Cultural snapshot for newcomers in Western Canada

Each province of Western Canada has been home for thousands of years to First Nations inhabitants, whose cultural presence continues to form an important pillar of Canadian culture today. Western Canada is known for a slightly slower, more relaxed pace of life than busy Ontario and Quebec. Whether you enjoy large bustling cities or tranquil, wide-open spaces, you will find a taste of everything in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

British Columbia

BC is the third most populous province after Ontario and Quebec, with a large portion of its residents living in the Lower Mainland, a region on the southwest coastline, which includes the coastal city of Vancouver and surrounding municipalities. The Lower Mainland is one of the most multicultural areas in Canada, attracting many newcomers from all over the world with its cultural diversity, career opportunities, and enjoyable temperate climate. The populations of Vancouver, Burnaby, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey in the Lower Mainland are made up of at least 50 per cent newcomers from all over the world, according to a Stats Canada report on ethnocultural diversity. The most common countries of origin of newcomers in British Columbia, according to the 2016 Census, are largely Asian countries:

1. China
2. India
3. Philippines
4. Iran
5. South Korea

Alberta
The province of Alberta is well-known throughout the world for its productive oil sands, and many of its communities are born out of this wealthy industry. Beyond this, Alberta’s two major cities Edmonton and Calgary are multicultural hubs where most newcomers tend to settle in the province. The province hosts large newcomer communities from the Philippines, India, the United Kingdom, China, and many more. Alberta’s stunning national parks, such as Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, bring visitors from all over the world to hike, sightsee, and ski in the towering mountains of the province. Alberta also has a strong western rodeo and ranching culture, with the city of Calgary hosting the annual Calgary Stampede, the world’s largest rodeo and western festival that attracts over one million visitors each year.

Saskatchewan
The province of Saskatchewan lies at the heart of Canada, a prairie province whose identity is rooted in traditional farming practices and welcoming hospitality. Also known as the “Land of the Living Skies,” clear and sunny Saskatchewan has plenty of expansive farmland where the friendly and hardworking culture of this province takes its roots.

As farming practices have become more efficient over the years, Saskatchewan residents have begun to move to the larger cities of Saskatoon and Regina, which become more diverse each year as newcomers continue to make Saskatchewan their new home. Fans of American-style football will find themselves right at home in Saskatchewan as the province’s residents are passionate about their Canadian Football League team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Members of “Rider Nation” deck themselves out in white and green, sing loudly, and sometimes wear watermelons as helmets to show their pride for their favourite team.

Manitoba
As the home of the influential Hudson’s Bay Company and the Canadian Fur Trade, Manitoba’s deep history goes back farther than some other Canadian provinces. The province is home to a large population of Métis; a group descended from Aboriginal women and French and Scottish fur traders, who have a distinct culture that is recognized in the Canadian constitution. Exploration runs deep in the culture of Manitoba, which is known as the ‘Land of 100,000 Lakes’ as well as being home to the polar bear capital of the world, Churchill. Newcomer communities continue to influence the cultural profile of Manitoba, especially in its culture- rich capital of Winnipeg. Cultural events such as the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival are a welcoming and fun introduction to the culture of Manitoba. Winnipeg is home to many other distinctly Manitoban cultural experiences, such as the world-famous Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Canadian Human Rights Museum.