Journey to Canada

At the end of the Second World War, about 250,000 Jewish survivors had no homes or communities to return to. They stayed in displaced persons (DP) camps for up to seven years, waiting for countries to let them in. Few countries accepted Jewish survivors in the post-war years. This was the case even though the public had learned of the horrors of the Holocaust and the refugee crisis it created.  

Between 1933 and 1947, Canada accepted only 5,000 Jewish refugees. At the time, Canada’s immigration laws discriminated against Jews. These laws stayed in place for two years after the war. Asked how many Jewish refugees should be allowed into Canada, one government official said, "none is too many." This reflected public opinion at that time. 

Finally, in 1947, Jewish refugees with family members in Canada were allowed to immigrate. Canada also accepted Jewish refugees with skills in certain industries. This included clothing manufacturing, mining and forestry. Canada needed workers to fill post-war labour shortages in these sectors.  

The experience of survivors in Canada varied. They came from many different countries. They had diverse cultural and educational backgrounds but faced the same challenges. They first had to find housing and jobs. Child survivors had years of schooling to make up for. They had to learn a new language and adapt to Canadian society. Lingering antisemitism in Canada was also a factor to contend with.  

In the face of such challenges, Jewish organizations, like the Canadian Jewish Congress, provided support to help survivors adjust. Over time, Holocaust survivors made important contributions to all aspects of life in Canada. They have strengthened and enriched the diverse fabric of Canadian society.