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British Columbia
History in Context
Between 1881 and 1884 as many as 17,000 Chinese men came to British Columbia to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Canadian Immigration Laws
In 1885 Canada passed the Chinese Immigration Act, which placed a $50 per person fee on any person from China who came into Canada. In 1900 the fee was raised to $100, and in 1903 it was raised to $500 per person.
In 1923 Parliament passed a Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned most people of Chinese origin from coming into the country. The law was not repealed until 1947.
Note: City locations on this map are approximate. Click on a place name to learn about what happened there.
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