What is the significance of pier 21

Aileen Ratz Scrapbook. Adjusting to life in Canada was a bit challenging in the first couple of months but I soon started meeting people and learning about the culture, going to university and being part of the community,. Heidi Hart on board the S. Beaverbrae, March Displaced people on board the S. Origins Unknown. I give thanks for Canada because Canada helped me and family to start life again and also thanks to everyone who helped the Syrian people to stop bloodshed.

I hope with all my heart to live in Canada lasting peace and getting stronger ever time. Mohammad October 13, Doris Peter, Margaret Burt, and others in Toronto, With all the hardships we went trough, my parents never complained. Every year got better and better. Canada is a great country. We all love our new homeland, its people and open spaces. We had our first corn flakes and potatoes with the skin on my mother always peeled the potatoes. Bacon and eggs, Canadian style, went down very well.

My mother insisted we eat all the food, to show our appreciation. Life is hard for newcomers in Canada, but we enjoy every minute we spend together here. Now we have a lot of friends and we are helping new immigrants with their adaptation in Vancouver. I would bring my family album, learn more about my country so I can share with my new Canadian Family. I came to Canada to visit my uncle and it didn't take me long to fall in love with this great Nation after stepping off the airport.

The air, the environment, the people, the culture and the lively vibe of the city, things I have never experienced before. My first feelings about Canada, Halifax and the new world, were a mixture of confusion, terror and curiosity. While on board the Britannic waiting to dock I became aware of the requirement that upon arrival we were to be taken to a "hall".

To my Hungarian ears that notion sounded unusual. You see in Hungarian, "Hal" with one "L" means "fish", so I imagined that we were all to be taken into a giant fish! And the smells upon arrival at Halifax did not do much to convince me otherwise. My parents died in Penticton, BC in February within three days of each other.

Fate had brought them together at the right time and in the right country. I owe a great debt to both of them and to Canada. My parents, brother and I would like to thank the Canadian government and its people for allowing us to be part of them, and we are.

May God Bless this beautiful land called Canada. Evacuee children on board the S. Duchess of Bedford, The prairies were dreary in March and seemed to go on forever and ever given we had come from a country that one could cross by car or train in a matter of hours. The big surprise came in the middle of one night when our father shook us all awake and told us to look at the mountains.

I rolled over in the berth and looked out and saw rock walls, then I rolled on my back and far above us, shining in the moonlight, were snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Denmark's "Heaven Mountain" is a whole meters high - these mountain peaks were beyond imagining. Mom and Dad worked had to improve the family way of life. We are grateful and thankful that we immigrated to Canada. If we had stayed in post-war Europe, none of us would have had the opportunities that Canada offered.

My mother decided that our first meal would simply be wieners and mashed potatoes, since, indeed, we had problems locating ingredients for a fancier meal. The wieners seemed rather short, and when we got home and boiled them, we also discovered that they were neither as tasty nor as firm as Danish wieners.

However, our greatest disappointment was with the mustard, which looked exactly like European mustard, but which was probably the worst brand of mustard that we had ever encountered. As we were later to discover, that was our first introduction to peanut butter. It was a nervous and exciting experience to enter the new world with lots of hopes and countless confusions. The confusion was how will this country be for us, is it worth leaving everything back, the settled life, luxury and employment to face an unknown world of no one known to us.

Going through rigorous immigration procedures and exploring the city to get the PR card, SIN card, opening bank accounts, housing and schooling relying on the internet and immigration flyers was an amazing experience, the smooth completion of all these procedures made us understand that Canada is no more a land of unknown. We are a diverse family here living in harmony. People here are very warm and friendly offering every help they could.

Government trying its best for quick settlement of immigrants and strengthening the ties of humanity is highly commendable.

Now we feel we are in the land of our own. Canada allowed me to become a Canadian Citizen, gifted me a future, one of freedom of speech and religion, the opportunity to make choices, allowing me to determine my future! I am eternally grateful to Canada for all of these gifts and privileges! We immigrated to Canada about a year ago and our first impression of the Canadians was how friendly and welcoming they treated us!

Canada is such a great country and we are glad being part of it. I know it was hard for most of us coming from a strictly rationed country to adjust to all that lovely Canadian food. It was very different coming here in the way you got treated. I remember just being totally shocked by how welcoming and open people were.

It takes a lot of humility. I invite you to find refuge in love, and share who you are. Fannie, my cat, my mom, my dad, my jewellery, my plushies, my Harry Potter things. The day was cold and grey. Finally, there was Canada on the horizon and we were soon going to go ashore to our new country.

For a child, it couldn't get better then this - the adventure and excitement just kept coming. If I ever make it back to Halifax, there's no way that I'd miss visiting Pier Thanks for the site! Unidentified evacuee children on board the S. Bayano, August We have had a wonderful life in this country. My brothers and sisters join me in saying, Thank you Canada - definitely the land of opportunity!

As soon as we landed at Toronto airport, that was amazing the peace and the comfort, I had in my heart, in my body, I cannot explain, I was just standing outside the airport and I was just shivering, like oh my God, so finally we are in Canada. I believe that Canada has given us the opportunity to become something meaningful of ourselves and contribute to the success of the community and to the Great country of Canada.

I was born in Denmark and raised in Jylland. As a teen-ager I was endowed with an adventurous spirit; as I read stories of pioneering in Canada, I determined that I would someday emigrate to that country. Schultz family on board the S. Fairsea, 4 Dec Refugees from the S.

As soon as it was legally possible, we became Canadians. Canada became our country and we love Canada. After 12 days of just being sea sick, losing weight on my already frail frame, we pulled into Halifax, January The army cadet band greeted us. We were then ushered into the immigration building to be examined by doctors. We watched TV and ate corn flakes for the first time without milk as one would eat potato chips.

My parents were very enthusiastic, full of life, and had plans for the future. I never found those gold nuggets, however, Canada gave me more than gold. This is an immeasurable country, full of opportunities. God Bless this land. To Canada, we are also grateful, for allowing us the opportunity to become part of this great nation; for accepting us for what we were and for allowing us to become what we are, proud Canadians.

I remember the first time I had Canadian bread. I rolled it up and tried to bounce it. Queen Frederica, March Image courtesy of the Brana family. Thank you Canada, thank you dear Canadian friends, who helped us to feel here completely at home. Zoratti family on board the S. Homeland, June From the seven people that arrived on Pier 21 on May 15th, , we are now 57 proud Canadians.

Thank You Canada!!! We were grateful for the roof over our heads and no one complained…. One of my funniest memories," Bette continued, "was the day we landed at Halifax. We were so eager to get off the boat but they told us that the train had already left.

When we finally departed, every time the train stopped we all jumped off and mailed letters to our husbands to let them know we were coming. We thought the letter would arrive the next day same as in Britain! We had no idea. Fortunately my story has a happy ending. My father fled Romania in while my mother was pregnant with me. He was captured in Yugoslavia and spent time in prison there before being accepted as a refugee in Canada.

It was two years before my mother, older sister and I were all able to join him. My family chose Calgary because they had Romanian friends in the city. The adjustment was difficult for them having to leave behind their friends, family, good jobs and the sense of security that comes from being surrounded by people who understood their native language and shared a culture with them.

I am in awe of their bravery, positivity and resilience. My sister and I have both gone to school, gotten married and made lives for ourselves here in Canada. I am so grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to bring us here! We were grateful for the roof over our heads and no one complained…. My brother was waiting for me in the airport, so. It was nice to see him after 17 years and then we came here and I got sick because it was so cold, and yeah that was one of the happiest day in my life, I think.

And I never forget the day. Canadian and British naval servicemen on board the H. Whitehall, circa I moved to Canada when I was two years old. We came from the Netherlands - the memories I have are sitting in the airport in Toronto and refusing to move, and the mud in our new home in Fox Creek, Alberta.

Doppenberg family on board the S. Ryndam, Refugees from the S. Origins Unknown. I would bring my family because they mean a lot to me. At that time we had 3 choices for immigration: Australia, South Africa and Canada. We decided on Canada because it was closer and a return trip to Germany would have been less expensive. It also seemed more interesting than the other two countries. Your anthem dearest Canada we sing with pride and thanks From the heart of all the immigrants who landed on your banks.

Our family came aboard the ship they call the Volendam In nineteen hundred fifty one, a Canadian to become. I hungrily bit into the slice that was offered and I got the first shock in this new country. It was all done within the course of a flight and the 30 minutes in the airport. That was it. And that was me, at that point, a permanent resident of Canada and it was like: wow!

This is, this is it! So, no, there was nothing to hold me back. I arrived in Canada on July 1st, on Canada Day and it was very, very meaningful.

In South America, we believe in signs and for me was a good sign that, that everything was going to be okay. Italian immigrants on board the T. Nea Hellas, spring Adjusting to life in Canada was a bit challenging in the first couple of months but I soon started meeting people and learning about the culture, going to university and being part of the community,. I remember the first time I had Canadian bread. I rolled it up and tried to bounce it.

I moved to Canada when I was 16 It was hard at first, but people here are nice. I am now Canadian citizen. Bottos family with group on board the S. Conte Biancamano, August To Canada, we are also grateful, for allowing us the opportunity to become part of this great nation; for accepting us for what we were and for allowing us to become what we are, proud Canadians.

We were lead to other tables and received our fist nourishment on Canadian soil. Many were still seasick and the texture of the nourishment did not help. Compared to European wieners, the hot dogs were tasteless and the mustard too sweet. Along with the hot dog came a slice of white, square pieces of tasteless sponge. All of us, used to European rye bread or white rolls, did not recognize it as a standard Canadian bread. Canada was part of our greatest journey on this earth, being welcomed in this land gave us the freedom to shape us into individuals that have contributed much, and so therefore, the sacrifice of leaving our native land, facing many trials and overcoming many hurdles, says it all for us and our posterity.

I would bring my family album, learn more about my country so I can share with my new Canadian Family. Passengers on board the S. I am a black Jamaican — Canadian. An immigration officer in Toronto told me to seek a job as a domestic, as I would never get one as a teacher. I laughed at him. I did work happily in my profession for 32 years. I have 3 medals for community contributions, plus numerous awards. Thanks, Canada.

I arrived in I came to Canada from Brazil when I was 5 years old. I remember I had to leave all my xmas gifts and friends behind in Rio. It was very hard. Also, we arrived in winter and found it hard to breath the cold air.

I had to teach myself how to inhale short breaths to be able to take in the cold! Crowds of immigrants being processed, long train journey to Toronto. Arrived 7 am. This was Made lots of friends, worked hard, joined in everything Canada had to offer. We moved to B. Parksville 18 yrs. My husband passed away 4 yrs. My parents, brother and I would like to thank the Canadian government and its people for allowing us to be part of them, and we are.

May God Bless this beautiful land called Canada. I believe that Canada has given us the opportunity to become something meaningful of ourselves and contribute to the success of the community and to the Great country of Canada.

Damiani family with Officers on board the S. I love being a Canadian. The greatest thing is not having to live in fear. I had no money but I had everything because I had peace. Some of my friends cried, cursed, etc. Some even ran away. Doppenberg family on board the M. Our agreed time to work and save as a family was up.

I began saving for my wedding. Red Cross nurses during the Second World War. We loved the taste of Canadian white bread, sliced at that! It tasted like cake to us and it was the first of many pleasant surprises We feel lucky that they are all growing up in the most wonderful country in the world.

I will always remember where I came from but it is who I am now that matters. In we bought our first house in West Vancouver. While we sailed away from Ireland I stood at the stern of the ship and watched Ireland disappear over the horizon, a sad moment. During the crossing of the North Atlantic, I was standing at the rail of the ship with an old English fellow, who was a farmer from Saskatchewan returning home to Canada he had emigrated many years before we were looking out over the water and that's all you could see in any direction.

I said to him "boy that's a lot of water" and he said "yeah and that's only the top. Baltic refugees on board the Parnu. Doris Peter, Margaret Burt, and others in Toronto, The sights and sounds of Pier 21 will remain with me forever. I felt closer to my parents and grandmother than ever before because I was able to share in this memorable experience. This was truly a great day for Canada and for me. Thanks Pier 21! What I remember most about the trip is the dolphins following the ship, there was so many of them.

One day I was on deck looking over the side when one the ship crew who was on the bow called over to me. The area was roped off, but he said it was ok to come and see. You could see all the dolphins missing the bow by inches, maybe leading our ship not following us to the new land, I wondered what was waiting for us on the other side. When we passed customs and boarded the train they gave us two loafs of bread. Not knowing what it was I used it to play accordion as it was soft and flexible..

I immigrated with my family my dad, mom, and two brothers , we all were thrilled and amazed by the green beautiful nature of Halifax upon the landing of the plane. It was the best day of our lives, our reasons for immigrating were many but mostly, a home!

We were looking for a place to settle in a safe, friendly and peaceful place to call home, I'm glad that place was Canada for us. My advice would be…Stay warm in the winter. Stop in at a Tim Horton. Try moose meat at least once.

And keep smiling. After 12 days of just being sea sick, losing weight on my already frail frame, we pulled into Halifax, January The army cadet band greeted us. We were then ushered into the immigration building to be examined by doctors.

We watched TV and ate corn flakes for the first time without milk as one would eat potato chips. My parents were very enthusiastic, full of life, and had plans for the future. Throughout her career, she has pursued opportunities to work with disadvantaged and vulnerable populations including Indigenous communities in Mexico, Chile and Brazil. She has engaged in numerous research activities to affect change in the areas of health equity, community-based primary health system and clinical prevention.

Raised in Ontario with her two younger siblings, she now resides in B. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, her Royal College fellowship in community medicine from the University of Toronto and postgraduate degrees in public health, business administration from Johns Hopkins University. Country of Origin: Nigeria.

She has a bachelor of science Biology from York University and is a tireless community volunteer and advocate. She does this through financial transformation workshops and courses, and leveraging a highly supportive peer-to-peer community she created.

Crandell immigrated from Nigeria to Canada on a cold, snowy day in December at the age of 11 with her parents and four sisters. This was followed by a window washing business that supported young adults in earning their university tuition. An active community volunteer devoted to working with youth, women, immigrants and the homeless, Crandell has contributed her time and energy to numerous organizations including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, the Rotary Club, Continental African Family Outreach Services, among others.

She has spoken and sung at more than events and is a recording artist with 4 full-length albums. She is the first Nigerian-Canadian to run with a major federal party She is married to Joshua Crandell and homeschools her two hilarious children in Victoria Harbour, Ontario.

City: Mississauga Country of Origin: Israel. A frequent keynote speaker, panelist, activist, mentor and leader in diversity, equity and inclusion, Zinaty is the executive vice president and practice lead for the Centre for Diversity and Inclusion at Corporate Class Inc.

She has been appointed as assistant professor at the University of Western Ontario Huron. In addition to being a board member of the Creative Hub , a multi-disciplinary community organization and a regular Forbes contributor, Zinaty founded a non-profit focused on building capacity in women called WHEW!

Women Helping Empower Women. She is also the co-chair of Women Innovators Network WIN , a non-profit supporting women through coaching and microfinancing. Zinaty has the distinction of receiving a Stepping Up Award by the University of Toronto for innovation and her outstanding contributions and is the recipient of the Canadian University Productivity Awards.

Born in Jaffa, raised in Oshawa, Zinaty is the middle child born to Palestinian parents and calls Canada home. She holds a bachelor of arts in English and political science, an MBA in strategic marketing and human resources, an MSc in business and management research, a doctorate in business focusing on women, diversity and inclusion, and a certificate in Leading Change.

She is currently publishing a book on women, inclusion and intersectionality entitled Why not YOU? Challenging Inclusion Assumptions! Writer and director Gentille M. Assih received university training in communications and human resources before studying writing and documentary filmmaking. In her work, Assih turns an intimate lens on her subjects and fearlessly shines a light on taboo topics. While her camera remains unflinchingly focused on social issues and injustices, her sensitive writing conveys a distinctly positive vision of humanity.

He co-launched with his partner, Erjon Tela, an online news portal dedicated to human rights that remains the main source for human feminism and LGBT issues in Albania. He is the author of a documentary on the history of the LGBT movement in Albania, while he has published a memoir called , detailing violence endured while coming of age. Since he has worked for a variety of national media outlets in Albania, being among others an editor-at-large for Shekulli, the largest newspaper in Albania that developed an open attitude towards LGBT issues, thanks to his influence.

In , he was forced to leave his country, together with his partner. He is often invited to speak as an advocate for refugees. In a recent event organized by University of British Columbia and other organizations he spoke about borders and how they can be reimagined in a more human-centered way.

Eagle-Horse is a real state financing company that also manages more than 25 restaurants under the Coco Frutti brand name and Rougezilla. Before being named VP of Eagle-Horse, Akbari was chief operating officer of Coco Frutti restaurants and was responsible for the sales and operations of all the restaurants including end-to-end management of all the supplier contracts and new developments.

He also headed Construction HAB to build all the restaurants with overseeing the budget and cost of materials and equipment in the restaurant. Prior to starting Coco Frutti with his brother Noor Akbari, habib migrated to the beautiful city of Sherbrook, Quebec, in August along side his mother, brother and 2 sisters.

With very little resources and financial constraints, Akbari started working in a restaurant as helper and dishwasher while being enrolled in school full time. With the help of his brother, together they managed to start their first breakfast restaurant in in Montreal.

During the same year, he began operating a construction company named Construction HAB with his brother. His oversight of all the executive management roles has led to substantial growth in his work and personal achievements. Throughout all his business projects and work experience, he has always maintained the vision of encouraging diversity, pluralism and gender equality. This vision is rooted in all his staff development. Habib lives in a small town close to Montreal, where he enjoys simple things in life such hiking and skiing with his wife and two boys.

His long-term goal in life is to give back to the community and the younger generation to help others pave their way and build their dreams. Juana Garcia, born in Peru, is a business leader who was driven from an early age to become an entrepreneur with a strong passion for international business.

Losing her mother at four years old, Garcia overcame challenges that fueled her passion to succeed. Graduating from the National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru, as an industrial engineer and a member of the Association of Peruvian Engineers, she navigated her way through a male-dominated field, being assertive and continuously advancing in her career.

In , Garcia landed in Toronto. She endured difficult situations as well as becoming a single mom. She accepted a position with the federal government to provide her son with better childcare, therapy and support for his disability while working, in a 9 to 5 stable and less stressful environment. Growing up around her homeland superfoods helped her tap into an unmet market and build connections with suppliers, turning her dream into a reality.

Today her passion remains with her business and local community. In addition to her relationship with Autism Canada to donate five cents per product sold, this commitment is exemplified by her collaboration with Second Harvest, women shelter and community kitchens. Model turned filmmaker, actress and mental health advocate, Shreya Patel was born in India, raised in Qatar and Canada.

She is also nominated for Forbes 30 under Her directorial debut, the documentary Girl Up , about domestic human trafficking, has been partnered with Toronto International Film Festival and showcased the film at the Civic Action Summit, where hundreds of civic leaders come together to combat these issues.

Patel has since focused on holding many successful community viewings across Canada to spread awareness of human trafficking to young girls and women at risk. It also explores the disparity that exists between industrialized and developing nations. Following the documentary, Patel co-directed a viral music video called Freedom Dance , which has gathered more than 12 million views on YouTube. The music video features models, influencers and celebrities showcasing what their inner freedom looks like during the lockdown from countries like U.

Her first film role in Vivid helped garner the film multiple award nominations. She has been recognized by Global Affairs Canada for her mental health activism. Entrepreneur; home care industry leader; seniors advocate City: Richmond, B.

Country of Origin: El Salvador. Patricia Cruz left El Salvador during the civil war. She was newly married and pregnant when she arrived in Canada in She left her career in medicine and her loving grandparents. While raising her two children in the 80s, she went to college and gained a marketing and business diploma.

She started her career as a senior Outreach Coordinator in the 90s and created the first video and manual How to Reach Isolated Seniors in Dense Apartment Buildings , funded by the federal government. Over her 22 years in business, Cruz hired, trained and encouraged thousands of women to pursue their dreams. Many of them graduated from nursing, doctors while working. This made her win the Latin American Inspirational award in In , she founded a non-profit society called Senior Link Independent Living Society dedicated to helping lonely and vulnerable seniors who were isolated due to physical and mental health issues.

Her passion for seniors and immigrant women has led her to join many boards in the community. She formed a team of Latin and Canadian seniors who worked together and sent 3 containers to the most affected areas.

Cruz has become an icon in the health care industry. She leads programs to serve the health authorities. Her courage, faith and kindness has been appreciated by many and recently her own staff entered her in a contest as the kindest person in Canada, gaining more than 1, votes in the community.

She is focused on developing her theory of practice from a social work perspective, which considers how lived experience impacts and influences public policy development and implementation, possibly impacting changes to Canadian foreign policy, domestic employment and affordable housing policies.

Kotchapaw has also developed a program specifically for Black youth who share her aspirations of being public leaders, but who also faced similar challenges to exposure and learning opportunities. In March , Kotchapaw officially launched the Black Diplomats Academy, the first of its kind in Canada focusing on Black aspiring diplomats and the concept of Black diplomacy. In this experiential learning program, 25 fellows engage directly with diplomats and non-diplomatic representatives from Global Affairs Canada and other foreign affairs leaders, to discuss a wide range of global policy topics including human rights and advocacy for Black diplomacy through the UN Decade for People of African Descent.

Beyond the immediate impact of how this program is positively changing the career outlook and trajectory for these young people, this program is also a broader structural solution for advancing social justice, equity and access to leadership development opportunities for Black communities in Canada and globally. Most recently, in June , Kotchapaw was recommended for the prestigious U. Kotchapaw is a highly sought-after panelist and consultant. She addresses topics of intentional program design for structural change, navigating entry into hidden and emerging job markets and avoiding mission drift!

Her mother conceived her in Canada; she was born in Pakistan and migrated to her soul country, Canada in , with her husband and two children. The journey of losing her self-esteem and self-identity continued until she was introduced to MWC, where she started volunteering as an outreach co-ordinator and photojournalist in Today, she serves as the executive director of MWC. Under her leadership and guidance, the organization has done tremendous work to achieve its vision and has served hundreds of women across regions.

In addition, her excellent networking and outreach skills helped the council to collaborate with more than organizations, groups, clubs and networks. She served as a project co-ordinator for Malton Community Building Project, from to She promoted civic awareness, community engagement and social justice amongst diverse communities.

Under her leadership, the project was able to create some legacies. In , she worked as community engagement co-ordinator for Toronto West Local Immigration.

Summing up her work in words is like capturing an ocean in a bowl. She is a community developer by heart, she is there for anyone and everyone. She is a mother, leader, fighter, artist, inspiration and a role model for many. Country of Origin: Fiji. From , Patel rose through increasingly influential positions in the post-secondary education sector — from kinesiology instructor at Langara College to its division chair in health sciences, dean then associate vice president of international education, and vice president external development — to his recent appointment as president and CEO of Vancouver Community College VCC.

Leading the oldest public post-secondary institution in B. Throughout the pandemic, Patel creatively mobilized existing resources and successfully leveraged external partnerships to launch a series of COVID relief initiatives. Patel is an exemplary Indo-Fijian Canadian who through his leadership and public service, inspires and touches the lives of many. Frederick Dryden was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

He migrated to Collingwood Ontario, when he was 11 years old. After experiencing abuse as a teen, he was inspired to start Liberty For Youth in Dryden ran more than kilometres and conducted more than 72 speaking engagements along the route.

The book captures his at-risk teen years, when he experienced homelessness and abuse, along with his Run For Youth journey. The rural-based programming will allow for multiple program spaces, outdoor use year-round and farm experiences beyond the inner-city lifestyle.

A large focus of the program will be on improving mental and physical health through restorative experiential learning. Watch this video of Dryden to learn more. Ng holds a bachelor of arts and two diplomas in film studies. From its onset in , he found opportunities for technological innovation within the industry.

He was an early adopter of industry drone services, brought Matterport a 3D scanning technology to Canada in , and was the first to implement 3D printing for architectural purposes. Partnering with more than 3D printing professionals and enthusiasts, they produced more than , pieces of PPE to date.

As co-chair of the Future Leaders of St. The campaign targeted a younger demographic and resulted in a large-scale photomosaic mural of the participants with a layer of AR technology displayed in downtown Vancouver. Ng is on the board of directors for the SUCCESS Foundation, which assists and empowers immigrants at all stages of their life in Canada through services such as language, housing, employment, settlement and community engagement. Ng is a board advisor for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, celebrating diversity and minority representation in film.

He was also awarded with the Amethyst Award, the highest order of recognition for excellence in Ontario Public Service. Maharjan has been a true advocate to promote diversity and inclusion in these sectors and leads by example in promoting internationally trained professionals.

His municipal and institutional clients and colleagues consider Maharjan as trusted advisor in his professional field. He spreads positivity, planning and patience as a recipe to a successful career in Canada with all aspiring newcomers. Raised in Nepal, Maharjan is the eldest of two siblings and has called Canada home for almost 11 years with his wife and year-old daughter. He believes in continuing education and looks for learning opportunities with every interaction every day. Within six months of immigrating to Canada and at the age of 14, Leena Ronak Yousefi began washing dishes at Taco Time and worked various labour jobs to pay for her education.

Today, she is a multi-award-winning lawyer, accredited mediator and the founder of YLaw, the fastest growing female-led law firm in Western Canada. In , she was named by Lexpert as the only family lawyer in Canada to become one of Rising Stars of the legal profession. A week in her life was featured on BBC. Yousefi has been successful on numerous precedent-setting cases including those on cultural and matrimonial issues for Canadian immigrants, child abduction , child alienation and more.

Yousefi obtained her undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Victoria and went on to obtain her Juris Doctor from the same university in She currently manages two law firms with two more opening in , all while raising an infant and practicing as a lawyer. At the age of 20, Yousefi found herself suffering from chronic depression and anxiety due to the trauma of living through war in her childhood and the cultural shock experienced as a teenager when she immigrated to Canada from Iran.

She was then expelled from university. Then one day she decided to turn her pain into a lethal force that jolted her back to university, straight As, acceptance to almost all law schools in Canada, and her eventual career in law as a leading lawyer and entrepreneur.

She is the first female lawyer in Canada to implement four-day work weeks for a law firm of her size and has been at the forefront of advocating for mental health. With four young daughters in tow, they arrived in Canada. Watching them face systemic challenges, Gupta wanted to make Canada a better place.

She excelled in academics thanks to the support of her Canadian teachers in the International Baccalaureate program. It was her teachers and mother who sparked her desire to pursue a career in law. She is a graduate of University of Toronto — St. Early on, Gupta saw that a lot of things were broken in the way professionals talked about self-care and mental health. It did not take her long to realize her lifelong goal: help people reach their potential through meditation, yoga and community empowerment.

The honour is just one of many accolades Gupta has received as the founder of Mindful Lawyer Canada, a health technology startup. With Mindful Lawyer, Gupta travels across Canada to shine a new light on inclusive mental health and wellness.

By teaching me what pain and humiliation were all about, he awakened my heart to mercy. Through these hardships I learned hard lessons … never be discouraged by hard times and hard people. Embrace those who are placed last, to whom even bottom looks like up. She mentors foreign-trained lawyers and law students, helping to advance their legal careers in Canada. She has devoted herself to advocating for diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace and serves as a board director with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers and South Asian Bar Association of Toronto.

Gupta is a Council Member with the Ontario Bar Association, an organization serving 16, lawyers, judges and members. A pioneer and expert in ESG environment, social and governance , sustainability and social responsibility in mining, Silvana Costa has contributed significantly to sustainable practices in the mining industry — one of the most important economic sectors and employers in Canada.

For almost 18 years Silvana has been an agent of positive change, an inspiring role model and a mentor for other women in a heavily male-dominated sector. Her long-standing commitment to the Oficina Curumim Parents Society in the Lower Mainland BC , whose mission is to ensure children of Brazilian immigrants learn Portuguese as a heritage language and celebrate Brazilian culture, has supported many Brazilian immigrant families to embrace their new lives in Canada while retaining cultural ties to Brazil.

A mother of two children, Costa was one of the founding members of the Oficina Curumim Parents Society and has served as the President and a Board Director since Throughout the COVID pandemic she provided the courageous leadership that helped the organization to operate without incident while increasing the number of programs offered to new families. Born in Bahia, Brazil, Costa came to Canada in for post-secondary education in environmental design and community planning.

Since completing her PhD, reconciliation, Indigenous inclusion, and sustainable development have been at the core of her commitment to the betterment of Canadian society. She has facilitated the active participation of First Nations in mining projects and directly contributed to improved social responsibility and Indigenous engagement practices of mining companies working in Canada and abroad.

As Director Social Responsibility for Equinox Gold in Vancouver, Costa continues to advocate for meaningful Indigenous and community engagement, inclusion and equity, and sustainable development. Souvankham Thammavongsa is the author of four acclaimed poetry books, and the short story collection How to Pronounce Knife , winner of the Scotiabank Giller prize and Trillium Book Award. It is also available in French, with foreign rights sold in China, Korea and Turkey.

Her second book was made into a short film by Paramita Nath, available here. Thammavongsa was a judge for the Griffin Poetry Prize, and is editor of its anthology this year. President, Futurevic Global Sourcing Inc. With more than 20 years of experience in international business and 16 years of volunteer in serving Canadian communities, Jaclyn Jie Zhang has devoted her career to entrepreneurship, innovation and growth. Zhang is the president of Futurevic Global Sourcing Inc. Zhang also leads the Canada China Trade Innovation Alliance CCTIA , a non-profit organization to facilitate the advancement of innovative bilateral trade as well as to promote cultural and technology exchange between businesses in Canada and China.

In the past five years, CCTIA has promoted more than 90 projects overseas from potential projects. CCTIA has hosted five consecutive Innovation Forums in the sectors of agri-food, clean technology, healthcare and commerce with more than participants. With unremitting efforts, the organization led by Zhang has contributed to the signing of MOU and cooperation agreements between Canadian and Chinese health institutions. Zhang has lived in Ontario since Through her efforts, she has contributed to the creation of employment opportunities, support of multiculturalism and the promotion of trade.

She has demonstrated the spirit of immigration with perseverance and hard work. She was awarded the Leading Women Building Communities in The province of Ontario recognized her for her exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of girls and women in Ontario.

Zhang believes the company grows with the community development and needs contribute to the community. He currently operates within the capacity of a design strategist at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and is working toward his chartered professional accounting designation with CPA Ontario. Following his resignation, he decided to return to university.

He worked full-time from 9am to 5pm and attended classes from 7pm to 10pm. He then graduated in with an honours degree in accounting. In , his challenges grew as he lost his apartment while facing an enormous amount of debt. With nowhere to go and no savings, he resided at a partially uninhabited home owned by his in-law. Smith sought to use this opportunity to clear his debts and did so successfully.

In this, Smith found his passion and would volunteer his time in different communities to teach people about financial literacy. To date, more than 3, people have benefited from this initiative.

Smith is now a mentor to several in Toronto and Jamaica. He founded a voluntary scholarship program, which awards a male and female that demonstrate strong leadership and community development skills each year. He authored and published his first book entitled, Living Purposefully Beyond the Walls of the Ghetto as he continues to inspire youth. A digital platform for psychological wellbeing is also being explored. Arriving in Canada, Tsimerinov encountered many obstacles.

Undeterred, he persisted, graduating from Rotman Commerce and receiving the George J. Leonidas Graduation Award in Commerce and Finance. Tsimerinov brings top-level global executives and Canadian leaders of various backgrounds together to create dynamic impact.

He is honoured to contribute a Canadian perspective at global summits, and as a speaker at conferences from New York to New Delhi. Boris helped create two case studies, one based on situations he encountered and taught at several of these schools. Additionally, he received the University of Toronto Arbor Award for outstanding volunteer service.

Scientist entrepreneur City: Burnaby, B. Country of Origin: Mexico. Viridiana Perez was born and raised in Mexico City. She immigrated to Canada in Later on, while carrying out postdoctoral research at Simon Fraser University, she earned a graduate certificate in science and technology commercialization from the Beedie School of Business and a Certificate in University Teaching and Learning.

As a woman in STEM, her contributions extend beyond her academic achievements. Pier 21 closed its doors in and since has been rehabilitated by the Pier 21 Society as a museum to immigration.

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