In 2012, families in Canada were asked to complete an anonymous Questionnaire to help the Jamati Institutions better understand the demographics of the Canadian Jamat. The Questionnaire provided some important insights into the make-up of the Jamat both nationally and regionally. Over the next few months, we are pleased to share the findings and how they are influencing Jamati programming efforts in Canada.
The Canadian Jamat is very diverse. In Western Canada, we have a significant concentration of the Jamat from East Africa that is older, while in Quebec the population is younger and its majority is of Afghan heritage. Approximately one-quarter of the Jamat is born in Canada. There is also a steady stream of new arrivals. In the 1990s and 2000s, many of the new arrivals came from Afghanistan. Since 2010, more than half of the new arrivals are from India or Pakistan and are primarily settling in Ontario. Similar to the general population, the Jamat in Canada is aging, with the number of seniors representing around 15% and increasing, while the number of youth is around the same size, but declining. The Institutions have accordingly focused on providing care for the elderly, through initiatives such as increasing the number of drop in centres and ensuring regular visits for isolated seniors. With declining youth populations, programming such as religious education, camps and sports has aimed to enhance the ability of young people to confidently articulate our Shia Ismaili identity.
In future updates, we will address the economic, education and health status of the Jamat, as well as other matters relevant to youth, women and seniors.
Obtaining reliable and high quality data is critical to better understand the Jamat’s position and its progress. The Council for Canada wishes to collect such data once every three years to enable it to tailor programming appropriately. In the fall of 2014, we would like to update the confidential and anonymous Questionnaire and hope that the Jamat will participate enthusiastically in this important endeavor.
