In brief: Canada is home to 1,359,655 people of Ukrainian ethnic origin according to the 2021 census, the largest Ukrainian diaspora outside of the former Soviet Union. Alberta leads all provinces with 375,350, Edmonton is the top city with 171,000, and the CUAET program has added over 200,000 temporary residents since 2022. The Ukrainian population in Canada continues to grow, evolve and shape the nation's identity.
The Big Picture: 2021 Census Overview
How many Ukrainians live in Canada? According to Statistics Canada's 2021 Census of Population, exactly 1,359,655 Canadians reported Ukrainian ethnic origin. This figure places Ukrainians as the 10th largest ethnic group in a country of 36.99 million people, representing approximately 3.7% of the total population. No other country outside the former Soviet Union has a Ukrainian community of this size, making Ukrainians in Canada one of the most significant diaspora populations in the world.
The census distinguishes between single ethnic origin responses (people who report only Ukrainian ancestry) and multiple ethnic origin responses (people who report Ukrainian ancestry alongside one or more other ethnic origins). In 2021, approximately 325,000 Canadians reported Ukrainian as their sole ethnic origin, while over one million reported Ukrainian ancestry combined with other backgrounds such as English, Scottish, German, Polish or French. This pattern reflects generations of intermarriage and the blending of Ukrainian heritage into the broader Canadian mosaic.
The distinction between single and multiple responses is significant because it reveals the depth of integration over time. First-generation immigrants overwhelmingly report single Ukrainian origin, while second- and third-generation Canadian Ukrainians increasingly identify with multiple ancestries. Rather than signaling the erosion of identity, this trend reflects the natural evolution of a community that has been part of Canada for over 130 years.
Ukrainian Population by Province
The Ukrainian population in Canada is not evenly distributed. Historical settlement patterns, economic opportunity and chain migration have concentrated the community heavily in the Prairie provinces and Ontario. The first waves of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada were drawn to the free homestead lands of the prairies in the late 1890s, and their descendants remain the demographic backbone of Ukrainian Canada today.
| Province / Territory | Ukrainian Population | % of Provincial Population |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 375,350 | 8.5% |
| Ontario | 338,720 | 2.3% |
| Manitoba | 192,205 | 14.0% |
| Saskatchewan | 144,860 | 12.8% |
| British Columbia | 113,650 | 2.2% |
| Quebec | 35,680 | 0.4% |
| Nova Scotia | 14,820 | 1.5% |
| New Brunswick | 7,640 | 1.0% |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | 4,210 | 0.8% |
| Prince Edward Island | 2,890 | 1.8% |
| Territories (YT, NT, NU) | 3,430 | 2.6% |
Alberta leads all provinces with 375,350 residents of Ukrainian descent. The province's resource-based economy attracted Ukrainian settlers to farming communities in the early 1900s, and subsequent generations moved into Edmonton and Calgary as the oil industry boomed. Today, nearly one in twelve Albertans has Ukrainian roots.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan stand out for the highest proportions of Ukrainian Canadians relative to provincial population. In Manitoba, 14% of the population claims Ukrainian heritage, a remarkable figure that speaks to the deep cultural roots laid by pioneer settlers in areas like Dauphin, Gimli and the Interlake region. Saskatchewan's 12.8% Ukrainian population reflects similar homesteading patterns in communities like Yorkton, Canora and Hafford.
Ontario ranks second in absolute numbers with 338,720, driven by the massive population of the Greater Toronto Area. However, at just 2.3% of the provincial total, Ukrainians are a smaller slice of Ontario's extraordinarily diverse demographic pie. British Columbia hosts 113,650 Ukrainian Canadians, mostly in the Vancouver metropolitan area.
Top Canadian Cities by Ukrainian Population
While the prairies hold the historical roots of Ukrainian Canada, modern urbanization has drawn Ukrainian Canadians into the country's largest metropolitan areas. The following table shows the census metropolitan areas with the highest Ukrainian populations:
| City (Census Metropolitan Area) | Ukrainian Population | % of City Population |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton | 171,000 | 11.8% |
| Winnipeg | 164,000 | 20.0% |
| Toronto | 109,000 | 1.7% |
| Calgary | 100,000 | 6.5% |
| Vancouver | 72,000 | 2.7% |
| Saskatoon | 47,000 | 14.5% |
Edmonton holds the title of Canada's most Ukrainian city by absolute numbers. With approximately 171,000 residents of Ukrainian descent, Edmonton has more Ukrainian Canadians than any other metropolitan area. The city is home to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, numerous Ukrainian churches and one of the largest Ukrainian festivals in North America. Streets in neighborhoods like Beverly and the North Side bear the imprint of generations of Ukrainian settlement.
Winnipeg is the most Ukrainian city by proportion. A full 20% of Winnipeg's population reports Ukrainian ancestry, making Ukrainian culture an inseparable part of the city's identity. The North End of Winnipeg has been a Ukrainian heartland since the early 1900s, and today Winnipeg hosts the Ukrainian Labour Temple, Oseredok (the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre) and the annual Folklorama Ukrainian Pavilion.
Ukrainians in Toronto number approximately 109,000, concentrated in neighborhoods such as Bloor West Village, Etobicoke and North York. Despite being a smaller proportion of Toronto's massive population, the Ukrainian community there is highly organized, with churches, cultural centers, Saturday schools and an active civil society that has been especially visible since 2022.
Saskatoon deserves special mention for its 14.5% Ukrainian share. For a mid-sized city, this is extraordinary, and Ukrainian cultural institutions including the Ukrainian Museum of Canada are prominent landmarks in the city's downtown.
Historical Census Trends: 1901 to 2021
The story of how many Ukrainians in Canada there are at any given time is a story of migration waves, demographic growth and shifting identities. The Canadian census has tracked Ukrainian ethnic origin since the early 20th century, providing a remarkable longitudinal dataset:
- 1901: 5,682 — The earliest Ukrainian pioneers, mostly from Galicia and Bukovyna, had just begun arriving on the prairies.
- 1911: 75,432 — A tenfold increase in a single decade, reflecting the massive first wave of immigration encouraged by Clifford Sifton's open-door settlement policy.
- 1921: 106,721 — Growth slowed as World War I and the internment of Ukrainian Canadians as "enemy aliens" dampened immigration.
- 1931: 225,113 — A second wave of interwar immigrants swelled the numbers, many settling in urban areas for the first time.
- 1941: 305,929 — Continued natural growth despite the near-total halt of immigration during the Great Depression.
- 1951: 395,043 — Post-World War II displaced persons, including political refugees and Holocaust survivors, added a third wave of highly educated immigrants.
- 1961: 473,337 — The community was now firmly established, with second-generation Canadian-born Ukrainians outnumbering immigrants.
- 1981: 529,615 — Modest growth as immigration slowed but natural increase continued.
- 2001: 1,071,060 — A dramatic jump partly attributable to changes in census methodology that encouraged multiple ethnic origin reporting, and partly to a fourth wave of post-Soviet economic migrants in the 1990s.
- 2021: 1,359,655 — The highest figure ever recorded, reflecting both continued immigration and growing willingness among later generations to claim Ukrainian heritage.
This trajectory from fewer than 6,000 to nearly 1.4 million in 120 years is one of the most remarkable growth stories in Canadian immigration history. The full history of Ukrainian immigration to Canada spans five distinct waves, each leaving its mark on the national landscape.
Post-2022 Growth: The CUAET Wave
The most dramatic recent shift in the Ukrainian population in Canada came after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Canadian government launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program in March 2022, providing temporary residence permits to Ukrainians fleeing the war. The response was overwhelming:
- Over 900,000 applications were received by the time the program closed to new applicants in 2023
- More than 200,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada as temporary residents
- The largest concentrations settled in Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia
- Many arrivals were women, children and elderly, as men of military age were restricted from leaving Ukraine
These new arrivals differ from previous immigration waves in important ways. Many came with the expectation of returning to Ukraine once conditions permitted. Their education levels are high: a significant proportion hold university degrees, speak English and have professional experience in fields such as IT, medicine, engineering and education. Canadian communities, especially those with existing Ukrainian populations, mobilized rapidly to provide housing, language support, employment assistance and school enrolment for children.
For those considering this pathway, our guide on how to immigrate to Canada from Ukraine provides detailed information on current visa options, settlement resources and the transition from temporary to permanent residency.
The CUAET arrivals pushed the effective Ukrainian population in Canada well above 1.5 million by 2024, although these temporary residents are not captured in the 2021 census figures. Their long-term impact on the community depends on how many choose to stay permanently, but early indicators suggest a substantial proportion are building roots, purchasing property and enrolling in credential recognition programs.
Demographics: Age, Language and Identity
The Canadian Ukrainian community is not monolithic. Its demographic profile reveals important patterns about integration, identity retention and generational change.
Age Distribution
The established Ukrainian-Canadian population skews older than the Canadian average. Many third- and fourth-generation Ukrainian Canadians are in the 45-75 age bracket, reflecting the natural aging of descendants from the first and second immigration waves. The pre-2022 community had a median age several years above the national median of 41.6 years. However, the CUAET wave has significantly lowered the average, bringing tens of thousands of younger adults, children and families into the demographic mix.
Language Retention
The number of Ukrainian speakers in Canada has been on a long decline even as the ethnic population has grown. In 2021, approximately 118,000 Canadians reported Ukrainian as a mother tongue, and roughly 80,000 spoke it regularly at home. This represents a significant drop from mid-20th century levels, when Ukrainian was one of the most commonly spoken non-official languages in Canada. Several factors drive this decline:
- Generational language shift: Second- and third-generation Ukrainian Canadians predominantly speak English at home
- Intermarriage: Ukrainian-Canadian families with non-Ukrainian spouses typically default to English
- Reduced institutional support: Fewer Ukrainian-language schools operate today compared to the mid-20th century
The CUAET arrivals have temporarily boosted the number of Ukrainian speakers, but long-term language retention depends on community investment in bilingual education, heritage language programs and cultural institutions. Cities like Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto maintain Ukrainian Saturday schools and bilingual programs that help children maintain linguistic skills.
Identity: Single vs. Multiple Origins
Canadian census data reveals a fascinating pattern of identity evolution. Among first-generation Ukrainian immigrants, nearly all report Ukrainian as their sole ethnic origin. By the third generation, the majority report Ukrainian alongside other ethnicities. This does not mean Ukrainian identity is fading; rather, it is blending with Canadian identity in a way that reflects the country's multicultural ethos. Many Canadians of Ukrainian descent proudly display Ukrainian embroidery, celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the Julian calendar, and make pyrohy (perogies) as a family tradition, even while identifying equally as Canadian.
Ukrainian Contributions to Canadian Society
The 1.4 million Ukrainians in Canada have made contributions far beyond their numerical weight. Over more than a century of settlement, Ukrainian Canadians have risen to the highest levels of politics, arts, business and community leadership.
Politics and Government
Ukrainian Canadians have held some of the most powerful political offices in the country. Multiple provincial premiers of Ukrainian descent have governed Canadian provinces:
- Ed Stelmach — Premier of Alberta (2006-2011), the first Ukrainian Canadian to lead Canada's wealthiest province
- Gary Filmon — Premier of Manitoba (1988-1999), who led the province through significant economic reforms
- Roy Romanow — Premier of Saskatchewan (1991-2001), later leading a major national commission on healthcare reform
- Dave Barrett — Premier of British Columbia (1972-1975), of partial Ukrainian descent
At the federal level, Ukrainian Canadians have served as cabinet ministers, senators and members of Parliament across all major parties. The community's political engagement reflects a deep commitment to democratic participation that stretches back to the early struggles of prairie homesteaders for municipal representation.
Arts and Culture
Ukrainian Canadians have enriched the nation's cultural landscape in countless ways. From the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Edmonton, who perform on international stages, to writers like Janice Dickin and filmmakers like Slavko Nowytski, the creative output of the community is vast. The tradition of pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs) has become a recognized Canadian folk art, with the world's largest pysanka standing in Vegreville, Alberta, as a symbol of Ukrainian-Canadian pride.
Ukrainian food culture has also become woven into Canadian life. Perogies are sold in every Canadian grocery store. Ukrainian church suppers serving borscht, holubtsi (cabbage rolls) and kovbasa (sausage) are community institutions in hundreds of prairie towns. The community of Ukrainians in Canada maintains these culinary traditions as a living connection to their heritage.
Business and Economy
From the agricultural foundations of the prairies to the modern energy sector, Ukrainian Canadians have been builders. Many of Alberta's early farming communities were established by Ukrainian homesteaders who broke the land, built grain elevators and established cooperative enterprises. Today, Ukrainian Canadians are prominent in energy, construction, technology, real estate and professional services across the country.
Tracing Ukrainian-Canadian Roots
With 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent, the question of family history and genealogical research is increasingly popular among Ukrainian Canadians. Many third- and fourth-generation Canadians want to know exactly where in Ukraine their great-grandparents came from, what village they left behind and who else in their family made the journey to Canada.
Fortunately, Canada's immigration records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are well preserved. Ships' manifests, homestead records, church registries and census returns provide a paper trail that can often be traced back to specific villages in Galicia, Bukovyna, Volhynia or other regions of present-day Ukraine. Resources like the Ukrainian Genealogy Group offer valuable tools, databases and community support for those embarking on the journey of discovering their Ukrainian-Canadian ancestry. Provincial archives in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina and Toronto also hold extensive collections of Ukrainian community records.
For many families, the act of researching their roots is deeply meaningful. It connects living Canadians to the courage and sacrifice of ancestors who left everything behind for a chance at a better life on the Canadian prairies. It also reinforces the bonds between the Ukrainian diaspora and the homeland, as researchers often establish contact with distant relatives still living in Ukraine.
The Numbers in Context
To appreciate what 1,359,655 Ukrainian Canadians truly represents, consider this: Canada's total population in 1901, when just 5,682 Ukrainians were counted, was only 5.4 million. The Ukrainian community has grown at a faster rate than the overall Canadian population for most of the past 120 years. Today, there are more people of Ukrainian descent in Alberta alone than in many European countries' total Ukrainian diaspora populations. The Ukrainian population in Canada is larger than the entire population of cities like Halifax, Victoria or Regina.
This community is not just a statistical curiosity. It is a living, breathing force in Canadian life. Ukrainian Canadians vote, build businesses, teach in schools, serve in the military, create art, play hockey and raise families that carry forward both Canadian values and Ukrainian heritage. As Canada continues to welcome new waves of Ukrainian immigrants and temporary residents, the community's influence on the nation's politics, culture and identity will only grow stronger in the decades ahead.