Moroccan Canadians are
Canadians of full or partial
Moroccan descent, as well as people from the state of Morocco who are ethno-linguistic and religious minorities. According to the
2021 Census, there were 98,980 Canadians who claimed full or partial Moroccan ancestry, an increase compared to the 2006 Census.[1] A large minority of Moroccan Canadians are
Moroccan Jews.[6]
History
Moroccans began arriving in Canada in the mid-1960s in search of employment and a new life. Between 1962 and 1993, 40,000 settled in Canada.
The next wave came in the late 1990s. Moroccan immigrants settled mainly in the province of Quebec, but there are also communities in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Winnipeg. Because many Moroccans living in Canada are not registered with the Moroccan authorities, the real weight of the Moroccan community in Canada may be underestimated.
In recent years, Moroccans have become more organized, as have other communities in Canada, and are starting to form communities across the country. There are at least 20 Moroccan organizations in Canada.
At the
2001 Canadian Census there were 21,355 Canadians who indicated Moroccan descent, with over 16,000, about 75% of the total population, residing in Montreal.[7]
Religion
The majority of Moroccan Canadians are Muslims and a large minority are Jews. Jews constitute between 27%[4][5] and 45% of Moroccan Canadians.[8]
Notable people
Aldo Bensadoun, is a Canadian businessman, investor and philanthropist. He is the founder and executive chairman of the
Aldo Group, a worldwide retail shoe company.
Gad Elmaleh, is a Moroccan Canadian stand-up comedian actor and artist.
Hicham Bennir is a Canadian and Moroccan film director, cinematographer, editor, producer, writer and photographer. He was the winner of the world photo contest in 2009 and 2010.
^Powell, John. Encyclopedia of North American Immigration (Facts on File library of American history).
Infobase Publishing. January 1, 2009.
ISBN143811012X, 9781438110127. p.
195.