Greek Canadians

Greek Canadian
Ελληνοκαναδοί
Total population
	252,960; (by ancestry, 2011 Census)
Regions with significant populations
	Canada
Ontario	132,440
Quebec	89,985
British Columbia	42,770
Alberta	11,945
Languages
	Canadian English, Canadian French, Greek
Religion
	predominantly Greek Orthodox Christianity

Greek Canadians (Greek: Ελληνοκαναδοί) are Canadian citizens either fully or partially of Greek descent or a Greece-born person who resides in Canada. According to the 2011 Census, there were 252,960 Canadians who claimed Greek ancestry.^[7]

History[edit]

List of notable Canadians of Greek ancestry[edit]

Academics[edit]

Andreas Mandelis – expert on photonics, member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. Awarded the 2014 Killam Prize

Authors[edit]

Pan Bouyoucas – finalist for The Governor General’s Literary Award, 2001
Tess Fragoulis
Thomas King
Dimitrios Roussopoulos

Professors[edit]

Athanasios Asimakopulos – Professor of Political Economy in the Department of Economics, McGill University
Nick Bontis – DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University 3M National Teaching Fellow
André Gerolymatos – Hellenic Studies
Dimitri Kitsikis – Professor Emeritus of History, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Fotini Markopoulou-Kalamara – Physics
Nikolaos Oikonomides – Byzantine history
David N. Stamos – Philosophy
Anastasios Venetsanopoulos – Vice President Research and Innovation at Ryerson University

Business and philanthropy[edit]

Flag of Greece and Canada

Jack Agrios - former director and executive member of the Edmonton Eskimos
Andreas Apostolopoulos – real estate
Chris Giannou – war surgeon
Mike Lazaridis – founder and co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM), creator of BlackBerry
Sam Kolias – founder, Chairman and CEO of Boardwalk REIT

Creatives[edit]

Canadians of Greek ancestry mark the independence of Greece in Montreal's Park Extension neighbourhood.

Artists[edit]

Eleonora Dimakos – model, actress, journalist and makeup artist
Billy Mavreas – cartoonist
George Trakas - environmental sculptor

Sport[edit]

Athletics[edit]

Nicolas Macrozonaris – 100m sprinter

Baseball[edit]

George Kottaras – Major League player
Vickie Panos – player, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1944
Alex Anthopoulos – General Manager, Toronto Blue Jays

Basketball[edit]

Kevin Pangos - Playmaker, Gonzaga University alumni who currently plays in Europe

Boxing[edit]

Hercules Kyvelos – boxer

Chess[edit]

Peter Biyiasas - chess grandmaster

Diving[edit]

Alexandre Despatie -(Greek Grandmother) diver, Olympic silver medalist

Field Hockey[edit]

Ernie Cholakis – player

Football[edit]

Dave Sapunjis – CFL all-star receiver, Calgary Stampeders

Ice Hockey[edit]

Chris Kontos – player
Nick Kypreos – former NHL player, Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers
Dave Nonis – former Canadian ice hockey defenceman, former general manager and executive of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks and current general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Steven Stamkos - NHL player, Tampa Bay Lighting
Chris Chelios - former NHL player

Soccer[edit]

David Fronimadis – player
Stathis Kappos – player
John Limniatis – player
Nick Papadakis – player
Peter Sarantopoulos – player
Kenny Stamatopolous – player, former Toronto FC and Kalamata
Theo Zagar – player

Strength Athletics[edit]

Dominic Filiou – strongman

Water Skiing[edit]

George Athans – water-skier

Wrestling[edit]

Bret Hart – former pro wrestler, multiple World Champion in WWF & WCW. Greek Ancestry – Mother is half Greek as is published in his autobiography "Hitman: My Real Life In The Cartoon World Of Wrestling"
Trish Stratus (aka Patricia Anne Stratigias) – former professional wrestler

Film, TV and stage[edit]

Actors and performers[edit]

Marie Avgeropoulos – actress – "Tracers" (film), "Supernatural", "Fringe"
Alex Carter – actor
John Colicos – actor
Chris Diamantopoulos – actor
John Ioannou – actor
John Kapelos – actor
Argiris Karras – actor
Alex Karzis – actor, singer and musician
Elias Koteas – actor (Crash)
Daniel Samonas – actor
Tracy Spiridakos – actress – "Being Human", "Revolution"
Elias Toufexis
Angelo Tsarouchas – comedian/actor It's all Greek to Me Comedy Show
Nia Vardalos – actress, screenwriter (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Nikki Ponte – singer
Sofia Shinas- singer, actress "The Crow"
Athena Karkanis- actress, The Border, Lost Girl, Low Winter Sun, The Lottery

Directors and producers[edit]

Stephano Barberis
Tony Asimakopoulos, documentary film directoror
Austin Garrick aka Watts – music producer

Entertainers[edit]

Ariana Chris – mezzo-soprano
Christine Cushing – celebrity chef
Dini Dimakos – comedian/actor Video on Trial,Love Court
Hannah Georgas – singer/songwriter
Alex Karzis – actor, voiceover artist, musician and singer.
KO – musician
Peter Bexis – musician
Sid Krofft – puppeteer
Kanaris Paraskevopoulos – Producer (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), kickbox champion
George Sapounidis – musician / troubadour, statistician and a Sinophile. Subject of documentary Chairman George
Teresa Stratas – soprano OC (born May 26, 1938, Toronto, Ontario), is a retired Canadian operatic soprano. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's Lulu.
Angelo Tsarouchas – comedian/actor It's all Greek to Me Comedy Show
Nia Vardalos – actress, screenwriter (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Phil X (born Phil Xenidis) – guitarist, prolific session guitarist

Journalists and broadcasters[edit]

Thalia Assuras – anchor/reporter
Ernie Afaganis – retired CBC-TV Sports/Olympics anchor
Athena King, newscaster on Naked News
Steve Kouleas – sports anchor/reporter
George Lagogianes – television personality, currently a reporter/anchor for CP24. Host of Auto Shop.
Peter Loubardias – sportscaster
Ioanna Roumeliotis – CBC Newsworld reporter
Lou Schizas – equities analyst
George Stroumboulopoulos – host, CBC Newsworld's The Hour, former MuchMusic VJ
Antonia Zerbisias – Toronto Star columnist

Historical figures[edit]

Immigrants[edit]

Ioánnis Fokás Juan de Fuca – first Greek-Canadian (1592)

Politicians[edit]

Niki Ashton – NDP Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Churchill, Manitoba
Sophia Aggelonitis – former Liberal MPP for Hamilton Mountain
Eleni Bakopanos – former Liberal MP for Saint-Denis
Staff Barootes – former Conservative Senator
Marie Bountrogianni – former Liberal MPP for Hamilton Mountain
Diane Stratas – former Progressive Conservative MP for Scarborough Centre, 1979 to 1980
John Cannis – former Liberal MP for Scarborough Centre, 1993 to 2011
Tony Clement – Member of Parliament for Muskoka, and President of the Treasury Board
Mary Fragedakis – Toronto City Councillor for Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth
Philippe Gigantès – former Liberal Senator
Leo Housakos – Conservative Senator
Maurine Karagianis – New Democratic Party of British Columbia MLA, former Esquimalt – municipal councillor, British Columbia
Jim Karygiannis – Liberal MP for Scarborough—Agincourt since 1988
Chris Kibermanis – Liberal candidate
Costas Menegakis – Conservative Party of Canada MP for Richmond Hill
Pana Merchant – Liberal Senator from Saskatchewan
Constantine George Mitges – former PC MP, first Greek elected federally
George Samis – former Ontario New Democratic Party MPP, first Greek elected in Canada to a Legislature
Christos Sirros – former Quebec Liberal MNA and provincial cabinet minister
Gerry Sklavounos – Liberal Member of the Québec National Assembly
Dimitri Soudas – Communications director to the Prime Minister of Canada

Judiciary[edit]

Justice Andromache Karakatsanis – Supreme Court of Canada, 2011 to present
Justice David Stratas – Federal Court of Appeal, 2009 to present

Religious figures[edit]

Nicholas Salamis – priest

Order of Canada recipients[edit]

Teresa Stratas – soprano OC (born May 26, 1938, Toronto, Ontario), is a retired Canadian operatic soprano. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's Lulu.

References[edit]

^ Statistics Canada. "2011 National Household Survey: Data tables". Retrieved 14 February 2014.
^ "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Ontario". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
^ "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Quebec". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
^ "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – British Columbia". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
^ "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Alberta". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
^ "Selected Demographic and Cultural Characteristics". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
^ "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

External links[edit]

Greek-Canadians – A comprehensive list of famous Greeks and Greek Canadians.
GreekGateway.com – Greek cultural entertainment site, event resource and business directory.
Toronto-Danforth political riding with concentrated Hellenic population

Embassy and Consulates

Charitable organizations

Communities

Trade organizations

Affiliate trade organizations

Performance art groups

[Greek_Canadians-1] Statistics Canada. "2011 National Household Survey: Data tables". Retrieved 14 February 2014.

[2] "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Ontario". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

[3] "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Quebec". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

[4] "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – British Columbia". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

[5] "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – Alberta". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

[6] "Selected Demographic and Cultural Characteristics". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

[Census2006-7] "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories". Statistics Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2009.

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