According to the latest national census, Canada’s South Asian community has reached 2.3 million people, making it the country’s largest visible minority group. As the nation’s immigrant population continues to surge—expected to exceed 5 million South Asian residents by 2041—Maple News offers a closer look at where South Asians are choosing to settle across the country.
South Asians in Canada include individuals with origins in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, as per Statistics Canada’s classification. Of these, Indian-Canadians represent the largest demographic, with 1.3 million residents. Pakistani-Canadians follow at 303,000, with Sri Lankans (132,000), Bangladeshis (75,425), and Nepalis (22,000) comprising smaller—but steadily growing—populations.
Ontario remains the epicenter of South Asian life in Canada, home to 1.48 million members of the community. British Columbia accounts for the second-largest population at 428,910, with Alberta following at 267,375. Quebec, though traditionally a smaller destination for South Asian immigrants, has recorded a growing presence with 129,000 residents.
Within these provinces, South Asians are largely concentrated in major urban centers known as Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). For instance, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)—which includes cities like Brampton, Mississauga, Markham, and Scarborough—hosts the densest concentration of South Asians in the country. Similarly, other metropolitan hubs such as Vancouver (BC), Calgary (AB), Edmonton (AB), Winnipeg (MB), and Montreal (QC) are home to vibrant South Asian communities.
Smaller provinces are also seeing a noticeable increase. Nova Scotia (21,345), Saskatchewan (40,760), and Manitoba (63,235) have welcomed more South Asian newcomers in the past decade, attracted by educational opportunities and growing job markets. Even provinces such as Prince Edward Island (3,485) and Newfoundland and Labrador (4,600), once off the radar for this demographic, are seeing rising settlement numbers.
The expansion of the South Asian population aligns with Canada’s broader immigration strategy, which emphasizes economic immigration and family reunification. With streamlined pathways like Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and targeted recruitment from countries like India and Pakistan, South Asians are finding easier routes to residency and integration in Canadian society.
As South Asian communities deepen their roots in Canada, they are contributing to the cultural landscape, entrepreneurial sector, and workforce in substantial ways. Their growing footprint signals a long-term demographic transformation in cities and provinces nationwide—one that continues to shape the present and future of Canadian multiculturalism.