A Snapshot Of The Early Chinese Experience In Alberta

• When the CPR was completed in 1885, British Columbia was hit was a recession, leaving thousands of Chinese labourers unemployed. While some returned to China or stayed in British Columbia, others went to Alberta.

• These pioneers found various ways to earn a living despite limited employment options. Many opened small businesses, like laundries, restaurants, grocery stores and market gardens.

• A small Chinatown soon emerged in Calgary. Though viewed as a “festering sore” by some, Chinatown was a refuge from racism and a source of cultural familiarity and support.

• Despite the relative safety of Chinatown, Chinese pioneers were still vulnerable to acts of violence. In 1892, Chinese residents were accused of spreading smallpox in Calgary. A mob of 300 retaliated by trying to run the Chinese out of town.

• Ironically, the first Chinese to settle in Edmonton in 1892 was a “refugee” fleeing the violence and racial tensions in Calgary.

• After 1910, frontier violence directed towards the Chinese began to lessen, but daily life remained challenging. Chinese pioneers were not helpless victims however. On various occasions, they challenged and sometimes triumphed over racist acts of aggression.