In the late 1850s there was a great influx of Chinese immigration as a result of an initiative to bring in an inexpensive labour force. The American promises of free land and high wages were resulting in a shortage of labourers in Victoria. There was a large Chinese population in the United States which was faced with increasing racism. In order to make Vancouver Island a more attractive option for the Chinese, it was advertised as a haven against the discrimination to be faced in the States. Unfortunately, Victoria was not the haven that had perhaps been hoped for. Modern Chinatown is evidence of a culture which has been part of Victoria since the beginning.
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