There are many
Ghanaians in Canada, with the majority living in the Toronto area.
Ghanaian Canadians are known for their religious involvement and are
often professionals in government, medicine, teaching, and commerce.
They are also known for their active participation in the development of
Canada and Ghana.
Here are some facts about Ghanaians in Canada:
Immigration: Ghanaians first immigrated to Canada in the 1960s.
Language: Most Ghanaian Canadians speak English, the official language
of Ghana, and often speak local languages as well, such as Twi.
Dual citizenship: Ghanaian Canadians are dual citizens of Canada and
Ghana.
Cultural associations: There are many Ghanaian cultural associations in
Canada that promote Ghanaian culture and work with the Ghana Mission.
The Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO): The GCAO promotes
acceptance, understanding, and goodwill between different segments of
society in Canada. They also run community centers and advocate for the
community on social welfare, civic engagement, and more.
Ghanaians can apply for a Canadian visa online or at the Visa
Application Centre in Accra.
Bilateral relations
In 1906, Quebec missionaries established a church in Navrongo in
northern Ghana, marking the arrival of a Canadian presence in the
country. Bilateral relations between Canada and Ghana are strong and
based on more than 60 years of global cooperation, particularly in the
United Nations and the Commonwealth. Ghana has established strong
democratic credentials. Freedom of expression, a dynamic press and an
active civil society are part of the Ghanaian political landscape.
Canada is represented by the High Commission of Canada in Ghana in
Accra. Ghana has maintained a diplomatic presence in Canada through its
high commission in Ottawa. Ghana is also represented by consulates in
Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal.
Trade relations
In 2023, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Ghana reached over
$380 million. Canadian exports totalled $281 million while imports from
Ghana reached $99.8 million. The main Canadian exports included cereals,
motor vehicles and parts, consumer goods and machinery. The main imports
from Ghana included farm, fishing and intermediate food products,
consumer goods, rubber products, forestry products and machinery.
Export Development Canada has designated Ghana as one of its key markets
in Africa. Other organizations of interest with a presence in the
country are the Canadian Commercial Corporation and the Canada Ghana
Chamber of Commerce.
Development assistance
Canada was among the first countries to recognize Ghana’s independence
in 1957 and established our first Africa bilateral development program
in Ghana shortly thereafter. Since that time, Canada has provided more
than $2.5 billion in development assistance in support of shared
Ghanaian and Canadian priorities. Our focus over several decades on
improving agricultural systems, livelihoods, and food security,
particularly for impoverished rural communities in the north, resulted
in 3,700,000 farmers, of which 1,600,000 supported on agricultural
production with improved technologies, increasing their agricultural
production and more than doubling their incomes. Canada is one of the
top bilateral donors to the health sector in Ghana, focusing on health
system strengthening, sexual and reproductive health, and nutrition.
Over the last 5 years, our support has empowered 4 million people, of
whom majority are women, to gain access to and use modern methods of
contraception. Over 5 million people, including 500,000 adolescent
girls, received services of sexual and reproductive health and rights,
and to end sexual and gender-based violence, such as rescue and legal
support for survivors of gender-based violence. Over 1 million people
benefitted from improved sanitation and hygiene infrastructure,
including access to clean water and our nutrition programming, which
reached 2.5 million adolescent girls, helped reduce the prevalence of
anemia from 48% in 2022 to 43% in 2024.
Building on this long-standing partnership, Canada continues to provide
significant development assistance in support of evolving priorities in
line with the Ghana Beyond Aid strategy and Canada’s Feminist
International Assistance Policy, which totaled $116.7 million in fiscal
year 2022 to 2023. Through local, Canadian and multilateral partners,
Canada is helping to build the skills of young Ghanaian women and men in
productive sectors of the economy such as agriculture and trade, and to
grow business ideas into successful enterprises, particularly in key
areas of the green economy. As part of this support, Canada’s partners
actively address barriers to growth such as socio-cultural norms which
constrain women’s full participation and economic empowerment, or lack
of access to technical know-how, finance, and market linkages necessary
for small business development.
Canada continues to play a catalytic role on supporting gender equality
and women’s rights organizations. Thanks to the mobilization and
advocacy led by Women’s rights organization, including Women’s Networks
supported by Canada through the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program,
Ghana’s Parliament passed the Affirmative Action Bill, to address the
discrimination and exclusion of women in public and private spheres.
Canada is supporting the implementation of this Bill to guide
policymaking and program delivery in support of Ghanaian gender equality
priorities and, in doing so alleviating poverty due to gender-based
inequalities.
In addition, through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, support is
provided to local Ghanaian organizations and initiatives to promote
inclusive governance including diversity, democracy and human rights, as
well as women’s participation in peace and security efforts.
Information on Canada’s international assistance in Ghana can be
explored on the Global Affairs Canada Project Browser.
Peace and security
Canada provides training to the Ghana Armed Forces through the
Department of National Defence’s Military Training & Cooperation
Program, which aims to enhance the interoperability of peace support
operations among Canada’s partners, and expand and reinforce bilateral
defence relations.
In 2018, Canada and the Ghana Armed Forces announced the establishment
of a bilateral training and technical assistance partnership through the
Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations in order to increase the
Ghana Armed Forces’ deployment of women to UN peace operations. Ghana is
also a member of the Elsie Initiative Contact Group.
How I came to Canada so
you can come too
Leaving Ghana to Canada.
My first impressions in Canada, Saskatchewan
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