With a Greek population constantly on the rise, the area of Manitoba in Canada has become a “little Greece.” In the last year alone, 50 Greek families have migrated to Manitoba in search of a more prosperous life. The total number of Greeks living there now stands at 1,200.
“Ethnos” newspaper gave a recent profile of two Greek families living in Manitoba.
A year ago, Lia Andronikos and Stefanos Boukis moved with their child to Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. Although they had steady jobs in Greece, they decided to leave because of the crisis. Lia is currently working as an English and music teacher; her husband, after working as a driver for a short period, has now opened his own conservatory. They say that everything happened easily and quickly. They didn’t have to deal with red tape problems; all they had to do was to submit an application and make a few calls.
The couple says that they feel more secure in Canada. They have already taken out a loan to buy a house and are also expecting their second child. They say that Canadian wages are much higher than those in Greece. The chances for a successful career are higher, too.
Apostolos Grigoriadis moved to Manitoba with his wife and two children. In Greece, he worked as a bricklayer; he decided to quit after the construction sector was hit by the crisis. “The hourly rate is 20 Canadian dollars. If I work 40 hours a week I will earn about 3,000 dollars per month, ie 2,300 euros,” he says. His children attend the local school, which provides special language courses. His family is most pleased with the Canadian healthcare system.
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