Coptic Canadians


Copts in Canada are Canadian citizens of Coptic descent or people of Coptic descent residing in Canada.

Population and distribution

According to the 2011 census, there were 3,570 Canadians who reported Coptic ancestry. Of this number, 755 Canadians reported Coptic as their only ancestry, whereas 2,810 reported Coptic as one of multiple ancestries.
In the same survey, around 17,000 Canadians said they belonged to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Of this number, 12,645 were immigrants and 3,365 were born in Canada.
The Canadian Coptic Association estimates that there are 35,000 Copts living in Canada; according to CBC News, "if other sects with strong ties to the Coptic community are included, the figure is possibly higher still.".
Toronto and the Greater [Toronto Area|surrounding metropolitan region] have the largest concentration of Copts in Canada.

Immigration history

The immigration of the Copts to Canada might have started as early as the late 1950s with most immigrants arriving in throughout the 1970s, from Egypt to Canada being mostly Christians who mostly left due to poverty in their home country and job opportunities.

Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada

In 1964, St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church was established in Toronto; this was the first Coptic church established in the Coptic diaspora.
In 2002, a survey showed 22 Coptic Orthodox parishes in Canada, indicating growth.
In 2011, there were five Coptic Orthodox churches in Montreal.

Notable Coptic Canadians