Serbian Canadians

Several thousand Canadians are of Serbian origin. Serbs have migrated to Canada in various waves during the 20th century.

History

The first Serbs to arrive in Canada came to British Columbia between 1850 and 1870. Many were employed in mining or forestry near such towns as Phoenix, Golden, Prince Rupert and Kamloops.

By 1900, Serbs began to arrive in Alberta. Many of these early settlers had migrated north from the north-west region of the United States. Coal mining attracted them to Lethbridge, while road construction was a source of employment for those in Macleod and Cadomin. Many Serbs worked on the construction of railway lines that now extend from Edmonton to the Pacific coast.

The period between the two World Wars witnessed a major increase in Serbian immigration to Canada. As with other periods of immigration, however, the exact number arriving at this time is not known. The lack of information results from the fact that throughout the years, Serbs have been variously classified as Austrians, Hungarians, Turks, Serbo-Croats or Yugoslavs.

Over 30,000 Yugoslavs came to Canada between 1919 and 1939, this included an estimated 10,000 Serbs. Many of these immigrants were single, working men who had left families in their home country to seek work in Canada.

Prominent individuals

Notable Canadians of Serb descent include:

• Daniel Nestor
• Peter Zezel

See also

• Serbs of Toronto

Serbian-Canadians in Calgary wear the Serbian flag as they protest Kosovo separation outside of Calgary's City Hall in 2008