64 percent of these people are from Hong Kong, 22 percent are from Mainland
China and 5 percent are from Taiwan.

Source: ACNielsen°DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index 1999

Language spoken most often at home


Cantonese and Mandarin are the two major dialects spoken by Chinese 
immigrants. Almost all Hong Kong immigrants speak Cantonese. Some
immigrants from China speak Cantonese, some speak Mandarin. Almost all
immigrants from Taiwan speak Mandarin.

According to the ACNielsen•DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index, over
78 percent of Toronto's Chinese speak Cantonese at home. 22 percent speak 
Mandarin or other Chinese dialects.

Source: ACNielsen•DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index 1999




Proportion of Mandarin-speaking New Immigrants

While the majority of the Chinese population in Toronto is from Hong Kong, and 
thus Cantonese-speaking, more and more Mandarin-speaking immigrants have 
come from China and Taiwan in recent years.

In 1996, Hong Kong immigrants accounted for over 53 percent of all Chinese 
immigrants landed in Ontario within that year. Less than 47 percent were from 
Mainland China or Taiwan. In 1997, about 44 percent of Chinese immigrants 
settling in Ontario were from Hong Kong and 56 percent were from Mainland 
China or Taiwan. In 1998, about 23 percent of Chinese immigrants settling in 
Ontario were from Hong Kong and 77 percent were from Mainland China or 
Taiwan.
If we look at the 1999 figures, we see that the proportion of new Chinese 
immigrants from Taiwan and Mainland China has further increased to 90 percent 
of all Chinese immigrants who landed in Ontario within that year.

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

While immigrants from Hong Kong are still the critical mass, it is important to note 
that the number of immigrants from Taiwan and Mainland China is growing 
rapidly.



Age Distribution of Toronto Chinese

In terms of age groups of all Chinese adults in Toronto, 85 percent are between 
the ages of 18 and 54; 36 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34;
49 percent are between 35 and 54 years of age.

Source: ACNielsen•DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index 1999

Years in Canada

66% of these Chinese adults have lived in Canada for 10 years or less. 28% 
have lived here for less than five years.

Source: ACNielsen•DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index 1999




Geographical distribution of Toronto Chinese

68 percent of all Toronto Chinese live in the City of Toronto, the so-called
Megacity. 10 percent reside in Markham, 5 percent in Richmond Hill, and the
remainder in other neighborhoods in the Toronto Census Metropolitan area, such 
as Mississauga and Vaughan.

Source: ACNielsen•DJC Research Toronto Chinese Media Index 1999