Canada Commemorates West Indian Domestic Scheme

TORONTO – Canada’s Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, Marci Ien, on Saturday commemorated the national historic significance of the West Indian Domestic Scheme, 1955–1967, at a special plaque unveiling ceremony at Blackhurst Cultural Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Marci IenThe Government of Canada said the unveiling was made on behalf of Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

The Canadian Government said the West Indian Domestic Scheme was an immigration programme through which around 3,000 women from Caribbean countries came to Canada, contributing to the growth of Caribbean culture in Canada

“As we celebrate Black legacy and leadership, it is only fitting to celebrate the women who came to Canada through the West Indian Domestic Scheme,” Ien said. “As they fought to be something bigger than what the policy prescribed for them, their legacy of Black leadership, wit, and determination inspire us to this day. 

“This plaque is a representation not only of Caribbean culture in Canada – it represents the strength and resilience of Black women who paved the way for many generations,” she added. 

Guilbeault said, “The West Indian Domestic Scheme changed the lives of thousands of Caribbean women who came to Canada looking for a better future. 

“They faced discrimination, worked incredibly hard, and yet still found ways to thrive and build strong communities, bringing the vibrancy of Caribbean culture to their new home,” he said. “Today, we recognize their struggles, celebrate the achievements of the Caribbean Canadian community, and acknowledge the continued importance of addressing racism in Canada.”

The Government  said that, beginning in 1955, the West Indian Domestic Scheme was “a targeted immigration program through which women from Caribbean countries came to Canada to be employed as domestic workers.”

At a time when government policies limited the entry of non-white immigrants, the Canadian Government said the program offered women from the Caribbean the opportunity to “become landed immigrants, and eventually, Canadian citizens.”

It said the participants in this program faced strict age and educational requirements, and that they had to be single and pass a medical examination – “a higher level of scrutiny compared to other immigration programs at the time.”

Approximately  3,000 women participated in the programme.

It said, once accepted, women had the opportunity to select their preferred destination, with most choosing Toronto or Montréal. 

“Upon arrival in Canada, the women experienced difficult work conditions, cultural differences, isolation, and racial discrimination,” the Government of Canada said. “They often worked longer hours while receiving lower pay than had been promised.”

 After a year of domestic work, it said the women were granted landed immigrant status, and they pursue educational and employment opportunities in other fields. 

Marci IenThe Government of Canada said the women were also able to sponsor family members’ permanent residency in Canada. 

As a result, it said the West Indian Domestic Scheme contributed to the growth of Caribbean culture in Canada, especially in Toronto and Montréal. 

The Government of Canada said many domestic workers became leaders in various professional pursuits, including Jean Augustine, a teacher who migrated from Grenada to Canada in 1960 and in 1993 became the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons. 

The West Indian Domestic Scheme was discontinued in 1968 as Canada’s immigration policy moved to a points-based system.

The women who came to Canada through the West Indian Domestic Scheme were the earliest arrivals in what would become a wave of Caribbean immigration in the second half of the 20th century.

Augustine migrated to Canada in 1960 from Grenada through the West Indian Domestic Scheme. 

Following her year working in domestic labor, the Government of Canada said she enrolled at the University of Toronto, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education before becoming a principal and getting involved in community activism.

In 1993, she became the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons and was appointed to a Cabinet post in 2002.