Ontario 29,315 (2011) Quebec 5,155 Manitoba 1,495 | Alberta 5,310 British Columbia 5,740 Saskatchewan 735 | |
Lithuanian Canadians (Lithuanian: Kanados lietuviai) are citizens of Canada who are fully or partially of Lithuanian descent. Over two-thirds of Lithuanian Canadians reside in Toronto, with other much smaller populations scattered around most of the Canadian provinces and territories.
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History
The first documented Lithuanians in Canada were Lithuanians who fought in the British Army in Canada (1813-1815). Lithuanian immigrants to Canada came primarily for economic reasons, arriving between 1905-1940. The second wave of Lithuanians came after World War II, with most of the immigrants seeking to escape Communism after the unilateral Soviet incorporation of Lithuania into its boundaries. The third wave of immigrants began after the restoration of Lithuania's independence (1990), and have continued to arrive.
Concentration
The majority of Lithuanian Canadians reside in Toronto. Other well-rooted populations of moderate size can be found in urban Ontario (particularly Mississauga and Hamilton), Montreal in Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. Lithuanian Canadians are present in 37 Canadian municipalities. Other groups have migrated to British Columbia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
Organization
The Lithuanian Canadian Community (Lithuanian: Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenė), the largest Lithuanian Canadian association in Canada, has 17 chapters throughout Canada.
Religion
The descendants of the first and second waves of Lithuanian immigration are predominantly Roman Catholic, while a minority are Romuvan or Evangelical Lutheran. A considerable percentage of Lithuanian Canadians have reverted to the indigenous Lithuanian religion (which has been revived as Romuva), particularly third-wave immigrants. There are two Roman Catholic parishes for Lithuanian Canadians, two Romuvan groups, one Evangelical Lutheran congregation, and some minorities of Lithuanian-Jewish descent.