View source for Iranian Canadians

{{Short description|Canadians of Iranian descent}}
{{pp-protected|small=yes}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Iranian Canadians<br/>{{small|ایرانیان کانادایی}}
| image            = 
| flag             = 
| population       = '''280,805''' ({{small|2021 census}})<ref name="population2021"/>{{efn|name=population2021|Total population with "Iranian" (200,465 persons) and "Persian" (80,340 persons) ethnic or cultural origin responses on the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]].<ref name="population2021"/>}}<br />'''0.8%''' of the total Canadian population (2021)<br />'''262,625''' {{smaller|(Persian-speaking Canadians)}}<ref>Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (17 August 2022). [https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?LANG=E&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&DGUIDlist=2021A000011124&HEADERlist=,15,13,18,12,16,14,17&SearchText=Canada "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table Canada [Country]"]. www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 March 2023.</ref><br />'''0.7%''' of the total Canadian population (2021)
| popplace         = [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]], [[Toronto]], [[North Vancouver (city)|North Vancouver]], [[Montreal]], [[Ottawa]]
| langs            = [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Canadian English]], [[Canadian French]]
{{small|[[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]], [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]], and other [[Languages of Iran|languages of Iran]].}}
| rels             = Predominantly [[Shia Islam]] and [[Irreligion]]<br>Minorities include [[Agnosticism]], [[Baháʼí Faith]], [[Christianity in Iran|Christianity]] ([[Protestantism]] and [[Catholicism]]), [[Persian Jews|Judaism]], [[Sunni Islam]], [[Zoroastrianism]] and [[Mandaeism]]
| related_groups   = [[Iranian diaspora]] ([[Iranians in the United Arab Emirates|Iranians of UAE]] • [[Ajam of Bahrain]] • [[Iranians in Qatar|Ajam of Qatar]] • [[Iranians in Iraq|Ajam of Iraq]] • [['Ajam of Kuwait]] • [[Iranian Canadians|Iranians of Canada]] • [[Iranian American|Iranians of America]] • [[Iranians in the United Kingdom|Iranians of UK]] • [[Iranians in Germany|Iranians of Germany]] • [[Iranians in Israel|Iranians of Israel]] • [[Immigration to Turkey |Iranians in Turkey]]){{Break}}{{Break}}[[Iranian Peoples]] ([[Lurs]], [[Achomi people|Achomis]], [[Baloch people|Baluchs]], [[Kurds]], [[Iranian Azerbaijanis|Iranian Azeris]]), [[Turkic peoples]] ([[Qashqai people|Qashqai]], [[Azerbaijanis]]), [[Huwala]]
}}
'''Iranian Canadians''' or '''Persian Canadians'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=2712 |title=PM meets with representatives of the Persian-Canadian community - Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Pm.gc.ca |date=2009-08-04 |access-date=2012-09-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306065933/http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=2712 |archive-date=2012-03-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/13/nazanin-afshin-jam-td-bank-peter-mackay_n_1671846.html |title=Nazanin Afshin-Jam: TD Bank 'Misinterpreting' Iran Sanctions In Shutting Persian-Canadians' Accounts |website=HuffingtonPost.ca |date=2012-09-12 |access-date=2015-04-27 |archive-date=2018-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224910/https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/13/nazanin-afshin-jam-td-bank-peter-mackay_n_1671846.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> are Canadians of Iranian origin.<ref name="2006census">{{cite web
| url        = http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census06/data/highlights/ethnic/pages/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&Code=01&Data=Count&Table=2&StartRec=1&Sort=3&Display=All&CSDFilter=5000
| title      = Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories - 20% sample data
| publisher  = [[Statistics Canada]]
| access-date = 2009-10-11| date      = 2008-04-02
}}</ref> From the 2016 Canadian census, the main communities can be found in [[Southern Ontario]], [[British Columbia]], and [[Quebec]]. <!--The vast majority, however, live in northern suburbs of Toronto such as [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]], [[Vaughan, Ontario|Vaughan]], [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]], and [[Thornhill, Ontario|Thornhill]], and in certain municipalities of Vancouver, including [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver]], [[West Vancouver, British Columbia|West Vancouver]], [[Burnaby, British Columbia|Burnaby]], and [[Coquitlam, British Columbia|Coquitlam]].--> {{As of |2016}} a total of 97,110 Iranians reside in the [[Greater Toronto Area]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=535&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1|title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Toronto [Census metropolitan area], Ontario and Ontario [Province]|last=Canada|first=Government of Canada, Statistics|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-03-13}}</ref> 46,255 in the [[Greater Vancouver Area]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=933&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1|title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Vancouver [Census metropolitan area], British Columbia and British Columbia [Province]|last=Canada|first=Government of Canada, Statistics|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-03-13}}</ref> and 23,410 in the [[Greater Montreal Area]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=462&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&Data=Count&SearchText=montreal&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1|title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Montréal [Census metropolitan area], Quebec and Quebec [Province]|last=Canada|first=Government of Canada, Statistics|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-03-13}}</ref> with the remainder spread out in the other major cities of Canada, based on the 2016 Canadian Census. These numbers represent the people who stated "Iranian" as their single or joint ethnic origin in the census survey.

== Terminology ==
'''Iranian-Canadian''' is used interchangeably with '''Persian-Canadian''',<ref name="Daha">{{cite journal|first=Maryam|last=Daha|title=Contextual Factors Contributing to Ethnic Identity Development of Second-Generation Iranian American Adolescents|journal=Journal of Adolescent Research|date=September 2011|volume=26|issue=5|pages=543–569|doi=10.1177/0743558411402335|s2cid=146592244|quote=... the majority of the participants self-identified themselves as Persian instead of Iranian, due to the stereotypes and negative portrayals of Iranians in the media and politics. Adolescents from Jewish and Baháʼí faiths asserted their religious identity more than their ethnic identity. The fact Iranians use Persian interchangeably is nothing to do with current Iranian government because the name Iran was used before this period as well. Linguistically modern Persian is a branch of Old Persian in the family of Indo-European languages and that includes all the minorities as well more inclusively.}}</ref><ref name="Nakamura2003">{{cite book|last=Nakamura|first=Raymond M.|title=Health in America: A Multicultural Perspective|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nSvf31-rRhkC|year=2003|publisher=Kendall/Hunt Pub.|isbn=978-0-7575-0637-6|page=31|quote=Iranian/Persian Americans – The flow of Iranian citizens into the United States began in 1979, during and after the Islamic Revolution.}}</ref><ref name="Zanger2001">{{cite book|last=Zanger|first=Mark|title=The American Ethnic Cookbook for Students|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JTBSpuCkl9AC&pg=PA213|access-date=December 21, 2016|year=2001|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57356-345-1|page=213}}</ref><ref>Racial and Ethnic Relations in America, Carl Leon Bankston,"Therefore, Turkish and Iranian (Persian) Americans, who are Muslims but not ethnically Arabs, are often mistakenly..", Salem Press, 2000</ref> partly due to the fact<ref>{{cite book|last=Darya|first=Fereshteh Haeri|title=Second-generation Iranian-Americans: The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, and Psychological Well-being|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C23&q=%22Second+-generation+Iranian-Americans%3A+The+relationship+between+ethnic+identity%2C+acculturation%2C+and+psychological+well-being%22&btnG=|access-date=21 December 2016|year=2007|isbn=978-0-542-97374-1|pages=3–4|quote=According to previous studies, the presence of heterogeneity is evident among Iranian immigrants (also known as Persians – Iran was known as Persia until 1935) who came from myriads of religious (Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Armenian, Assyrian, Baháʼí and Zoroastrian), ethnic (Turk, Kurds, Baluchs, Lurs, Turkamans, Arabs, as well as tribes such as Ghasghaie, and Bakhtiari), linguistic/dialogic background (Persian, Azari, Gialki, Mazandarani, Kurdish, Arabic, and others). Cultural, religious and political, and various other differences among Iranians reflect their diverse social and interpersonal interactions. Some studies suggest that, despite the existence of subgroup within Iranian immigrants (e.g. various ethno-religious groups), their nationality as Iranians has been an important point of reference and identifiable source of their identification as a group across time and setting.}}</ref> that, in the [[Western world]], [[Name of Iran|Iran]] was known as "Persia". On the [[Nowruz]] of 1935, [[Reza Shah|Reza Shah Pahlavi]] asked foreign delegates to use the term '''Iran''', the [[endonym]] of the country used since the [[Sasanian Empire]], in formal correspondence. Since then the use of the word "Iran" has become more common in the Western countries. This also changed the usage of the terms for Iranian nationality, and the common adjective for citizens of Iran changed from "Persian" to "Iranian". In 1959, the government of [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], Reza Shah Pahlavi's son, announced that both "Persia" and "Iran" could officially be used interchangeably.<ref name="yarshater1">Yarshater, Ehsan [http://www.iran-heritage.org/interestgroups/language-article5.htm Persia or Iran, Persian or Farsi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024033230/http://www.iran-heritage.org/interestgroups/language-article5.htm |date=2010-10-24 }}, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989)</ref> However the issue is [[#Recent debate|still debated today]].<ref name=Majd2008a>[[Hooman Majd|Majd, Hooman]], ''The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran'', by Hooman Majd, [[Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group]], September 23, 2008, {{ISBN|0385528426}}, 9780385528429. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=1kuSfuHovwMC&pg=PA161 161]</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Richard Nelson|last=Frye|author-link=Richard N. Frye|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8UFtAAAAMAAJ&q=Iran+Persia|title=Greater Iran: A 20th-century Odyssey|publisher=Mazda|year=2005|access-date=December 21, 2016|isbn=9781568591773}}</ref> 

While the majority of Iranian-Canadians come from Persian backgrounds, there is a significant number of [[Ethnic minorities in Iran|non-Persian Iranians]] such as [[Iranian Azeris|Azeris]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Svante E. Cornell|title=Azerbaijan Since Independence|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TaZzCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA7 |date=20 May 2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-47621-4|page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Barbara A. West|title=Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCiNqFj3MQsC&pg=PA68|date=1 January 2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1-4381-1913-7|page=68}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=James Minahan|title=Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: S-Z|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zu5GpDby9H0C&pg=PA1766|date=1 January 2002|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-32384-3|page=1766}}</ref> and [[Iranian Kurdistan|Kurds]] within the Iranian-Canadian community,<ref name="BozorgMehr">{{cite book|last=Bozorgmehr|first=Mehdi|editor1=Mary C. Waters|editor2=Reed Ueda|editor3=Helen B. Marrow|title=The New Americans: A Guide to Immigration since 1965|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z-y_q4J_eCEC|year=2009|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-04493-7|page=469|chapter=Iran}}</ref><ref>Elizabeth Chacko, Contemporary ethnic geographies in America // Ines M. Miyares, Christopher A. Airriess (eds.), Rowman & Littlefield, 2007, pp. 325–326</ref> leading some scholars to believe that the label "Iranian" is more inclusive, since the label "Persian" excludes non-Persian minorities.<ref name="BozorgMehr" />  The ''[[Collins English Dictionary]]'' uses a variety of similar and overlapping definitions for the terms "Persian" and "Iranian".<ref>{{cite web |title=Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition |access-date=September 4, 2012 |publisher=Collinsdictionary.com |url= https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/iranian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/persian |title=Definition of "Persian" |publisher=Collins English Dictionary |access-date=January 12, 2016}}</ref>

== Demography ==
=== Population ===
{{Historical populations
| title = Iranian-Canadian<br>Population History
| type = Canada
| align = Centre
| footnote = ''Source: [[Statistics Canada]]''<br /><ref name="population1981">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title=1981 Census of Canada : volume 1 - national series : population = Recensement du Canada de 1981 : volume 1 - série nationale : population. Ethnic origin. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.837638/publication.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population1986">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title=Census Canada 1986 Profile of ethnic groups |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.676331/publication.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population1986B">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title= 1986 Census of Canada: Ethnic Diversity In Canada. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.576036/publication.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population1991">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-04-03 |title= 1991 Census: The nation. Ethnic origin. |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.676069/publication.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population1996">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-06-04 |title= Data tables, 1996 Census Population by Ethnic Origin (188) and Sex (3), Showing Single and Multiple Responses (3), for Canada, Provinces, Territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 1996 Census (20% Sample Data) |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census96/data/tables/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=5216&PRID=0&PTYPE=89103&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=9&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population2001">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2013-12-23 
|title= Ethnic Origin (232), Sex (3) and Single and Multiple Responses (3) for Population, for Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2001 Census - 20% Sample Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/English/census01/products/standard/themes/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=62911&PRID=0&PTYPE=55440&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=44&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population2006">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2020-05-01 
|title= Ethnic Origin (247), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=1&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=1&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=92333&PRID=0&PTYPE=88971&S=0&SHOWALL=No&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=80&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population2011">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-01-23 
|title= Ethnic Origin (264), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age Groups (10) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2011 National Household Survey |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=105396&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=95&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population2016">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-06-17 
|title= Ethnic Origin (279), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age (12) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census - 25% Sample Data |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=110528&PRID=10&PTYPE=109445&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2017&THEME=120&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF= |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref name="population2021">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Ethnic or cultural origin by gender and age: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810035601 |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|[[1981 Canadian census|1981]]|5,600
|[[1986 Canadian census|1986]]|15,745
|[[1991 Canadian census|1991]]|43,210
|[[1996 Canadian census|1996]]|64,405
|[[2001 Canadian census|2001]]|88,220
|[[2006 Canadian census|2006]]|121,505
|[[2011 Canadian census|2011]]|163,290
|[[2016 Canadian census|2016]]|210,405
|[[2021 Canadian census|2021]]|280,805{{efn|name=population2021}}
}}

=== Immigration ===
In 2021, there were 213,160 individuals in Canada who had been born in Iran, of which 70,395 had immigrated to Canada since 2011. 

=== Religion ===
Among all Iranian-Canadians, 103,560 (49%) identified as Muslim. Among immigrants since 2011, about 39,860 (57%) identified as Muslim while most of the rest did not identify with any religion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Religion by immigrant status and period of immigration and place of birth: Canada, provinces and territories (customized table)|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv!recreate.action?pid=9810034301&selectedNodeIds=5D1,6D207&checkedLevels=0D1,1D1,1D2,2D1,3D1,6D1,6D2,6D3,6D4&refPeriods=20210101,20210101&dimensionLayouts=layout2,layout2,layout2,layout2,layout2,layout3,layout2,layout2&vectorDisplay=false}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Iranian Canadian demography by religion
! rowspan="2" |Religious group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="religion2021">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2023-05-10 |title= Religion by ethnic or cultural origins: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=9810034101 |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>{{efn|name=Religion2021|Religious breakdown proportions based on "Iranian" and "Persian" ethnic or cultural origin responses on the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]].<ref name="religion2021"/>}}
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[Islam]]
| 123,045
| {{Percentage | 123045 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Irreligion]]
| 120,250
| {{Percentage | 120250 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Christianity]]
| 18,270
| {{Percentage | 18270 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Judaism]]
| 1,235
| {{Percentage | 1235 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Hinduism]]
| 240
| {{Percentage | 240 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Buddhism]]
| 220
| {{Percentage | 220 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Sikhism]]
| 150
| {{Percentage | 150 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous spirituality]]
| 35
| {{Percentage | 35 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Major religious groups|Other]] ({{smaller|primarily [[Zoroastrianism]]}})
| 17,350
| {{Percentage | 17350 | 280805 | 2 }}
|-
! Total Iranian<br>Canadian population
! 280,805{{efn|name=population2021}}
! {{Percentage | 280805 | 280805 | 2 }}
|}
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
{| class="wikitable sortable floatright"
|+ Religious demography of Canadian immigrants{{efn|Does not those who don't have permanent residency (e.g study permit holder)}} born in Iran<ref name="religion2021"/>
! rowspan="2" |Period of immigration
! rowspan="2" |Total
! colspan ="2" |Islam
! colspan="2" |Irreligion
! colspan="2" |Christianity
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| Before 1980
| 2,320
| 505
| {{Percentage | 505 | 2320 | 0 }}
| 915
| {{Percentage | 915 | 2320 | 0 }}
| 350
| {{Percentage | 350 | 2320 | 0 }}
|-
| 1980 to 1990
| 16,670
| 4,915
| {{Percentage | 4915 | 16670 | 0 }}
| 7,010
| {{Percentage | 7010 | 16670 | 0 }}
| 1,755
| {{Percentage | 1755 | 16670 | 0 }}
|-
| 1991 to 2000
| 41,215
| 16,120
| {{Percentage | 16120 | 41215 | 0 }}
| 20,440
| {{Percentage | 20440 | 41215 | 0 }}
| 1,990
| {{Percentage | 1990 | 41215 | 0 }}
|-
| 2001 to 2010
| 52,340
| 26,000
| {{Percentage | 26000 | 52340 | 0 }}
| 22,135
| {{Percentage | 22135 | 52340 | 0 }}
| 1,560
| {{Percentage | 1560 | 52340 | 0 }}
|-
| 2011 to 2015
| 44,740
| 24,985
| {{Percentage | 24985 | 44740 | 0 }}
| 17,020
| {{Percentage | 17020 | 44740 | 0 }}
| 1,265
| {{Percentage | 1265 | 44740 | 0 }}
|-
| 2016 to 2021
| 25,655
| 14,875
| {{Percentage | 14875 | 25655 | 0 }}
| 8,765
| {{Percentage | 8765 | 25655 | 0 }}
| 1,500
| {{Percentage | 1500 | 25655 | 0 }}
|-
! Total 
! 182,935
! 87,410
! 
! 76,290
! 
! 8,420
!
|}
{{Col-break|width=33%}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Iranian Canadian demography by religion and gender<br>(2021 census)<ref name="religion2021"/>{{efn|name=Religion2021}}
! rowspan="2" |Religious group
! colspan="2" |Men
! colspan="2" |Women
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[Islam]]
| 59,920
| {{Percentage | 59920 | 142205 | 2 }}
| 63,120
| {{Percentage | 63120 | 138610 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Irreligion]]
| 63,745
| {{Percentage | 63745 | 142205 | 2 }}
| 56,505
| {{Percentage | 56505 | 138610 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Christianity]]
| 8,950
| {{Percentage | 8950 | 142205 | 2 }}
| 9,325
| {{Percentage | 9325 | 138610 | 2 }}
|-
! Total 
! 142,205{{efn|name=population2021}}
! {{Percentage | 142205 | 280805 | 2 }}
! 138,610{{efn|name=population2021}}
! {{Percentage | 138610 | 280805 | 2 }}
|}
{{Col-end}}
{{clear}}

== Geographical distribution ==
=== Provinces & territories ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Iranian Canadians by [[Provinces and territories of Canada|province and territory]] (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province/Territory]]
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="population2021"/>{{efn|name=population2021}}
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="population2016"/>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="population2011"/>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="population2006"/>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="population2001"/>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Ontario.svg|20px]] [[Ontario]]
| 155,855
| {{Percentage | 155855 | 14031755 | 2 }}
| 117,065
| {{Percentage | 117065 | 13242160 | 2 }}
| 92,635
| {{Percentage | 92635 | 12651790 | 2 }}
| 70,595
| {{Percentage | 70595 | 12028895 | 2 }}
| 51,775
| {{Percentage | 51775 | 11285545 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of British Columbia.svg|20px]] [[British Columbia]]
| 68,545
| {{Percentage | 68545 | 4915940 | 2 }}
| 47,985
| {{Percentage | 47985 | 4560240 | 2 }}
| 39,285
| {{Percentage | 39285 | 4324455 | 2 }}
| 29,265
| {{Percentage | 29265 | 4074385 | 2 }}
| 21,910
| {{Percentage | 21910 | 3868875 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Quebec.svg|20px]] [[Quebec]]
| 34,010
| {{Percentage | 34010 | 8308480 | 2 }}
| 25,530
| {{Percentage | 25530 | 7965450 | 2 }}
| 17,825
| {{Percentage | 17825 | 7732520 | 2 }}
| 12,370
| {{Percentage | 12370 | 7435905 | 2 }}
| 9,535
| {{Percentage | 9535 | 7125580 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Alberta.svg|20px]] [[Alberta]]
| 15,185
| {{Percentage | 15185 | 4177720 | 2 }}
| 13,925
| {{Percentage | 13925 | 3978150 | 2 }}
| 9,215
| {{Percentage | 9215 | 3567975 | 2 }}
| 5,835
| {{Percentage | 5835 | 3256355 | 2 }}
| 3,130
| {{Percentage | 3130 | 2941150 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Manitoba.svg|20px]] [[Manitoba]]
| 2,010
| {{Percentage | 2010 | 1307185 | 2 }}
| 1,885
| {{Percentage | 1885 | 1240700 | 2 }}
| 1,265
| {{Percentage | 1265 | 1174345 | 2 }}
| 1,485
| {{Percentage | 1485 | 1133515 | 2 }}
| 630
| {{Percentage | 630 | 1103695 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Saskatchewan.svg|20px]] [[Saskatchewan]]
| 1,825
| {{Percentage | 1825 | 1103200 | 2 }}
| 1,340
| {{Percentage | 1340 | 1070560 | 2 }}
| 795
| {{Percentage | 795 | 1008760 | 2 }}
| 630
| {{Percentage | 630 | 953850 | 2 }}
| 525
| {{Percentage | 525 | 963150 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Nova Scotia.svg|20px]] [[Nova Scotia]]
| 1,640
| {{Percentage | 1640 | 955860 | 2 }}
| 1,405
| {{Percentage | 1405 | 908340 | 2 }}
| 1,240
| {{Percentage | 1240 | 906170 | 2 }}
| 805
| {{Percentage | 805 | 903090 | 2 }}
| 390
| {{Percentage | 390 | 897565 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of New Brunswick.svg|20px]] [[New Brunswick]]
| 845
| {{Percentage | 845 | 759195 | 2 }}
| 670
| {{Percentage | 670 | 730710 | 2 }}
| 445
| {{Percentage | 445 | 735835 | 2 }}
| 380
| {{Percentage | 380 | 719650 | 2 }}
| 185
| {{Percentage | 185 | 719710 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.svg|20px]] [[Newfoundland and Labrador]]
| 535
| {{Percentage | 535 | 502095 | 2 }}
| 215
| {{Percentage | 215 | 512250 | 2 }}
| 180
| {{Percentage | 180 | 507265 | 2 }}
| 60
| {{Percentage | 60 | 500610 | 2 }}
| 35
| {{Percentage | 35 | 508075 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Prince Edward Island.svg|20px]] [[Prince Edward Island]]
| 270
| {{Percentage | 270 | 150485 | 2 }}
| 295
| {{Percentage | 295 | 139685 | 2 }}
| 335
| {{Percentage | 335 | 137375 | 2 }}
| 15
| {{Percentage | 15 | 134205 | 2 }}
| 25
| {{Percentage | 25 | 133385 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of the Northwest Territories.svg|20px]] [[Northwest Territories]]
| 45
| {{Percentage | 45 | 40375 | 2 }}
| 60
| {{Percentage | 60 | 41135 | 2 }}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 40800 | 2 }}
| 45
| {{Percentage | 45 | 41055 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 37105 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Nunavut.svg|20px]] [[Nunavut]]
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 36600 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 35580 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 31695 | 2 }}
| 10
| {{Percentage | 10 | 29325 | 2 }}
| 10
| {{Percentage | 10 | 26665 | 2 }}
|-
|[[File:Flag of Yukon.svg|20px]] [[Yukon]]
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 39585 | 2 }}
| 15
| {{Percentage | 15 | 35110 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 33320 | 2 }}
| 10
| {{Percentage | 10 | 30195 | 2 }}
| 45
| {{Percentage | 45 | 28525 | 2 }}
|-
![[File:Flag of Canada.svg|20px]] Canada
! 280,805
! {{Percentage | 280805 | 36328475 | 2 }}
! 210,405
! {{Percentage | 210405 | 34460065 | 2 }}
! 163,290
! {{Percentage | 163290 | 32852320 | 2 }}
! 121,505
! {{Percentage | 121505 | 31241030 | 2 }}
! 88,220
! {{Percentage | 88220 | 29639035 | 2 }}
|}

==== British Columbia ====
* [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver (District)]]
* [[North_Vancouver_(city)|North Vancouver (City)]]
* [[West Vancouver, British Columbia|West Vancouver]]
* [[Burnaby, British Columbia|Burnaby]]
* [[Coquitlam, British Columbia|Coquitlam]]

==== Ontario ====
* [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]]
* [[Vaughan, Ontario|Vaughan]]
* [[Markham, Ontario|Markham]]
* [[Thornhill, Ontario|Thornhill]]

== Islamic republic politicians/sympathizers ==
Canada in 2022 banned ten thousand IRGC seniors and officers from entry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canada barring entry to IRGC members in new Iran sanctions push |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/10/7/canada-barring-entry-to-irgc-members-in-new-iran-sanctions-push |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>
Iranian celebrities and government former ministers and officials are often mentioned in the news residing or traveling in Canada as well.<ref>{{Cite web |title=واکنش‌ها به حضور قاضی‌زاده در مونترآل؛ اسماعیلیون خواستار پاسخگویی مقامات کانادا شد |url=https://ir.voanews.com/amp/ghazizadeh-hashemi-canada-reactions/7217998.html |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=ir.voanews.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Canada Criticized For Welcoming The Rich Linked To Iranian Regime |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202209159423 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Iran International |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ottawa can look into 'shady' Iranian politicians who have wealth in Canada, says former U.S. State Department spokesperson |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2083459651647 |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tensions rise in Toronto's Persian community as activists try to expose regime links in Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tensions-rise-toronto-persian-community-1.6650425 |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref>

==Notable Canadians of Iranian descent==
[[File:Persian Newspaper Shahrvand in Toronto Editorial Team 2014.jpg|thumb|Editorial team of ''Shahrvand'' weekly in Toronto, the largest Persian newspaper in Canada]]

===Academia===
[[File:Persian Plaza - Yonge Street - Toronto 2014.jpg|thumb|Little Persia on [[Yonge Street]] at [[North York]], 2014]]
*[[Payam Akhavan]], pioneer in international criminal law and leading human rights advocate; [[McGill University]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/payam-akhavan/|title=Payam Akhavan|website=HuffingtonPost.com|access-date=2017-08-20}}</ref>
* [[Kaveh Farrokh]], historian
* [[Ramin Jahanbegloo]], philosopher and university professor
* [[Ali Khademhosseini]], Associate Professor of Medicine; [[Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology]]<ref>[http://hst.mit.edu/public/people/faculty/facultyBiosketch.jsp?key=Khademhosseini] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415125118/http://hst.mit.edu/public/people/faculty/facultyBiosketch.jsp?key=Khademhosseini|date=2012-04-15}}</ref>
* [[Shahrzad Mojab]], Professor of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education; [[University of Toronto]]
*[[Reza Zadeh]], computer scientist; [[Stanford University]]

=== Art and literature ===

* [[Hossein Amanat]], architect, urban designer
* [[Reza Baraheni]], novelist, poet, critic, and political activist
* [[Jian Ghomeshi]], member of [[Moxy Früvous]]; former host of [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]'s ''play''; former host of ''Q'' on CBC Radio 1
* [[Siamak Hariri]], architect
* [[Nazanine Hozar]], writer
* [[Ramin Karimloo]], West End performer, playing the lead role in [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'' and the sequel ''[[Love Never Dies (musical)|Love Never Dies]]''
* [[Navid Khonsari]], video game, film and graphic novel creator, writer, director and producer
* [[Fariborz Lachini]], music composer
* {{ill|Nima Mazhari|fr}}, painter, photographer and husband of ex-[[Olympics|Olympic]] [[biathlete]] [[Myriam Bédard]], convicted and sentenced in June 2007 for stealing paintings from the late painter Ghitta Caiserman
* [[Sanaz Mazinani]], photographer and curator
* [[Kaveh Nabatian]], musician and filmmaker
* [[Marina Nemat]], author
* [[Ghazal Omid]], nonfiction political writer, nonfiction children's book writer, speaker, NGO executive
* [[Fariborz Sahba]], architect
* [[Bardia Sinaee]], poet
* [[Parviz Tanavoli]], sculptor and painter
* [[Mostafa Keshvari]], Director and writer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mostafa Keshvari {{!}} Writer, Director, Producer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6157399/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Anahita Akhavan]], painter

=== Beauty pageants ===
* [[Nazanin Afshin-Jam]], Miss Canada 2003, first runner-up of [[Miss World 2003]], actress, singer-songwriter, human rights activist; wife of former [[Minister of National Defence (Canada)|Canadian Defence Minister]] [[Peter MacKay]]
* [[Ramona Amiri]], [[Miss World Canada]] 2005, semifinalist of [[Miss World 2005]]
* [[Samantha Tajik]], [[Miss Universe Canada]] 2008

===Business===
[[File:Sea Life Cavern wing at West Edmonton Mall.jpg|thumb|The [[Ghermezian family|Ghermezians]], an Iranian-Canadian family, own the [[West Edmonton Mall]].]]
* [[Ghermezian family]], billionaire shopping mall developers
* [[Hassan Khosrowshahi]], founder of [[Future Shop]]
* [[Karim Hakimi]], founder of Hakim Optical
* [[Michael Latifi]], founder of Sofina Foods Ltd and owner of Nidala (BVI) Limited which holds a share in the [[McLaren Group]].
* [[Shahrzad Rafati]], founder of [[BroadbandTV Corp]]
* [[Sam Mizrahi]], real estate developer 
* [[Shahin Assayesh]], publisher

===Crime===
* [[Omid Tahvili]], [[Boss (crime)|kingpin]] and international fugitive

===Entertainment===
* [[ElectroBOOM|Mehdi Sadaghdar]], YouTube personality, electrical engineer

===Journalism===
[[File:ITC TV - Persian TV Station in Toronto 2014.jpg|thumb|ITC TV, one of the Persian-language TV stations in Toronto]]
Various Persian-language media (including TV and newspapers) are active in Canada, including [[Shahrvand]] and [[Salam Toronto]], which cover local events as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artsrn.ualberta.ca/MinorityMedia/items/show/187 |title=Shahrvand Profile |publisher=Canadian Minority Media Database |date=2014-05-08 |access-date=2014-06-25}}</ref>

* [[Maziar Bahari]], journalist
* [[Farid Haerinejad]], CBC former producer, documentary maker, and editor-in-chief of [[Radio Zamaneh]]
* [[Shaya Goldoust]], journalist, podcaster, radio host<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=حیدری |first=فهیمه خضر |date=2021-04-26 |title=زندگی سانسورشده شایا گلدوست؛ «خیابان‌های شهر تونل وحشت بود» |trans-title=The Censored Life of Shaya Goldust; "The streets of the city were tunnels of terror" |url=https://www.radiofarda.com/a/my-censored-life-shaya-goldoust/31223936.html |access-date=2024-05-30 |work=رادیو فردا ([[Radio Farda]]) |language=fa}}</ref>
* [[Zahra Kazemi]], photojournalist
* [[Nikahang Kowsar]], cartoonist
* [[Touka Neyestani]], cartoonist

===Politicians===
* [[Ali Ehsassi]], [[Liberal Party of Canada|Federal Liberal]] [[List of House members of the 42nd Parliament of Canada|MP]] for [[Willowdale (federal electoral district)|Willowdale]], lawyer
* [[Majid Jowhari]], Federal Liberal MP for [[Richmond Hill (federal electoral district)|Richmond Hill]], engineer
* [[Amir Khadir]], [[Québec solidaire]] [[National Assembly of Quebec|Former MNA]] for [[Mercier (provincial electoral district)|Mercier]], microbiologist
* [[Reza Moridi]], [[Liberal Party of Ontario|Ontario Liberal]] [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Former MPP]] for Richmond Hill, physicist, engineer

===Sport===
* [[Nicholas Latifi]], [[Formula One]] driver for [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering]]
* [[Khashayar Farzam]], [[Powerlifter]] and [[Physician]]

===Technology===
* [[Behdad Esfahbod]], programmer and creator of the [[HarfBuzz]] text shaping engine

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Iran}}
* [[Azerbaijani Canadians]]
* [[Armenian Canadians]]
* [[CSIEA-Ottawa|Canadian Society of Iranian Engineers and Architects-Ottawa]]
* [[Iranian diaspora]]
* [[Kurds in Canada]]
* [[Middle Eastern Canadians]]
* [[West Asian Canadians]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306065933/http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=2712 PM meets with representatives of the Persian-Canadian community]
* [http://www.iraniansoftoronto.com/ Iranians of Toronto website]

{{People of Canada}}
{{Iranian citizens abroad}}

[[Category:Canadian people of Iranian descent| ]]
[[Category:Iranian diaspora in Canada| ]]
[[Category:Middle Eastern diaspora in Canada| ]]