The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, unveiled a plaque commemorating the national historic significance of the West Indian Domestic Scheme (1955–1967) at the Blackhurst Cultural Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The ceremony was held on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

The West Indian Domestic Scheme, launched in 1955, was a targeted immigration initiative that allowed women from Caribbean countries to work in Canada as domestic workers. This program offered a rare pathway to permanent residency and citizenship at a time when government policies heavily restricted the entry of non-white immigrants. Participants had to meet stringent criteria: they needed to be single, pass medical exams, and meet age and education requirements—standards stricter than those for many other immigration programs of the era.

Approximately 3,000 women participated, with most choosing Toronto or Montréal as their destination. Upon arrival, they faced challenging work conditions, cultural isolation, racial discrimination, and, often, wages that fell short of what had been promised. Despite these hardships, after a year of domestic work, they were granted landed immigrant status, enabling them to access broader educational and employment opportunities. Many also sponsored their family members’ immigration to Canada, fostering the growth of vibrant Caribbean communities, particularly in Toronto and Montréal.

The program produced trailblazers, such as the Honourable Jean Augustine, who arrived in Canada from Grenada in 1960. She became the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons in 1993. While the West Indian Domestic Scheme ended in 1968 with the introduction of a points-based immigration system, its legacy endures in the contributions of the Caribbean diaspora to Canadian society.

Through Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, the Government of Canada commemorates people, places, and events that have shaped the nation’s history. These efforts aim to help Canadians reflect on and connect with the diverse stories of the country’s past and present.

The designation of the West Indian Domestic Scheme as a historic event highlights the power of public nominations in shaping national memory. To date, more than 2,260 designations have been made under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration.

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