Hungarian Canadians - Ontario

Ontario

The Canada 2006 Census counted 151,750 people in Ontario who have Hungarian roots or were born in Hungary. They account for 1.3% of the population. More recently, 53,000 Hungarians live in Toronto.

Most of the Hungarians lived in Welland, Windsor, Brantford and in Hamilton. In 1931, more than 1,000 Hungarians lived in Hamilton, Toronto and in Welland. There were significant Hungarian populations in Brantford, Kitchener, Oshawa, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and in Port Colborne. Many Hungarians worked at the construction of the Welland Canal. By 1961 Hungarians accounted for 40% of the population of Welland.

After the First World War thousands of Hungarians emigrated to Canada, especially from rural class. After the Second World War people from several classes came to the country. Ontario's climate was similar to the Hungarian climate so people from the Prairies moved to Ontario. The first Hungarians (60 people) to arrive in Welland did so in 1906. The first Hungarian society was established in Hamilton in 1907, the second was founded in Hamilton in 1913. In 1921 the Hungarian Self Culture Society was established in Welland. In 1931 the three-fourths of the Hungarian Canadian population lived in Ontario. The 1956 refugees also lifted the Hungarian population in Canada. In 1949 a so-called Delhi & Tobacco District Hungarian House was dedicated in Delhi-Tillsonburg, the centre was initiated by Paul Rapai in 1947. 40 percent (about 1,500 people) of the tobacco factory was Hungarian. In 1933 two Hungarian newspapers were established by Rapai, the Kanadai Magyar Újság and the Wellandi Kisújság. After 1956 abouth 6,000 refugees arrived to Ontario. In 1964 a Roman Catholic church was built in London, Ontario. Roman Catholic churches are still in Toronto, Hamilton and in Courtland. There are still four Greek Catholic churches in Ontario: in Welland, Courtland, Windsor and in Hamilton. Presbyterian churches are in Delhi and in Ottawa.