Assyrians | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 20,000 (by ancestry, 2021 census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| major: Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa minor: Vancouver, Windsor, London | |
| Languages | |
| English · French · Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | |
| Religion | |
| Mainly Christianity (majority: Syriac Christianity; minority: Protestantism) |
Assyrian Canadians (French: Canadiens Assyriens) are Canadians of Assyrian descent or Assyrians who have Canadian citizenship. According to the 2011 census, there were 10,810 Canadians who claimed Assyrian ancestry,[2] an increase compared to the 8,650 in the 2006 Census.[3]
They are the indigenous pre-Arab and pre-Turkic people of northern Iraq, southeast Turkey, northeastern Syria, and northwest Iran, who speak dialects of Eastern Aramaic and are mainly Christian, although some are irreligious. Although most come from the aforementioned countries, many Assyrians have immigrated to Canada from Jordan, Georgia and Armenia as well.
The vast majority of Assyrian Canadians live in Ontario; 17,100 of the 20,000. 1,000 live in Windsor.[4] Greater Toronto Area contains the bulk of Ontario's Assyrians, especially in the communities of Brampton and Mississauga.
There, however, are very few outside of Ontario within Canada. For instance, Quebec only has 900 Assyrians, only 0.01% of its population.