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Introductory Comment Regarding This Timeline: Why should Belgian Immigration to Canada be examined if they represent such a small immigrant group?
The following is a quote from Cornelius J. Jaenen's book titled: Promoters, Planters and Pioneers... page x. "What distinguished Belgians from many other newcomers was the perception they were in a “preferred” category because of their attributed resourcefulness and adaptability, their identi cation with both the English and French socio- cultural communities, and the image of a brave, independent, democratic, civilized Belgium that emerged from foreign occupation during two world wars." -
Belgian Immigration to New France
People like Jean Talon and the engineer of Fort Louisbourg, Louis Franquet, recruited Belgians to Canada in the mid-1700s to help maintain the colonies economic vitality. The number of Belgian immigrants, however, is not incredibly significant (Jaenen, 6). -
New France conquered by the British - British North America formed
There is little Belgian immigration at this time. -
Late 1800s: Belgian Immigrants Enhance Canadian Dairy Industry
The small amount of Belgian immigrants who came to Canada before World War One came mostly as agricultural workers, primarily in dairying. Their butter and cheese-making expertise helped grow the Canadian industry (Jaenen, 7-8). The dairy industry was mostly concentrated in Western Canada. -
99 Belgian families arrive in Quebec
In 1862, 99 Belgian families arrive in Quebec as a result of the efforts of A.H. Verret, an independent agent (Jaenen, 6). This is significant because it demonstrates a concentrated effort that was typical of this time for Belgian immigration. -
Confederation
This event signifies the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia uniting. As a result, a shift in immigration policy will take place whereby there will be a federal approach will form. -
1869 first Canadian Immigration Act
The first Canadian Immigration Act of 1869 identified Belgium as one of the "preferred countries" for immigrants coming to Canada (Jaenen, 6). -
"Chain Migration" begins to bring Belgian settlers to Manitoba
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Dominion Lands Act 1872
The Dominion Lands Act of 1872 enticed settlers to come to Western Canada by offering 160 acres of "agricultural land free to bona fide settlers" (Jaenen, 7). This worked well for Belgian's emigrating from the Flemish regions due to over-population and a shortage of viable agricultural lands. Immigration campaigns in Europe portrayed Canada as a "progressive agricultural nation" (Jaenen, 7). -
Catholic Party elected in Belgium
In 1880, the Catholic, conservative party comes to power in Belgium which causes unrest among Belgian industrial workers in Wallonia area. As a result, wage cuts for workers in the glass industry in Belgium prompts emigration to Quebec and Ontario to work for better wages (Jaenen, 9-10). -
Late 1880s: New Belgian-based communities being formed in Manitoba
By the late 1880s, new Belgian-settled communities were being formed in Manitoba such as Bruxelles and Swan Lake (Jaenen, 7). Belgian settlement in Western Canada was part of a larger effort to implant a francophone population here (Jaenen, 9). -
1890s: Louis Hacault Writes on Emigration to Manitoba
In the 1890s, a well-known journalist in Belgium, Louis Hacault, "wrote articles in conservative Belgian newspapers with a view to attracting settlers to southern Manitoba" (Jaenen, 9). -
Les Belges au Manitoba. Lettres authentiques (1894).
This pamphlet was published in 1894 to help promote Belgian immigration to Manitoba. It contained letters written by successful Belgian farmers in Canada (Promoters, Planters and Pioneers... Jaenen, 49). -
Union Belge founded in Montreal
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Direct steamship link established between Canada and Antwerp
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Immigration Act 1906
Frank Oliver brings in a new Immigration Act in 1906 which helps attract more than just agricultural Belgian settlers to Western Canada. The Act helped expand Belgian immigrants who worked in mining, construction and forestry (Jaenen, 10). -
1908 Sugar Beet Industry Takes Off - Attracts Belgian Immigrants
In 1908, the sugar beet industry begins to attract more Belgian agricultural workers than before. By 1912, the Dominion Sugar Company was recruiting men in Flanders, Belgium to work on the sugar beet plantations until the outbreak of WWI. The sugar beet industry greatly contributed to founding a steady Belgian population in southwestern Ontario (Jaenen, 13). -
1913: 2,000 Emigrants Leave Belgian Headed to Canada
1913 is a record year for early Belgian immigration to Canada with a recorded 2,000 emigrants leaving Belgian reportedly coming to Canada (Magee, 237). -
Prior to WWI: Only 14,000 Belgian Immigrants to Canada
Prior to WWI, there was only about 14,000 Belgian immigrants who had settled in Canada. The Canadian government remarked that this was a result of strong Belgian emigration restrictions. However, these restrictions were a response to some of the hard conditions that Belgians faced in Canada at this time. For example, "city lots were offered in Moose Jaw which turned out to be barren prairie plots far from the townsite" (Jaenen, 11). -
Scheppers College, Swan Lake, Manitoba
This image taken from Promoters, Planters and Pioneers... By Cornelius J. Jaenen. -
1920s: 14,000 Belgian Immigrants come to Canada
"The established Belgian communities in Canada received another 14,000 immigrants during the 1920s" (Jaenen, 13). Ontario and the West gained a significant amount of Belgian settlers whereas Quebec's number of Belgian settlers decline (Jaenen, 14). This is interesting considering that prior to WWI, many Belgians settled in Quebec. The push factors in Belgium after WWI include inflation, unemployment and strikes. Beet farms again were popular source of employment in Ontario (Jaenen, 14). -
Belgians have approximately 80 dairy farms near Winnipeg alone
This demonstrates the importance of Belgians to the dairy industry. See: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/belgians/ -
1920: 2,191 Belgians Immigrate to Canada
1920 is a peak year for Belgian immigration to Canada with 2,191 Belgians arriving (Magee, 238). -
Belgian Immigrants Join Tobacco Industry in SW Ontario
Belgian immigrants to Ontario were no longer just involved in the beet industry. Many began growing tobacco on the sandy soils that stretch from Tillsonburg to Delhi starting in 1926. With strong, extended family units, Flemish tobacco farmers survived the Great Depression (Jaenen, 15). Some farmers brought their skills to Norfolk County to help establish tobacco farming that is still common in the area today. From 1912-1940 36% Belgian immigrants were agricultural workers (Magee, 243). -
Tobacco Farming
The following photo is from The Belgians in Ontario: a history by Joan Magee, page 91. -
Belgian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Established in St.Boniface
The Belgian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce is established in St. Boniface by William English in 1932 "to cement relations with Belgian firms" (Implantation of Belgian Immigrants in Western Canada, Jaenen, 245). It is significant because it demonstrates Belgian influence and prominence in St.Boniface. -
1945 Post WWII Immigration
The greatest increase in the amount of Belgians coming to Canada was during the post-WWII era. It should be noted that Belgians moved to where there were other Belgians or into urban centres in Canada (Jaenen, 16). "From 1945 to 1967... 55 per cent of Belgian immigrants were francophones from the manufacturing centres of Brussels and Liege, and from the Borinage region (Hainaut) (Jaenen, 16). -
Late 1940s: Belgian Immigrants Mostly Attracted by Agricultural Economy
Most Belgian immigrants of the 1940s were still coming to Canada to pursue a living in agriculture. For example, even into the 1950s, tobacco in Ontario was thriving and the Delhi Belgian Club demonstrates the wealth of the industry (Jaenen, 17). -
1951: 7,583 Belgians Immigrate to Canada
In 1951, of the 194,391 immigrants coming to Canada, 7,583 of them are from Belgium (Magee, 239). This is a peak year for Belgian immigration, even though Belgians only amount to 3.9% of the immigrants that came to Canada in 1951. -
1960s: Belgian Immigration No Longer Agriculturally Inclined
By the 1960s, a new type of Belgian immigrants were coming to Canada. These were more educated Belgians working in commerce and other professions. This change is a result of changed Canadian immigration policy - one that preferred qualified individuals as the most favoured immigrants to the country (Jaenen, 17).
