South Asian Canadians in British Columbia

The South Asian community in British Columbia was first established in 1897. The first immigrants originated from Punjab, British India, a northern region and state in modern-day India and Pakistan. Punjabis originally settled in rural British Columbia at the turn of the twentieth century, working in the forestry and agricultural industries.

As their numbers grew, anti-"Hindu" sentiment increased among the Europeans living in the province thus preventing them from voting in 1908. Originally, Indian settlement was predominantly male; large numbers of women and children began arriving in the mid-20th century. In 1947, South Asians were given the right to vote, therefore permitting their entry into British Columbian political life.

In the late 20th century, many South Asians transitioned from living in rural areas of the province into living in urban areas as the economic vitality of the forestry industry declined.