Evidence of a South Asian Presence in 1870s Canada

This article uncovers evidence of a South Asian presence in Canada predating the earliest accounts noted by historians. Drawing on the 1871 Census of Canada, it documents several individuals of South Asian origin living in Ontario and Nova Scotia at the time of Confederation - decades before the historically recorded migrations to British Columbia in the early 20th century. This early study invites further research into the history of Indian enslavement in the U.S.; South Asian colocation with Black settlements in Canada; and the history of early South Asian settlement in Eastern Canada. This intervention highlights the need to reconsider Canada’s past and recognize the broader diversity present in the state from its formation.