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History & Pioneers

Chinese-Canadian Pioneer Stories

Reading about the lives of Chinese-Canadian pioneers and their families may provide insights that will help as you explore your own family history.

At the Vancouver Public Library

This Chinese-Canadian Biographies and Family Histories link leads to a list of published items available at the Vancouver Public Library.

Online

Chang Toy (Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online)
Chang Toy came to Canada in 1874. After working in a fish cannery and sawmill, he went on to become a successful businessman and active member of the Chinese community.

Chow Dong Hoy (Canadian Museum of Civilization)
C.D. Hoy came to Canada around 1902 and established a drygoods store and photography business in Quesnel, B.C.

Chu Lai (Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online)
Chu Lai arrived in British Columbia in the 1860s, and eventually became one of the province's wealthiest Chinese merchants.

A Chinese-Canadian Story: The Yip Sang Family (Canada's Digital Collections)
Yip Sang worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Later, he started a business in Chinatown and became one of Vancouver's most successful merchants in the early 1900s. This website tells more about Yip Sang, his family, and his legacy to Vancouver. Yip Sang is also the subject of a biography in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online.

Lee Mong Kow
Lee Mong Kow emigrated to Canada in 1882 where he settled in Victoria and married Seto Chang Ann with whom he had 17 children. Lee Mong Kow Way in Victoria is dedicated to his memory.

The following three stories are derived from interviews conducted by Derek Reimer for an aural history project entitled Opening Doors: Vancouver's East End.

Top of page: Detail from VPL 8584