Cultural, social and historic links between Wales and Canada

There are deep, long-standing connections between Wales and Canada, with large numbers of Welsh people emigrating to Canada in search of new opportunities over the last few centuries. Today, around 450,000 Canadians claim Welsh ancestry and you’ll find active Welsh societies in places like Calgary, Manitoba and Ottawa.

Notable Welsh characters can be found throughout Canada’s history. Dafydd ap Thomas, born in Radnorshire in 1770, was a cartographer and surveyor who spent years mapping more than four million square miles of Canadian territory. He was the first westerner to successfully navigate from the Columbia River from its source to the Pacific Ocean. He also charted the border between Canada and the USA, creating maps that are still the basis of the boundary between the two countries.

And there’s more. Artist Robert Harris, famous for painting a portrait of Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John MacDonald was born in the Conwy Valley in 1849. More recently, Canadian astronaut Dafydd Rhys Williams became the first person to speak Welsh in space in 1998.

Canada’s Welsh settlers also lead a number of transplanted place names, including a Bala in Ontario, a Caernarfon in Alberta and two Canadian Cardiffs.

Given the shared history between Wales and Canada, it’s no surprise that the two countries also enjoy strong cultural links. In 2022, Wales in Canada saw a series of events and initiatives designed to showcase the best of Welsh society with our friends across the Atlantic. Over 12 months, 70 activities took place all over Canada. They included showcasing Welsh music by taking bands like Seazoo and Adwaith to BreakOut West Festival in Calgary and supporting the North American Welsh Choir tour in Alberta. Over 2,000 Canadians also took a virtual trip to Wales by donning VR headsets at the Doors Open Ottawa event.

In 2023, Canada returned the favour with its own year-long Canada Goes Cymru project. Working in Partnership with the Wales Arts International, the High Commission of Canada brought the best of Canada on stage and screen to Welsh events and arts spaces like Focus Wales, Hay Festival, Urdd Eisteddfod and Chapter Arts Centre.

The Cardiff Devils ice hockey team have been based in the Welsh capital since 1986 and have had strong Canadian connections since the beginning. Originally set up by Ontario-born hockey legend John Lawless, the team is now owned by a Calgary-based consortium and features numerous players from across Canada. The team has won numerous trophies over the years and attracts crowds of around 3,000 spectators to its matches in Cardiff.

Wales and Canada also meet fairly frequently on the rugby field. The Welsh men’s team have faced Canada on 16 occasions, with Wales emerging victorious on all but one of them. Canada scored their only win on 10 November 1993, beating Wales by 26 to 24 points in a thrilling match at the Cardiff Arms Park.

Canada’s women’s rugby team have fared slightly better than their male counterparts, notching two wins and two draws in their 13 meetings with Wales Women.

Rhian Wilkinson, Head Coach of Wales Women’s National Football Team, has deep family ties in Cowbridge in the south of Wales. Rhian returned to Wales as an adult to coach and to reconnect with place, with people and with language. From learning Welsh to leading the national team to their first major tournament, she is building something lasting.

And then, of course, there's the small matter of Wrexham AFC; one of the oldest clubs in the world, co-owned by Canadian star, Ryan Reynolds. Along with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, Reynolds bought the struggling North Wales club in 2020. Since then, the team have experienced he amounts of success on and off the pitch. Wrexham won promotion from the National League to League Two in 2023, climbed to League One in 2024 and earned promotion to the Championship in 2025. The TV documentary series about their exploits Welcome to Wrexham has also been a big hit with viewers across the globe.

In the year ending September 2021, Canada was the 10th largest export market for Wales, accounting for around 2.2% of Welsh goods exports, and the 14th largest import market with around 2.1% of Wales’ total goods imports coming from Canada.

We also have a notable Welsh business entrepreneur living in Canada, in the form of Sir Terry Matthews. Originally from Newport, Gwent, Matthews moved to Canada in the 1960s and went on to co-found Mitel and Newbridge Networks, both highly successful telecommunications companies. He later established Wesley Clover, a private investment firm based in Ottawa, which supports tech startups globally. Matthews has the honour of being Wales' most successful entrepreneur, and owns the Celtic Manor Resort, which hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup and 2014 NATO Summit.