Campaign launches in Montreal to establish Canadian Chinese Heritage Month
Posted July 31, 2026 9:54 am.
Last Updated July 31, 2026 11:10 am.
A national campaign to designate February as Canadian Chinese Heritage Month is launching in Montreal Friday, with organizers calling on Canadians to sign a parliamentary petition before it is tabled in the House of Commons this fall.
“Officially designating a Candian Chinese Heritage Month at a national level would provide an opportunity for education, reflection, and celebration, helping to strengthen inclusion and understanding,” the petition reads.
The campaign is being led by United Against Hate Canada and will be officially launched during a Friday morning press conference at the Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal.
Organizers say the initiative aims to recognize the contributions of Chinese Canadians while acknowledging the discrimination the community has faced throughout Canada’s history.
The parliamentary petition calls on the federal government to officially designate February as Canadian Chinese Heritage Month because it coincides with the Lunar New Year. It also cites the more than 1.8 million people of Chinese descent living in Canada and their role in “shaping Canada’s social fabric since the 1800s” and “contributing significantly to major nation-building projects,” including work on the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The petition also points to historic injustices, including the Chinese Head Tax and the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, which it says separated families and marginalized Chinese Canadians for decades.
Supporters argue that while Asian Heritage Month celebrates the diversity of Asian communities each May, it does not ” fully capture the unique historical experiences, cultural heritage, and contributions of Chinese Canadians.”
Organizers are encouraging Canadians to sign the petition before it is presented in the House of Commons in September.
