Ukrainians in Canada

The third annual Capital Ukrainian Festival brought another fantastic weekend of Ukrainian food, music, dancing, and culture to the nation’s capital. With an attendance of over 25,000, including 6,000 tourists from cities and towns from all over Canada, the USA and Ukraine, celebration of all things Ukrainian was in the air. There were several highlights delighting the 2017 festival’s visitors. The programming was spectacular and dynamic with no breaks in performance on the main stage. The audience was wowed by DakhaBrakha’s unique sound and visitors were entertained by the over 500 performers that took the stage over the course of the weekend. Music and dance ranged from electrified strings to folk flair; the festival had something for everyone! To top the night off on Saturday, Zirka (Canada’s favourite Zabava band), hosted the largest and best Ukrainian dance party that Ottawa has ever seen...

On Saturday August 12, 2017 the Ukrainian community in Hamilton participated in the 7th annual Ukrainian Day on the Bay. The event was organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Hamilton Branch and sponsored by Buduchnist Credit Union and the Ukrainian Credit Union in Hamilton. The boat cruise began with boarding from Pier 4 Park onto the Hamilton Harbour Queen, which sits next to the pier where HMCS Haida is docked. The HMCS Haida is a Tribal-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1943 to 1963, participating in World War II and the Korean War. Approximately 200 people boarded the...

During the civic long weekend, from 5 to 7 August, the Canadian Lemkos Association Inc. organized their 32nd Lemko Vatra in Elmwood, Ontario. The weekend was, as always, a great reminder of the struggles and accomplishments made by the Lemko community in Canada. Although the weekend was affected by this summer’s less than perfect weather (it was very cold during the night and a section of the Lemko Oselia was closed off due to flooding) a great time was still had by all. The festivities began with the official opening on Saturday when Larysa Bajus, the MC of the program, welcomed everyone and indicated the specialness of this year’s Vatra – to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Akcia Wisla. As the majority of those who...

Why did Ukrainians choose to move to Hamilton, Ontario? What connections lay in the manufacturing city, spread out on the shores of Lake Ontario? How did these Ukrainians create a thriving Ukrainian community in a city tucked between Toronto and Niagara Falls? These are some of the questions being asked by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Hamilton Branch. Mary Holadyk created the “A Ukrainian Canadian Tapestry” project from funds provided by the City of Hamilton’s Canada 150 grants in order to capture the stories of Ukrainians in Hamilton...

The feature documentary film (75mins.) “Recovery Room” directed by Adriana Luhovy and produced by Yurij Luhovy, has been entered into international film competitions and has won ten film awards so far. It is a story of hope, resilience and compassion in time of war in Ukraine. By entering the documentary film into international competitions it gives broad public exposure to the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, its impact and the humanitarian aid extended by the West. At the 2017 Accolade Global Film Competition in California, “Recovery Room” has won “Award of Merit” in six categories which included, Award of Merit for Documentary Feature, Women Filmmakers (Adriana Luhovy), Editing (Yurij Luhovy), Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery, Sound Editing/Sound Mixing (Roman Luhovy, Kyiv), Narration/Voice-Over Talent (Joseph Bohbot, Montreal)...

For the third year in a row, the Capital Ukrainian Festival has brought together and highlighted the best of Ukrainian Canadian culture in Ottawa. This year’s festival was celebrated in tandem with Canada 150 festivities, and not surprisingly saw its biggest turnout yet with 25,000 visitors (6,000 from out of town) and 500 performers. Although only in its third year, the Ottawa Festival has made its name as a “must see” Ukrainian festival in Canada, attracting performers and attendees from across the country. Situated on the grounds of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine, the Festival boasted a wide array of...

Why did Ukrainians choose to move to Hamilton, Ontario? What connections lay in the manufacturing city, spread out on the shores of Lake Ontario? How did these Ukrainians create a thriving Ukrainian community in a city tucked between Toronto and Niagara Falls? These are some of the questions being asked by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Hamilton Branch. Mary Holadyk created the “A Ukrainian Canadian Tapestry” project from funds provided by the City of Hamilton’s Canada 150 grants in order to capture the stories of Ukrainians in Hamilton. Mrs. Holadyk wants to gather as many short family histories as possible to showcase the growth of a people and the growth of a community. It is, above all, a project to see how a community with roots in Ukraine managed to establish itself and...

July 4, 2017. OTTAWA. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) congratulates Mr. George Myhal, C.M., member of the UCC Advisory Council, on his appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada. His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, announced the appointment on June 30. "Mr. Myhal is one of the outstanding leaders of our Ukrainian Canadian community, and I warmly congratulate him on receiving this prestigious honour," stated Paul Grod, National President of the UCC. "As a member of the UCC's Advisory Council, Mr. Myhal provides invaluable guidance to the development of the UCC, our strategic plans and vision. The Order of Canada is one of our country's highest civilian honours, and Mr. Myhal's appointment is well-deserved. Вітаємо!"...

The League of Ukrainian Canadians in association with the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre are proud to announce the opening of a community exhibit at Queen's Park titled "Ukrainian Ontarians: Community and Courage." It is located on the main floor of the legislative building and will be showcased until November 2017. The exhibit traces the Ukrainian Ontarian community and their work and dedication to the protection of their new homeland. It showcases the organizational zeal of interwar Ukrainian immigrants, which paved the way for the preservation of their culture and made a marked contribution to the multicultural strength of Canada. Their involvement in Ontario’s industry, as well as their significant contributions made to Canada's efforts in WWII, have shaped a unique Ukrainian Canadian identity and pride...

Ukrainian Art Song Project is very pleased to announce the inaugural Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute to be held from August 7-13, 2017 in Toronto at the highly regarded, musically rich and historic Royal Conservatory of Music. This Conservatory has stated that they are "happy to welcome them for a week long workshop and performance that will explore the gamut of arts songs coming from Ukraine. The RCM is eager to have them on our campus and is excited for UASP to engage with some of our students"...