Greek Canadians
ethnic group; Canadian citizens who have full or partial Greek heritage or people who emigrated from Greece and reside in Canada
Greek Canadians (Greek: Ελληνοκαναδοί) are Canadian citizens who have full or partial Greek heritage or people who emigrated from Greece and reside in Canada. According to the 2021 Census, there were 262,140 Canadians who claimed Greek ancestry.
Demographics
Provinces and territories with the highest population of Greek Canadians, according to 2016 Census:
Census metropolitan agglomerations (CMAs) with the highest population of Greek Canadians, according to 2016 Census:
Cities with the highest population of Greek Canadians, according to 2016 Census:
Ridings (federal electoral districts) with the highest percentage of Greek Canadians, according to 2016 Census:
Religion
List of notable Canadians of Greek ancestry
Academics
Andreas Mandelis – expert on photonics, member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering; awarded the 2014 Killam Prize
Authors
Pan Bouyoucas – finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award, 2001
Tess Fragoulis – writer and educator
Thomas King – writer and broadcaster presenter
Dimitrios Roussopoulos – politician and activist
Professors
Athanasios Asimakopulos – professor of Political Economy in the Department of Economics, McGill University
Nick Bontis – DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University 3M National Teaching fellow
André Gerolymatos – Hellenic Studies
Dimitri Kitsikis – professor emeritus of History, fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Nikolas Kompridis – Philosophy
Fotini Markopoulou-Kalamara – Physics
John Mylopoulos – Computer Science
Nikolaos Oikonomides – Byzantine history
David N. Stamos – Philosophy
Anastasios Venetsanopoulos – vice president of Research and Innovation at Ryerson University
Business and philanthropy
Sophia Aggelonitis – businesswoman
Jack Agrios – former director and executive member of the Edmonton Elks
Andreas Apostolopoulos – real estate
Steve Apostolopoulos – real estate
Chris Giannou – war surgeon
Sam Kolias – founder, chairman and CEO of Boardwalk REIT
Mike Lazaridis – founder and co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM), creator of BlackBerry
Sam Panopoulos – chef and businessman best known for his invention of the Hawaiian pizza
Creatives
Artists
Thalia Assuras – television journalist
Eleonora Dimakos – model, actress, journalist and makeup artist
Helen Lucas – artist
Billy Mavreas – cartoonist
Pythia – drag queen
Paul Soulikias – artist painter
Chrysanne Stathacos – multidisciplinary artist
George Trakas – environmental sculptor
Sport
Athletics
Nicolas Macrozonaris – 100m sprinter
Baseball
Alex Anthopoulos – president of Baseball Operations for the Atlanta Braves, former Blue Jays general manager
George Kottaras – Major League player
Vickie Panos – player, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1944
Basketball
Ammanuel Diressa – player with Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League
Naz Mitrou-Long – NBA player, Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers
Elijah Mitrou-Long – player with PAOK of the Greek Basket League
Boxing
Hercules Kyvelos – boxer
Chess
Peter Biyiasas – chess grandmaster
Diving
Alexandre Despatie – diver, Olympic silver medalist (Greek grandmother)
Fencing
Joseph Polossifakis – sabre fencer, 2016 Olympian, Pan-Am Games medalist
Field hockey
Ernie Cholakis – player
Figure skating
Madeline Schizas
Football
Stavros Katsantonis – CFL defensive back, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Dave Sapunjis – CFL all-star receiver, Calgary Stampeders
Ice hockey
Andreas Athanasiou – NHL player for the Chicago Blackhawks
Steve Gatzos – former NHL player, Pittsburgh Penguins
Tom Karalis – former AHL player
Chris Kontos – former NHL player
Chris Kotsopoulos — former NHL player, New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings
Tom Kostopoulos – former NHL player, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames
Nick Kypreos – former NHL player, Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers
Christian Kyrou – NHL player for the Dallas Stars
Jordan Kyrou – NHL player for the St. Louis Blues; gold medalist at the 2018 World Junior Championships
Dave Nonis – former Canadian ice hockey defenceman; former general manager and executive of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs
José Théodore – former NHL player; Hart Memorial Trophy winner in 2002 with the Montreal Canadiens
Carson Lambos - NHL Player for the Minnesota Wild
Mixed martial arts
Smealinho Rama – light heavyweight
Elias Theodorou – former UFC middleweight
Paralympics
Marissa Papaconstantinou
Soccer
Themi Antonoglou – player
David Fronimadis – player
Costa Iliadis – player, Toronto FC II
Ilias Iliadis – player, FC Montana
Stathis Kappos – player
Jace Kotsopoulos – player
John Limniatis – player
James Pantemis – goalkeeper, CF Montréal
Lucas Papaconstantinou – goalkeeper
Nick Papadakis – player
Peter Sarantopoulos – player
Bobby Smyrniotis – coach, former player
Kenny Stamatopolous – player, former Toronto FC and Kalamata
Sarah Stratigakis – midfielder, Michigan Wolverines, Canadian Women's National Team
Theo Zagar – player
Strength athletics
Dominic Filiou – strongman
Water skiing
George Athans – water-skier
Wrestling
Bret Hart – former pro wrestler, multiple World Champion in the WWF and WCW; of Greek ancestry; mother is half Greek
Owen Hart – former pro wrestler, WWE Intercontinental Champion, European Champion and Tag-Team Champion, brother of Bret
Teddy Hart – pro wrestler, nephew of Owen and Bret
Jim Korderas – former WWE referee, television commentator
Natalya Neidhart – pro wrestler, former WWE Women's Champion, niece of Bret and Owen Hart
Trish Stratus (aka Patricia Anne Stratigias) – former professional wrestler, seven time WWE Women's Champion, former WWE Hardcore Champion
John Tolos – former professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager
Film, TV and stage
Actors and performers
Marie Avgeropoulos – actress, Tracers, Supernatural, Fringe, The 100
Alex Carter – actor
John Colicos – actor
Chris Diamantopoulos – actor
Vasilios Filippakis – actor
Jordan Gavaris – actor
John Ioannou – actor
Demetrius Joyette – actor
John Kapelos – actor
Athena Karkanis – actress, The Border, Lost Girl, Low Winter Sun, The Lottery, Manifest
Argiris Karras – actor
Alex Karzis – actor, singer and musician
Elias Koteas – actor, Crash
Melissanthi Mahut – actress
Natasha Negovanlis – actress and web host
Alexandra Ordolis – actress
Nikki Ponte – singer
Cristine Prosperi – actress
Daniel Samonas – actor
Sofia Shinas – singer, actress, The Crow
Tracy Spiridakos – actress, Being Human, Revolution, Chicago P.D.
Venus Terzo – actress
Elias Toufexis – actor
Angelo Tsarouchas – comedian/actor It's all Greek to Me Comedy Show
Nia Vardalos – actress, screenwriter, My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Marie Wilson – actress, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital
Directors and producers
Tony Asimakopoulos – documentary film director
Stephano Barberis – music video director
Constant Mentzas – filmmaker
Watts – music producer, born Austin Garrick
Entertainers
Ariana Chris – mezzo-soprano
Christine Cushing – celebrity chef
Anesti Danelis – comedian, musician
Dini Dimakos – comedian/actor, Video on Trial, Love Court
Katerine Duska – singer
DVBBS – electronic duo, most famous for their joint international hit with Borgeous, "Tsunami"
Hannah Georgas – singer/songwriter
Theo Goutzinakis – musician
Rex Harrington – ballet dancer
Alex Karzis – actor, voiceover artist, musician and singer
KO – musician
Sid Krofft – puppeteer
George Sapounidis – musician, troubadour, statistician, Sinophile; subject of documentary Chairman George
Teresa Stratas (born 1938) – soprano OC; retired Canadian operatic soprano; known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's Lulu; born in Toronto, Ontario
Angelo Tsarouchas – comedian/actor, It's all Greek to Me Comedy Show
Phil X (born Phil Xenidis) – prolific session guitarist and Bon Jovi's guitarist
Chris Yonge – rapper
Journalists and broadcasters
Ernie Afaganis – retired CBC-TV Sports and Olympics anchor
Thalia Assuras – anchor and reporter
Vassy Kapelos — host, CBC News Network's Power & Politics, former Global News Ottawa bureau chief
Athena King – newscaster on Naked News
Steve Kouleas – sports anchor and reporter
George Lagogianes – television personality, currently reporter and anchor for CP24; host of Auto Shop
Nik Nanos – political commentator and founder of Nanos Research
Ioanna Roumeliotis – CBC News reporter
Lou Schizas – equities analyst
George Stroumboulopoulos – host, CBC Newsworld's The Hour, former MuchMusic VJ
Christina-Laia Vlahos – OMNI 1 presenter
Antonia Zerbisias – Toronto Star columnist
Historical figures
Immigrants
Ioánnis Fokás Juan de Fuca – first Greek-Canadian (1592)
Politicians
Annie Koutrakis – Liberal MP for Vimy, Quebec
Sophia Aggelonitis – former Liberal MPP for Hamilton Mountain
Niki Ashton – NDP Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Churchill, Manitoba
Eleni Bakopanos – former Liberal MP for Saint-Denis
Staff Barootes – former Conservative senator
Marie Bountrogianni – former Liberal MPP for Hamilton Mountain
John Cannis – former Liberal MP for Scarborough Centre, 1993 to 2011
Tony Clement – member of Parliament for Muskoka, and president of the Treasury Board
Mary Fragedakis – Toronto city councillor for Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth
Peter Fragiskatos – Liberal MP for London North Centre
Philippe Gigantès – former Liberal senator
Faith Goldy – right-wing political commentator, former Toronto mayoral candidate
Leo Housakos – Conservative senator
Maurine Karagianis – New Democratic Party of British Columbia MLA, former Esquimalt – municipal councillor, British Columbia
Jim Karygiannis – Toronto city councillor
Labi Kousoulis – Nova Scotia Liberal MLA for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island minister of Finance and Treasury Board, minister of Inclusive Economic Growth (formerly Business), and minister of Trade
Emmanuella Lambropoulos – Liberal MP for Saint Laurent
Costas Menegakis – former Conservative Party of Canada MP for Richmond Hill
Pana Merchant – Liberal senator from Saskatchewan
Christina Mitas – PC MPP for Scarborough Centre, 2018–present
Constantine George Mitges – former PC MP, first Greek elected federally
Nick Mantas – Toronto city councillor, Ward 22, Scarborough - Agincourt
George Samis – former Ontario New Democratic Party MPP, first Greek elected to a Canadian legislature
Christos Sirros – former Quebec Liberal MNA and provincial cabinet minister
Gerry Sklavounos – Liberal member of the Québec National Assembly
Dimitri Soudas – former communications director to the prime minister of Canada
Diane Stratas – former Progressive Conservative MP for Scarborough Centre, 1979–1980
Effie Triantafilopoulos – PC MPP for Oakville-North Burlington, 2018–present
Judiciary
Justice Andromache Karakatsanis – Supreme Court of Canada, 2011–present
Justice David Stratas – Federal Court of Appeal, 2009–present
Religious figures
Nicholas Salamis – priest
Christophoros (Rakintzakis) – bishop
Order of Canada recipients
Teresa Stratas (born 1938) – soprano OC; retired Canadian operatic soprano; known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's Lulu; born in Toronto, Ontario
Order of Merit of the Police Forces recipients
Peter Lambrinakos MOM – Canadian police and corporate security executive
See also
Canadian-Greek relations
Greek Torontonians
Canadian people of Greek descent
Philhellenism
1918 Toronto anti-Greek riot
Notes
References
External links
hellenism.net – a comprehensive list of famous Greeks and Greek Americans
Further reading
Magocsi, Paul R (1997). Encyclopedia of Canada's peoples. Multicultural History Society of Ontario. pp. 616–26. ISBN 0-8020-2938-8.
Ember, Melvin (2005).
The public source identifies “Greek Canadians” as ethnic group; Canadian citizens who have full or partial Greek heritage or people who emigrated from Greece and reside in Canada. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Greek, Canadians and ethnic.
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