Following the national campaign launch on March 20, 2026, led by United Against Hate Canada and the Montreal Chan Associations, community leaders in British Columbia today announced the launch of the provincial campaign calling on Parliament to adopt a motion establishing an annual Canadian Chinese Heritage Month.
The national initiative seeks to recognize the 1.8 million Canadians of Chinese origin or heritage, comprising one of Canada’s largest minority groups yet are not recognized by a heritage month of their own. The Province of Ontario officially passed the Chinese Heritage Month Act in 2024, proclaiming the month of February as Chinese Heritage Month. But there is no national recognition for a community which has played a key role throughout Canada’s history.
“That is a glaring omission among Canada’s 68 commemorative days and months,” said Marvin Rotrand, Director General of United Against Hate Canada. “Between 1885, when Canada first imposed a head tax on Chinese migrants, until 1947, when Parliament revoked the discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Act legislated in 1923, the Chinese have faced barriers in Canada unlike that of any other ethnic or racial group. Despite official discrimination, the Chinese put down deep roots in Canada, persevered and contributed to Canada’s growth. It’s time to recognize their contributions to our country.”
The organizations recognize that Canada has decreed that May is Asian Heritage Month but say that the appellation “Asian” does not mean that the diverse groups who trace their origins to Asia have much in common with each other. The month is also less celebrated than other heritage months.
“That may be due to specific heritage months also being recognized for specific Asian groups. For example, April is Sikh Heritage Month and June is Filipino Heritage Month. Both these months receive significant attention in these two communities and are more celebrated than Asian Heritage Month,” says Jimmy Chan, President of the Montreal Chan Organizations.
The two groups point out that in 2024 the Senate voted a motion to designate October as Korean Heritage Month which Ontario had already done in 2017 and that while not specific to Asians, Parliament has also recognized October as Canadian Islamic Heritage Month and November as Hindu Heritage Month. These months are meaningful to many people of Asian heritage.
In British Columbia, the campaign is being led by the OCCA Communities Association (OCCA), formerly known as the Okanagan Chinese Canadian Association. The initiative is guided by Adrian Marr, Chair of OCCA’s Chinese Heritage Committee, working alongside Chinese history advisors, descendants of Chinese pioneers, and community leaders.
“While Asian Heritage Month provides an important opportunity to celebrate the diversity of Asian communities,” said Adrian Marr, “the distinct history and enduring contributions of Chinese Canadians warrant dedicated national recognition. Establishing a Canadian Chinese Heritage Month would help ensure that stories of resilience, sacrifice, and nation-building are meaningfully acknowledged and shared with future generations across Canada.”
The campaign is gaining support from diverse communities across the country.
“The Chinese have contributed so much to Canada,” indicated Max Stanley Bazin, President of the Black Coalition of Quebec. “Today we stand in solidarity with the Chinese community as they launch this campaign to win much merited overdue recognition. We invite Canada’s diverse ethnic, racial and religious minorities to add their voices in support of the call for a Canadian Chinese Heritage Month to be voted by Parliament.”
Elna von Dach, Founder of the Okanagan Filipino Canadian Society (OFC) and Chair of Kelowna Folkfest, added:
“I fully support the initiative to establish a Canadian Chinese Heritage Month. During my many years in the Okanagan, I have witnessed the meaningful and lasting contributions of Chinese Canadians. Their history and impact began long before my time, and I am honoured to stand with OCCA in supporting this call for national recognition.”
Community organizers note that the BC provincial campaign will focus on public education, partnerships with cultural organizations, and engagement with elected officials to advance national recognition.
Media Contacts:
Marvin Rotrand, 514 774 1073, marvinrotrand2@hotmail.com Director General, United Against Hate Canada
Adrian Marr, 780-232-0071, adrian.marr1550@gmail.com Chair, OCCA Chinese Heritage Committee
We respectfully acknowledge that the OCCA is operating on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.
Please note that we will have a photographer on site during the events. If you prefer not to be featured in any photographs, kindly contact OCCA at info@occabc.ca.
