This book is a definitive history of Chinatowns in Canada. From instant Chinatowns in gold- and coal-mining communities to new Chinatowns which have sprung up in city neighbourhoods and suburbs since World War II, it portrays the changing landscapes and images of Chinatowns from the late nineteenth century to the present. It also includes a detailed case study of Victoria's Chinatown, the earliest such settlement in Canada.

The culmination of twenty years of research, which has included detailed surveys of over fifty Chinatowns in North America and interviews with numerous community leaders and city planners in all major Chinatowns in Canada, this book explains why Historic Chinatowns are seen as important by Chinese today and why they may survive despite the competing attractions of New Chinatowns. It also sheds new light on the chracteristics of these communities and provides useful insights for geographers, historians, sociologists and anthropologists.