The Turkish Community

 

Throughout the year, 45,000 Turkish-speaking members celebrate their culture with a Turkish theatre troupe and heritage classes.

 

There were Turks in Canada as early as the 1880s, but the first large group was made up of students and visitors who applied to stay in the country permanently in the 1950s. The last decade has seen the largest wave, with immigrants coming from Turkey and Cyprus, as well as from the neighbouring countries of Ex-Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, China (“Uyghurs”), Turkic countries (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) and Middle East countries.

 

One of the first Turkish organizations in the city was the Turkish-Canadian Friendship Association, founded in 1964 by a group of Turkish workers from Germany. Located in the Kensington Market area, it was a social club and information centre for new immigrants. In the 1970s, the Turkish community helped reconstruct a mosque on Annette Street. Today, the community owns its own mosque at Pape Avenue and Gerrard Street.

In the mid-1990s, Turkish Canadian Social Services was established to help orientate Canadian Turks to their new country. It provides economic and social support, as well as family services.

 

Mississauga is home to a large number of Turkish Cypriots. Other members of the community are scattered across Toronto with areas of concentration in Don Mills, Thorncliffe Park, Danforth and Downsview. Skilled or semi-skilled tradespeople have furthered industry in the city and Turkish professionals include engineers, doctors, dentists, accountants, and teachers.

 

Turkish folklore groups participate in various cultural activities in Canada

 

Turkish markets including: 

Marche Istanbul, (Tel. 416-782-8668, 3220 Dufferin St., Unit 10A). 

Urla Fine Foods, (77 Samor Road, North York  https://urlafinefoods.com/ 

 

Turkish restaurants includes 

Barans - Scarborough

Kebap 49 - Etobicoke

Mangal - Scarborough

SultanAhmet - Mississauga 

 

Religious Centres, Schools and Other Institutions

ANKARA LIBRARY, ( ww.ankarakitapligi.org ) non-profit organization founded in 2000. The Library is operated independently and open to the public all year-around

Turks are Muslims with a secularized approach to religion.

 

• THE TURKISH MOSQUE, (Tel. 416-469-2610, at 336 Pape Ave), was established in 1984.

• ANATOLIA ISLAMIC CENTRE, (Tel. 905-629-4764, 5280 Maingate Dr., Mississauga), is the main community centre. President: Asim Hoca.

 

Turkish language classes are held in five different language schools in the GTA, in North York.

Mississauga, Toronto, Richmond Hill, and Brampton.

• TURKISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATOR: (Tel. 416-226-9610), Hulya Oyman.

Holidays and Celebrations

• THE ANNUAL REPUBLIC BALL with a dinner and dance is organized by the Turkish Culture and Folklore

Society of Canada in October.

• AN ANNUAL PICNIC is organized by the Turkish Canadian Islamic Heritage Association.

 

THE GREAT FESTIVAL (KURBAN BAYRAMI) is an important religious event.

NOAH'S PUDDING, Turkish communities world-wide commemorate this event in January each year by the sharing of Noah's Pudding with neighbours, community groups and the poor. The sharing of Noah's Pudding reminds us that we must all help each other, regardless of differences in cultural or religious beliefs, because we are all part of one community. Noah's Pudding is a symbol for different cultures living together in harmony while each preserves their original identities.

 

See Holidays and Celebrations in Glossary.

 

National Days for Turkish-speaking people:

CHILDREN'S DAY, April 23.

VICTORY DAY, August 30.

REPUBLIC DAY, October 28, 29.

 

Places to Go

Popular Turkish foods such as dried apricots, beans, tomato paste, olives, fish products, Turkish pizza, Turkish shish kebab, Turkish delight, halva, coffee, pistachios, raisins, and figs are available at various

 

Media

• BIZIM ANADOLU, (www.bizimanadolu.com), newspaper published twice a month.

• TURKUAZ TV, OMNI TV,  on Youtube, Instagram, on air: Saturdays, 9:30 a.m to 10:00 a.m. and Mondays,

• TURKISH VOICE OF CANADA, on youtube, instagram, https://turkishvoiceofcanada.ca

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Organizations

• THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN TURKISH ASSOCIATIONS, ( www.TurkishFederation.ca ). President:: Sima Acan, Umbrella organization for Turkish Associations in Canada
   

• ANKARA LIBRARY, ( ww.ankarakitapligi.org ) non-profit organization founded in 2000. The Library is operated independently and open to the public all year-around.

• CANADIAN TURKISH BUSINESS COUNCIL, (Tel. 905-568-8300 ext. 288, Fax (905) 568-8330, www.ctbc.ca, Promotes and facilitates the flow of bilateral trade between Canada and Turkey.

• ITU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, (www.itu.ca , P.O. Box 925, Station F).

• TURKISH CANADIAN ISLAMIC HERITAGE ASSOCIATION, (Tel. 416-793-9107, Fax 416-469-2610, 336 Pape Ave). Maintains religious ties between the mosque and the community. President: M. Okem.

• THE TURKISH CULTURE AND FOLKLORE SOCIETY OF CANADA, (www.TKFD.ca ).
  Founded in 1976 as a nonprofit organization to promote an understanding of Turkish culture and folklore among Turks and Canadians; its Turkish theatre group is the only one in North America. Although it generally performs plays in Turkish, in recent years, the group has performed in English with Canadian-Turkish born members. President: Can Gursoz.

• TURKISH SOCIETY OF CANADA ( https://turkishcanada.org/ ) Founded in 2006, to increase support in the Community; to create visibility and to organize cultural, social and artistic activities for the Turkish Community members 
   

• SOLIDARITY OF TURKS FROM BULGARIA, (Tel. 905-949-9309, Fax 905) 949-6970, 4101 Westminster Pl., Unit 47). Contact: I. Vataner.

• IRAQI TURKOMAN ASSOCIATION OF TORONTO, 

 

Consulates, Trade Commissions and Tourist Bureaus

 

• CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY (10 Lower Spadina Ave, Unit 300), Consul General:
Mr. Can Yoldas. The same building houses Turkiye’s Trade and Tourism offices as well.

 

Prominent Torontonians

Sima Acan President, The Federation Of Canadian Turkish Associations (FCTA), 

Dr. Mehmet Bor, Ex-President, FCTA, 

Demir Delen, Ex-President, FCTA,  

Umit Eruysal, Ex-President, TKFD,

Sevim Onen, Founder, Ankara Kitapligi,

Ayfer Samancioglu, Yaman Uzumeri, Bulent Pakdil, Sema Kenan, Yildiz Unsal

Ismail Vataner, President, Turkish Federation Community Foundation; 

Yusuf Sertpolat, President, Canadian Turkish Heritage

 

Resource

The Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations (not to mention names)