Zhenyang Miao
Zhenyang Miao is from Shanghai, working in journalism, twice as a special-invited English journalist for the Shanghai International Film Festival. Zhenyang wrote several articles for Shanghai Daily and City News Service. Currently, he is a journalism student at the University of Toronto Scarborough and Centennial College.
The Shiji, imperial China’s seminal historical text, states that “food is of primary importance to the people.” For Chinese immigrants like Miao Xing, this ancient wisdom resonates in modern Canada.
“When I first boarded the plane, I didn’t know what would happen when I came to Canada,” says Miao Xing, originally from Shanghai, China, who arrived in Toronto three years ago and is now a permanent resident. “But when I got here, things started to go well.”
Xing uses Fantuan Delivery, a food delivery app that specializes in connecting customers with Chinese restaurants. She pointed to a restaurant on the app called Shanghai Shaomai which serves the traditional Chinese food Shaomai. “This restaurant is very authentic and reminds me of my childhood in Shanghai,” she said.
That taste of home in a foreign country is one of the main reasons she chose to stay.
“When I came here, I was able to eat very authentic Chinese food,” Miao Xing said. “There are many Chinese restaurants here and it was easy for me to find my favourite cuisine.”
Chinese food is also the most popular culinary choice in Canada, with 2,994 restaurants, according to Snappy, a restaurant technology platform.
This also reflects a sizable portion of Canadians with roots in Asia. Asians were the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada from 2016 to 2021, with China — accounting for 118,035 people — ranking third among the top four source countries, according to Statistics Canada.
And with more than 1.7 million people reporting Chinese ancestry in the latest Canadian census, immigrating to Canada appears to be a favoured option for many Chinese newcomers.
The reason for that immigration to Canada may not only be food.
From diverse and inclusive neighborhoods to excellent infrastructure to world-leading livability, Canada promises improved quality of life for newcomers.
The Economist Intelligence Unit publishes an annual ranking of 173 cities worldwide based on factors like healthcare, culture, infrastructure, and education. It ranks Calgary and Vancouver in the top 10, highlighting Canada as a highly desirable place to live despite a slight decline from 2023.
For some newcomers, Canada has earned a reputation as a very inclusive society with a diverse population. As a large country of immigrants, interpersonal interactions are also making people feel comfortable.
Mars Zhu is from China, and is an atheist but has a great interest in religions from all cultures. He found that “(Canadians) are very friendly and they won’t stop making friends with you just because you don’t have the same beliefs as them.”
“China is a relatively traditional and homogenized society, and I was surprised by Canada’s multiculturalism and open-mindedness. In downtown Toronto, I met people from different countries and religions,” said Zhu, who has not yet obtained permanent residency.
“I was shocked by the situation, and I’m glad to be able to make friends with people from different cultures, and I’m glad to see that they all respect my beliefs.”