South African Canadians

South African Canadians are Canadians of South African descent. Most South African Canadians are White South Africans, mostly of British and Afrikaner ancestry. According to the 2021 Canada census there were 51,590 South African-born immigrants in Canada.^[1] It includes those who hold or have ever held permanent resident status in Canada, including naturalized citizens. 12,270 people considered Afrikaans their mother tongue.^[2]

South African Canadians

Total population
51,590 (2021)
Regions with significant populations
Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Ottawa
Languages
Afrikaans English French
Religion
Christianity Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Zimbabwean Canadians, Australian Canadians

Demographics

South African-born population in Canada by year:^[3]

Year	Number	/
1921[4]	1,760
1931[5]	2,235	27.0%
2001[6]	34,990	1.465%
2006[7]	38,305	9.5%
2011[8]	40,550	5.9%
2016[9]	44,660	10.1%
2021[10]	51,590	15.5%

South African-born immigrants by province and territory as recorded in the 2021 Canada Census:

Total South African Born Population

Province or Territory	Total	% of Total
Canada	51,590	100%
Ontario	21,540	41.7%
British Columbia	15,380	29.9%
Alberta	8,965	17.4%
Saskatchewan	2,075	4.0%
Manitoba	1,180	2.2%
Quebec	1,020	1.9%
Nova Scotia	710	1.4%
New Brunswick	300	0.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador	185	0.4%
Prince Edward Island	120	0.2%
Northwest Territories	90	0.2%
Yukon	15	0.1%
Nunavut	10	0.0%

Notable South African Canadians

• Luca Bellisomo, soccer player
• Ngaire Blankenberg, former director of the National Museum of African Art
• Neill Blomkamp, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and animator
• Mike Botha, master diamond cutter
• Kim Brunhuber, journalist
• Arlene Dickinson, businesswoman
• Robin Esrock, travel writer
• Kevin Harmse, soccer player
• Mpho Koaho, actor
• Shannon Kook, actor
• Jay Manuel, director creative and make-up artist
• Kandyse McClure, actress
• Derek Muller, science communicator, film-maker and television personality, also known by YouTube channel Veritasium
• Joyce Murray, politician
• Elon Musk, business magnate, investor, engineer and inventor
• Steve Nash, basketball player
• Lisa de Nikolits, writer
• Johannes Sauer, sport shooter
• Tony Dean Smith, film and television director, screenwriter, and editor
• D. T. H. van der Merwe, rugby union player
• Murad Velshi, former politician in Ontario

See also

• Canada portal
• South Africa portal

• South African diaspora
• Dutch Canadians
• Canadian Immigrant population by country of birth
• Canada–South Africa relations