Canadian census, 1941 Canadian census, 1951 Canadian census, and 1961 Canadian census below. Metropolitan areas According to the 2021 census, metropolitan areas with large South Asian Canadian communities include Toronto (1,182,485), Vancouver (369,295), Calgary (153,200), Edmonton (123,340), Montréal (121,260), Winnipeg (63,805), and Ottawa (60,780). Canadian metropolitan areas by their ethnic South Asian population as per the 2011 Canadian census, 2016 Canadian census, and 2021 Canadian census below. Subdivisions According to the 2016 census, subdivisions with the largest South Asian Canadian communities include Brampton, Ontario (44.3%), Surrey, British Columbia (32.8%), Abbotsford, British Columbia (25.5%), Mississauga, Ontario (23.2%), Milton, Ontario (21.0%), Ajax, Ontario (20.9%) and Delta, British Columbia (20.3%). Source: Canada 2016 Census National average: 5.6%'Note: Subdivisions shown below have South Asian Canadian populations above the national average. Alberta Chestermere (14.3%) Calgary (9.5%) Edmonton (9.5%) Wood Buffalo (7.0%) British Columbia Surrey (32.8%) Abbotsford (25.5%) Delta (20.3%) Cawston (11.7%) Oliver (8.8%) New Westminster (8.3%) Burnaby (8.1%) Mission (7.8%) Richmond (7.3%) Squamish (6.8%) Vancouver (6.0%) Merritt (5.8%) View Royal (5.8%) Historical Manitoba Thompson (7.5%) Ontario Brampton (44.3%) Mississauga (23.2%) Milton (21.0%) Ajax (20.9%) Markham (17.8%) Pickering (15.2%) Toronto (12.6%) Whitchurch-Stouffville (12.4%) Vaughan (10.1%) Caledon (10.0%) Oakville (8.9%) Richmond Hill (7.7%) Whitby (6.6%) Waterloo (6.4%) Cambridge (6.2%) Québec Dollard-des-Ormeaux (11.2%) Vaudreuil-Dorion (6.4%) Saskatchewan Regina (5.8%) Immigration For much of the early 20th century restrictions such as the continuous journey regulation and quotas were placed on people immigrating from the countries of South Asia to prevent them from immigrating to Canada. When these restrictions were removed in the 1960s immigration from the Indian subcontinent and other places like the African Great Lakes, the Caribbean and Fiji gradually increased. As of 2012, India was the third largest source of immigrants for Canada behind the Philippines and China respectively. Pakistan was the fourth, Sri Lanka the seventeenth, Bangladesh the nineteenth and Nepal the thirty-eighth. In addition immigrants to Canada arrive from regions such as the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, the Caribbean and the African Great Lakes (as well as European countries). Historically, British Columbia was the traditional destination for Punjabi immigrants. Beginning in the 1970s, however, Ontario grew to become the top destination due to its job availability. In recent years migration to Alberta has also increased due to its comparatively stronger economy and better job market. See also Indo-Canadians Pakistani Canadians Bangladeshi Canadian Nepalese Canadians Sri Lankan Canadians Tamil Canadians References Further reading Moulton, Edward