Hamilton project lets immigrants tell their unique stories

Of all the new experiences Joyce King had to adapt to when she arrived in Canada from Guyana in August of 1969, the weather seemed like the least of her worries. Hamilton's summer didn't feel that different from the climate of her homeland.

At least for a few months.

It was the end of November and I was still wearing my plain uniform going to work (at St. Joseph's Hospital) and I am feeling chilly," says King. And want to know, if the sun is so bright, why am I cold?"

Her coworkers, long accustomed to Canadian winters, asked the critical question: Where is your coat?

Then it hit me. I should be wearing a coat! I said It's OK, I feel good, I'm just enjoying the cold,'" King says, laughing. But I never did that again!"

King and 11 other immigrants told their stories in videos as part of an online exhibition about the lives and history of newcomers in Hamilton.

The idea was originally conceived more than a year ago by the Hamilton Civic Museums and the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council for the city's 175 birthday, said Natasha Hernandez, a spokesperson for the project with the City of Hamilton.

Immigration is a huge part of Hamilton's history," Hernandez said. It had a great first launch and was really well received by the community. So this year we relaunched the exhibition with new stories with a lot more material."

Hosted on the city's website, the exhibit, called Stories of Migration and Belonging, features the tales of immigrants from Guyana, Italy, Syria, Mexico, Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Cote D'Ivoire, China and Ukraine.

In addition to the online exhibit, there is a poster display featuring the six immigrants and their immigration stories. The posters are on display on the second floor of City Hall through the end of March.

Some came to Canada to escape war, others to embrace better opportunities.

King, now a retired hospital care attendant, talked about embracing Canadian traditions. Living on Canada Street, King founded a neighbourhood Canada Day party more than 30 years ago.

The neighbours usually say Canada Day is my day," said King. It started with just one neighbour. And then quite suddenly one year, other neighbours started to put out their tables and have their family come over."

Others like Yudara Bernard Weerakoon, who came to Canada in 2015 from Sri Lanka, say it is not always easy to establish a new life. He arrived as a well-educated professional. But his credentials were not always accepted in Canada, creating a barrier to finding work.

I graduated from Institute of Education in London, England. So even though I graduated from a world-class university I had challenges to find an employment," he said. So lack of recognition of education qualifications, having a foreign accent are some of my challenges and they are very common to other newcomers as well."

According to the 2021 census, 26 per cent of Hamilton's people are immigrants which is larger than the national average. Some 39 per cent of new arrivals are economic immigrants like Weerakoon, while another 35 per cent of new arrivals are refugees.

This includes Alyna Lotfi Ghamrodi who came to Hamilton from Ukraine just as the Russian invasion began.

Every day is a challenge, every day is a victory," said Ghamrodi, who was a teacher at Lviv National Polytechnic University and is now working as an associate professor at Lambton College in Mississauga.

She describes Hamilton as a refuge from the violence that has enveloped Ukraine.

You have many wonderful things here in Hamilton. No one is shooting and bombing, so that is a huge asset to having peace."

Hamilton Immigration Facts

• Hamilton has a larger immigrant population than the national average. Around 26 per cent of Hamilton's people are newcomers. Of those, 39 per cent are economic immigrants and 35 per cent are refugees.

• Nearly 30 per cent of permanent residents living in Hamilton between 2016 and 2021 were refugees.

• One in four immigrants were international students, temporary foreign workers or refugee claimants before becoming permanent residents.

• Children of immigrants have slightly higher rates of completing both secondary and post secondary education than their Canadian-born counterparts.

• According to the 2021 census, nearly all of Canada's labour force growth and some 80 per cent of population growth have come via immigrants in recent years.

• Nearly half of recent immigrants in Hamilton have a university degree, which is twice that of the Canadian-born population. However, international education and work experience are not always accepted in Canada, creating some barriers for newcomers.

Source: Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council

*** This story has been updated to include the correct name of the exhibit.***

Grant LaFleche is an investigative reporter with The Spectator. Reach him via email: glafleche@torstar.ca