Are you curious about Victoria’s Chinatown? If so, read on and learn the story of one of the oldest Chinatowns in North American history.
I was initially doing some research for an article on Victoria, B.C. because I visited it many times when I was younger and wanted to learn more about it. And through my research, one fact caught my eye more than anything else –Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia!
Okay, just joking! That’s not the fascinating fact that I learned, though I didn’t know that prior to my research. The interesting tidbit is that Victoria’s Chinatown is the second oldest Chinatown in North America.
I always thought that New York’s and San Francisco’s Chinatowns were the two oldest. But nope, San Fran and Victoria are home to the two first Chinatowns in the Americas.
Intriguing right?
The History of Victoria’s Chinatown
So, as the story goes, Chinese immigrants started coming over to the then trading post in 1858 to participate in the Fraser River gold rush. Many of them were miners, but some tradesmen came over during this time as well.
As the gold rush began to dwindle down, many Chinese people stayed back in Victoria and became labour workers (they worked in laundromats, and such).
But then when the 1880s and early 1900s hit, droves of Chinese people came over to Canada again to work on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. This, obviously, increased the Chinese population. But as the railroads were nearing completion, many Chinese workers decided to stay on the island and in Canada.
Many continued to do labour work, but some opened up shops and restaurants, and some got into real estate. Some even got into illegal activities (selling drugs, running illegal casinos, etc.).
Because of the stories of a better life in Canada, Chinese people continued to come over to the land of the maple leaf to live.
Because of this (Chinese people making Canada their home, not the illegal acts their involved in), the (racist) Canadian government was concerned. As a result, the government passed some pretty discriminatory policies, such as the Chinese Head Tax, to curb their migration.
Luckily, this policy only lasted 38 years and only affected roughly 82,000 Chinese people (I’m just being sarcastic here… don’t cancel me). The policy ended in 1923 with the passing of the Chinese Immigration Act.
READ MORE: Racism in Canada is a real thing
Today, Victoria’s Chinatown is a great tourist spot with tons of restaurants, shops, and cool architecture. It’s also home to the narrowest street in Canada (Fan Tan Alley).
So, if you’re ever in the city on the island, give its Chinatown a visit. It’ll be a good experience for your brain and for your taste buds and belly.