Role of immigration in the growth of Ottawa

Immigration has always been a crucial factor in the growth of Ottawa according to Robert Vineberg. He is the author of a study that examined immigration patterns of the city.

Immigrants have been a part of the Ottawa story from the time they flocked to the city to build the Rideau Canal. At that time, these were stone masons from Scotland and labourers from Ireland. These migrants had helped in populating Bytown. This was a settlement laid out by Royal Engineer’s Lt. Col John By. He had been tasked with constructing a canal to Kingston from Ottawa River.

The first influx of migrants was followed by successive immigration waves:

• Peasants from Ireland escaping the potato famine
• The US nationals searching lumber jobs
• Residents of Central Europe who fled strife and war

The growth of Ottawa was propelled equally by internal immigration through people arriving from other parts of Canada in the first half of the 20th century. This was along with international immigration.

Mid-sized cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Hamilton attracted more immigrants. This is because they had extra jobs in Manufacturing and Industry, as quoted by the Ottawa Citizen.

Ottawa like other cities across Canada experienced swift growth in the 1960s. This was due to the twin effects of liberalized immigration laws and the post-war baby boom.

The transformation of Ottawa into education and high-tech centre also played a crucial role said Vineberg. This is in attracting immigrants to the city, he adds.

In 1971, the Bell Northern Research was launched and Nortel Networks expanded rapidly. Ottawa thus became a choice of the overseas Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and Computer Scientists.

Immigrants Michael Potter, Michael Cowpland, and Terrence Matthews helped in establishing the high-tech economy of the city. That legacy has been further developed in recent years by immigrants like Tobias Lütke and Robert Wang. The former founded Shopify the most valuable high-tech firm in Canada while the latter invented the mega-selling Instant Pot.

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