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.

David Chuenyan Lai taught in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria for thirty-five years and retired in 2003 as a professor emeritus. His major research interests are the urban development of Chinatowns and the history of Chinese migration to Canada. More than half of his three hundred publications are related to these two areas. He has surveyed over forty Chinatowns across North America and has been an honorary consultant to the Chinatown gateway projects of Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Portland. He has received forty-one awards in recognition of his scholarship and community services and is a member of the Order of Canada.

David Chuenyan Lai's profile page

Much of the book is devoted to a kind of urban history of Victoria, where Dr. Lai lives, and in these chapters a good deal of local colour escapes through the bars, and there is a real feeling for the minority of Chinese who still inhabit Chinatowns.

Saturday Night

Contains much that is applicable to the study of urban Chinese settlements in the United States, and has an excellent bibliography of Canadian sources.

Asian Comparative Collection

'The Asian invasion' is a hot topic right now. It is ironic that the same issue was bruised about 102 years ago. Dr. Lai's book may not resolve the issue, but it may help one to a better understanding of the rise of ethnic communities in Canada.

Chinatown News