Ecuador is bordered by Columbia and Peru; inhabited by 11 million residents. The majority of these inhabitants are descendants of Indian, Spanish, European and African origins. About 40 percent of this population is mestizo (mixed origin) and another 40 percent, Indian (Phillips, 1999).

Religion

Although the people of Ecuador are ethnically diverse, almost 95 percent of all citizens are of the Roman Catholic religion. Christianity is more popular in the rural regions (mapsoftheworld.com).

Language

There are two official languages in Ecuador: Quechua and Spanish. However, most citizens speak Spanish over Quechua.

Migration to Canada

Most of the Ecuadorian immigrants to Canada came between the late 1960’s to mid-70s. Few economic options were available to these migrants in their home country, especially after the collapse of the straw hat industry in Azuay (a province of Ecuador) during the 1950s and 60s (Phillips, 1999). Coming to Canada offered them the potential to improve their living conditions and financial situations. Many found employment in the Toronto construction business, hired on by Italian contractors in search of cheap labour (Phillips, 1999).

Between 1970 to 1975, approximately 20,000 Ecuadorian immigrants entered Canadian ground. Today, rough estimates record approximately 18,000 Ecuadorians in the country – most living in Ontario (Phillips, 1999).

Community and culture

A large part of the Ecuadorian community in Toronto is built up around soccer clubs. The Ecuadorean League of Amateur Soccer (LEFA) was registered in 1974. And this association plays an important role in the lives of many Ecuadorian families (Phillips, 1999).

In addition; year-round, Toronto hosts festivals and celebrations by the Latin American community. For instance, every May, on the 24th, the Batalla de Pichincha celebration – including speeches and cultural events, is held in Toronto, in commemoration of Ecuador’s liberation from Spain. The Chileans and the Ecuadorians are also heavily involved in the annual International Hispanic Fiesta, held at the Canadian National Exhibition. The Encuentro de Organizaciones Latinoamericanas was founded to coordinate different associations in Toronto serving Ecuadorian and Colombian populations (Phillips, 1999).

References:
Phillips, Lynne. (1999). Ecuadoreans. Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples. Toronto: Multicultural History Society of Ontario. Available: http://multiculturalcanada.ca
Ecuador People. Available: http://www.mapsofworld.com/ecuador/people/