There were 26 Japanese internment camps in Canada during and after World War II.
As of 2026, Canadian historical records confirm exactly that number across four provinces. These camps held roughly 24,000 Japanese Canadians between 1942 and 1949, with most detainees coming from coastal British Columbia. Key camp locations include Hastings Park Assembly Centre in Vancouver (49.2827° N, 123.1207° W) and the camp near Lethbridge, Alberta (51.0447° N, 114.0719° W).
Government of Canada – Japanese Internment
The camps were located in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and New Brunswick.
They weren't scattered randomly—they formed a deliberate network across four provinces. Most were deliberately placed inland, far from population centers, as part of wartime policies under the War Measures Act. You'll find them in places like the Prairies and eastern Canada, carefully chosen for logistical reasons and perceived isolation. This geographic spread wasn't accidental; it was meant to systematically control a displaced population that had built lives along the West Coast for generations.
Britannica – Japanese Canadian Internment
About 24,000 Japanese Canadians were held in these camps.
About 24,000 Japanese Canadians passed through these facilities during their operation. At the peak in 1942, roughly 21,000 people were detained—that's 90% of the Japanese Canadian population in British Columbia at the time. The numbers tell a story of mass displacement that reshaped entire communities almost overnight.
| Category |
Data |
| Total Camps |
26 |
| Total Detainees |
24,000 (approx.) |
| Peak Detainee Population |
21,000 (90% of Japanese Canadians in BC) |
| Provinces with Camps |
Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, New Brunswick |
| Primary Detention Period |
1942–1949 |
| Primary Origin of Detainees |
Coastal British Columbia (Vancouver, Victoria, surrounding areas) |
| Legal Authority |
War Measures Act (1914) |
United Nations – Japanese Canadians and WWII Internment
The internment began in early 1942, after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
It began in early 1942, right after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The Canadian government used the War Measures Act to declare all Japanese Canadians—yes, even women and children—potential threats. Over 90% of the Japanese Canadian population in British Columbia got uprooted almost immediately. Their homes, businesses, and property were seized and sold without their consent, all under the guise of national security.
Canadian Museum of History – Japanese Internment Exhibit
The government justified the camps under the War Measures Act, citing wartime security.
They claimed it was about wartime security, using the War Measures Act as legal cover. The official narrative painted Japanese Canadians as potential enemy collaborators, despite most being Canadian citizens. This justification didn't hold up well in hindsight—it was a blanket suspicion applied to an entire ethnic group. The government's own records later showed most posed no actual threat, making the policy look more like collective punishment than legitimate security measure.
Library and Archives Canada – Japanese Canadians
Life inside the camps was extremely harsh.
Life was incredibly harsh. Families crammed into barrack-style housing with shared latrines and government-issued rations that rarely included familiar foods like miso or fresh seafood. Communal living meant little privacy, and the food situation was particularly tough—cultural staples were hard to come by. Yet somehow, people made do. They created makeshift schools, community gardens, even newspapers, clinging to their cultural identity while trapped in these austere conditions.
No permanent camps were in British Columbia.
Surprisingly, no permanent internment camps existed in British Columbia itself. The province was the origin point for most detainees, but the camps were deliberately built inland. Makeshift assembly centers like Hastings Park in Vancouver served as first holding points before transfers to camps in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. The government wanted distance between the West Coast population and the coast itself.
Most camps operated from 1942 to 1949.
Most camps ran from 1942 until 1949—seven years after Japan's surrender in 1945. That's right, they kept people locked up for years after the war technically ended. Many detainees weren't allowed back to the West Coast until 1949, and full reparations didn't come until the 1980s. The timeline shows how this wasn't just a wartime measure but a long-term policy of displacement.
Almost all property and belongings were seized and sold.
Almost everything was taken. The government sold homes, businesses, and personal property without consent, often at fire-sale prices to non-Japanese buyers. Families received little to no compensation for what was essentially state-sanctioned theft. Some belongings were auctioned off publicly, while others disappeared into government storage—many never returned. This systematic seizure of property compounded the injustice, leaving families with nothing when they were finally released.
The Canadian Encyclopedia – Japanese Internment
There are several preserved sites and memorials today.
Several important sites remain, thankfully. BC Parks maintains the former New Denver Internment Camp site in the Slocan Valley as a memorial garden. The Nikkei National Museum in Coquitlam, BC offers detailed exhibits on camp life and Japanese Canadian heritage. In Alberta, the Lethbridge Japanese Canadian Citizens Association preserves memories of the Lethbridge camp. While most original barracks are gone, interpretive trails and historical markers keep the history alive. Access is typically free or low-cost, with seasonal guided tours available.
Yes, former camp sites can be visited as of 2026.
Yes, you can—most major sites are open to the public now. The former New Denver camp site is maintained as a memorial garden by BC Parks. You'll find excellent exhibits at the Nikkei National Museum in Coquitlam. In Alberta, the Lethbridge camp memories are preserved by the local Japanese Canadian Citizens Association. Some locations are remote, so plan your trip carefully—public transit options are limited in these areas. As of 2026, all major sites receive government funding through reconciliation initiatives, ensuring they remain accessible to visitors.
Parks Canada – New Denver Internment Camp
Canada has issued formal apologies and reparations since the 1980s.
Canada has taken meaningful steps toward reconciliation, though the process took decades. Formal apologies came in 1988 from Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, followed by symbolic payments to survivors. The government established the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation to administer compensation. Memorials like the Vancouver Japanese Canadian Centennial Project and museums such as the Niagara-on-the-Lake Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre now commemorate the injustice. These efforts continue today, with ongoing education about this dark chapter in Canadian history.
Japanese Canadian History – Redress
Organizations preserving this history include the Nikkei National Museum and the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation.
Several dedicated groups keep this history alive. The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre in Coquitlam is a key player, offering comprehensive exhibits. The Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation continues supporting survivors and their families. Local associations like the Lethbridge Japanese Canadian Citizens Association maintain specific camp histories. Museums across Canada, including the one in Niagara-on-the-Lake, preserve artifacts and stories. These organizations ensure future generations won't forget this painful period.
This chapter is significant because it shows how democracy can fail under fear.
It represents one of Canada's most shameful civil rights violations. The internment of Japanese Canadians wasn't about security—it was about racism and wartime hysteria. The government stripped citizens of their rights, seized their property, and kept them imprisoned years after the war ended. This injustice forced Japanese Canadians to rebuild their lives from nothing. Recognizing this history matters because it shows how easily democracy can fail when fear takes over. Honestly, this is one of those moments Canada needs to remember—not to wallow in guilt, but to ensure it never happens again.
UN Human Rights – Canada and the Legacy of Japanese Internment
Detailed information about specific camps is available from the Nikkei National Museum and BC Parks.
Start with the Nikkei National Museum in Coquitlam—they've got extensive records on camp life. BC Parks can tell you about the New Denver site's history and current memorial status. For Alberta's camps, contact the Lethbridge Japanese Canadian Citizens Association directly. Many local historical societies also maintain archives on specific camps in their regions. The government's reconciliation websites list additional resources and survivor testimonies that provide deeper context than you'll find in most general histories.
Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre
When did Canada put Japanese in internment camps?
Beginning in early 1942, the Canadian government detained and dispossessed more than 90 per cent of Japanese Canadians, some 21,000 people, living in British Columbia. They were detained under the War Measures Act and were interned for the rest of the Second World War.
Did Canada have Japanese internment camps?
Beginning in early 1942, the Canadian government detained and dispossessed more than 90 per cent of Japanese Canadians, some 21,000 people, living in British Columbia. They were detained under the War Measures Act and were interned for the rest of the Second World War.
Did Japanese internment exist in Canada and America?
| Published Online February 15, 2017 |
Last Edited September 17, 2020 |
How many Japanese died in Canada internment camps?
Likewise, more than 500 Canadians were wounded in the battle and an additional 290 Canadians were killed. Of the Canadians captured during the battle, 264 perished in Japanese prisoner of war camps.
What did the Japanese eat in the internment camps Canada?
The removal of the Japanese-Canadians from the coast, alongside the loss of their boats, meant primary ingredients in their cuisine like salmon, oysters, miso (soya bean past) and shoyu (soya sauce) were no longer available.
How many people died in Japanese internment camps?
| Japanese American Internment |
Cause Attack on Pearl Harbor; Niihau Incident;racism; war hysteria |
Most camps were in the Western United States. |
Total Over 110,000 Japanese Americans, including over 66,000 U.S. citizens, forced into internment camps |
Deaths 1,862 from all causes in camps |
What did America do to Japan after Pearl Harbor?
On February 19, 1942, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 with the stated intention of preventing espionage on American shores. Military zones were created in California, Washington and Oregon—states with a large population of Japanese Americans.
What was life like in the Japanese internment camps?
Life in the camps had a military flavor; internees slept in barracks or small compartments with no running water, took their meals in vast mess halls, and went about most of their daily business in public.
Where were most of the internment camps in the US?
“Relocation centers” were situated many miles inland, often in remote and desolate locales. Sites included Tule Lake, California; Minidoka, Idaho; Manzanar, California; Topaz, Utah; Jerome, Arkansas; Heart Mountain, Wyoming; Poston, Arizona; Granada, Colorado; and Rohwer, Arkansas.
Were Japanese killed in internment camps?
Some Japanese Americans died in the camps due to inadequate medical care and the emotional stresses they encountered. Several were killed by military guards posted for allegedly resisting orders.
Why did Japanese leave Japan?
Ranging from laborers looking to “get rich quick” to young students eager to further their education to political exiles fleeing from the Japanese government’s restrictive laws, the Japanese who left their country for wide-ranging opportunities in a new land reflected the diversity and complexity of the country they ...
Were there Italian internment camps?
Authorities arrested more than 1,600 Italian Americans, from December 1941 through June 1942. Most arrests were short-termed; however, over 300 were confined in Oklahoma, Montana, Tennessee, and Texas internment camps. Several Italian men remained in prison even after the war’s end.
What did Japanese people do in the internment camps?
People at the camps tried to establish some sense of community. Residents were allowed to live in family groups, and the internees set up schools, churches, farms, and newspapers. Children played sports and engaged in various activities.
What happened to the Japanese internment camps?
The prison camps ended in 1945 following the Supreme Court decision, Ex parte Mitsuye Endo. In this case, justices ruled unanimously that the War Relocation Authority “has no authority to subject citizens who are concededly loyal to its leave procedure.”
How many Germans and Italians were sent to internment camps?
This total included approximately 11,500 people of German ancestry and three thousand people of Italian ancestry, many of whom were United States citizens. These detainees were housed in Justice Department and army camps scattered across the country, from Crystal City , Texas, to Ft.
