postwar migration to Canada really fell with the war and didn't recover until after WW2.
Net Migration into Canada
1870-1913 861,000
1914-1949 207,000
1950-1973 2,126,000
1974-1998 2,680,000
1913 was a peak year with over 400,000 immigrants arriving in Canada. Canada. The two largest groups were British and Americans.
The single largest group of immigrants coming into Canada were of British, with 150,542 arriving in 1913, of these 102,122 were English, 29,128 Scottish, 9,585 Irish and 1,787 Welsh. What is significant is that in the decade before 1901, British immigration was usually averaged 10-12,000 per year. However, it jumped up to 41,792 in 1903, 86,796 in 1906 and 120,128 by 1908. In 1909-1910 it declined (probably due to the aftershock of the recession), but by 1911 was back to 123,013. Below shows how many settled in the Prairies. Compared to other groups, the British tended to be dispersed throughout the dominion.
1913
Manitoba 15,832
Saskatchewan 7,992
Alberta 6,651
Total British Immigration: 150,542
The next largest group were Americans. The number of Americans settling in Canada rose from 2,412 in 1897 to 17,987 in 1901, 26,388 in 1902, 49,473 in 1903, 59,832 in 1909, 103,798 in 1910 and 121,451 in 1911. In 1913 they reached a record of 139,009. Americans settled largely in the Prairies and British Columbia. It was estimated that by 1914 around 65% of Alberta's population was American in origin. Many of these were 1st and 2nd generation Americans who had come from Minnesota, North Dakota and other Plains states, taking advantage of free land.
1913
Alberta 28,560
Saskatchewan 24,798
Manitoba 9,466
Total American Immigration into Canada 139,009
The next largest contributing country was Austria-Hungary with 28,323 immigrants arriving in 1913. From Austria-Hungary the immigrants were largely Polish, Jewish and Ruthenian (Ukrainian), with much smaller numbers of Hungarians, Germans, and Czechs. Around 70% of the Ukrainians settling in Canada came from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Just behind is Italy, with 24,485 immigrants in 1913. Around 2/3 of these were men from Southern Italy indicating that many were temporary migrants searching seasonal or temporary work. Most settled in Montreal and Toronto. This is not dissimilar to the situation in the U.S., Argentina and Brazil where around 1/2 of all Italians would return to Italy during this period. Immigration from Greece, the Balkans, Spain, and Portugal was similar in this period.
The other large source of immigrants in 1913 is the Russian Empire, with 24,485. Very few of these were ethnic Russians, with the majority being Jews and Poles, with smaller numbers of Finns, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, and Armenians. The Jews, especially those coming from Russia had a very low rate of return (5-7% most years), most likely due to the persecution. However, almost 1/4th of all Jews arriving Canada would move to the United States. Montreal, being a major port of entry for immigrants heading to Northern New York and parts of the Midwest.
After these groups comes Germany with 5,537 and China with 5,512. No other country sent more than 5,000 immigrants to Canada in 1913. With emigration from Germany to all countries declining heavily, this number would probably drop. However, the flow of Chinese Immigrants in Canada would probably still be cutoff as it was in 1923, as it was in the US in 1885.
Now what would the effects be? Canada would certainly be more Jewish (along with the U.S., Argentina, South Africa) due to Jewish immigration from Russia not being cutoff by the war. In 1900 3,376 Jews arrived in Canada, by 1907 that number was 9,882 and by 1913 18,031. Most settled in urban areas, so perhaps more cities would resemble part of Brooklyn or the Bronx (pre-WW2).
Also, you the U.S. gets more immigrants so you would have more arriving in Canada via the U.S. as well. The populist politics in Alberta and Saskatchewan were thought to have been highly influenced by American new arrivals. As for being closer to Britain, that's really hard to say. One of the effects of the large immigration from 1901-1911 meant that the population of Canada grew by 34%, the French Canadian population only grew 25%. However, one has to remember that at this time there was still significant French Canadian emigration to New England and the Midwest.
As you can see below the postwar migration to Canada really fell with the war and didn't recover until after WW2.
Net Migration into Canada
1870-1913 861,000
1914-1949 207,000
1950-1973 2,126,000
1974-1998 2,680,000
1913 was a peak year with over 400,000 immigrants arriving in Canada. Canada. The two largest groups were British and Americans.
The single largest group of immigrants coming into Canada were of British, with 150,542 arriving in 1913, of these 102,122 were English, 29,128 Scottish, 9,585 Irish and 1,787 Welsh. What is significant is that in the decade before 1901, British immigration was usually averaged 10-12,000 per year. However, it jumped up to 41,792 in 1903, 86,796 in 1906 and 120,128 by 1908. In 1909-1910 it declined (probably due to the aftershock of the recession), but by 1911 was back to 123,013. Below shows how many settled in the Prairies. Compared to other groups, the British tended to be dispersed throughout the dominion.
1913
Manitoba 15,832
Saskatchewan 7,992
Alberta 6,651
Total British Immigration: 150,542
The next largest group were Americans. The number of Americans settling in Canada rose from 2,412 in 1897 to 17,987 in 1901, 26,388 in 1902, 49,473 in 1903, 59,832 in 1909, 103,798 in 1910 and 121,451 in 1911. In 1913 they reached a record of 139,009. Americans settled largely in the Prairies and British Columbia. It was estimated that by 1914 around 65% of Alberta's population was American in origin. Many of these were 1st and 2nd generation Americans who had come from Minnesota, North Dakota and other Plains states, taking advantage of free land.
1913
Alberta 28,560
Saskatchewan 24,798
Manitoba 9,466
Total American Immigration into Canada 139,009
The next largest contributing country was Austria-Hungary with 28,323 immigrants arriving in 1913. From Austria-Hungary the immigrants were largely Polish, Jewish and Ruthenian (Ukrainian), with much smaller numbers of Hungarians, Germans, and Czechs. Around 70% of the Ukrainians settling in Canada came from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Just behind is Italy, with 24,485 immigrants in 1913. Around 2/3 of these were men from Southern Italy indicating that many were temporary migrants searching seasonal or temporary work. Most settled in Montreal and Toronto. This is not dissimilar to the situation in the U.S., Argentina and Brazil where around 1/2 of all Italians would return to Italy during this period. Immigration from Greece, the Balkans, Spain, and Portugal was similar in this period.
The other large source of immigrants in 1913 is the Russian Empire, with 24,485. Very few of these were ethnic Russians, with the majority being Jews and Poles, with smaller numbers of Finns, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, and Armenians. The Jews, especially those coming from Russia had a very low rate of return (5-7% most years), most likely due to the persecution. However, almost 1/4th of all Jews arriving Canada would move to the United States. Montreal, being a major port of entry for immigrants heading to Northern New York and parts of the Midwest.
After these groups comes Germany with 5,537 and China with 5,512. No other country sent more than 5,000 immigrants to Canada in 1913. With emigration from Germany to all countries declining heavily, this number would probably drop. However, the flow of Chinese Immigrants in Canada would probably still be cutoff as it was in 1923, as it was in the US in 1885.
Now what would the effects be? Canada would certainly be more Jewish (along with the U.S., Argentina, South Africa) due to Jewish immigration from Russia not being cutoff by the war. In 1900 3,376 Jews arrived in Canada, by 1907 that number was 9,882 and by 1913 18,031. Most settled in urban areas, so perhaps more cities would resemble part of Brooklyn or the Bronx (pre-WW2).
Also, you the U.S. gets more immigrants so you would have more arriving in Canada via the U.S. as well. The populist politics in Alberta and Saskatchewan were thought to have been highly influenced by American new arrivals. As for being closer to Britain, that's really hard to say. One of the effects of the large immigration from 1901-1911 meant that the population of Canada grew by 34%, the French Canadian population only grew 25%. However, one has to remember that at this time there was still significant French Canadian emigration to New England and the Midwest.