Rising immigration to Nova Scotia and the resultant unprecedented demographic shift has allowed for the growth in some religious communities.
As per Statistics Canada numbers, the number of Muslims in the province was about 15,000 in 2021, which is almost a two-fold increase since 2011, when there were roughly 8,500 Muslims. Meanwhile, Sikhs and Hindus have also significantly increased in number in Nova Scotia.
As per Christopher Helland, associate professor who focuses on religion in contemporary culture at Dalhousie University, religion is important to the identity of many immigrants and helps them navigate the world.
He also said that places of worship (mosques, temples, gurdwaras) are a fundamental locus of social organization for those arriving in Nova Scotia from abroad, reported CBC News.
The trend of rising numbers of those affiliated with minority religions is not just restricted to Nova Scotia. StatsCan numbers highlight that the proportion of Canada’s population that identifies as being Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh has more than doubled in 20 years.
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From 2001 to 2021, these shares went from 2.0% to 4.9% for Muslims, from 1.0% to 2.3% for Hindus, and from 0.9% to 2.1% for Sikhs.
Helland said that the religious institutions associated with each of those denominations help people maintain their cultural identity and their sense of purpose and well-being.
“It’s not just about believing in the tradition,” he said.
“It’s also about what resources those institutions provide for the newcomers, how it helps them integrate into society.”
While many Christian churches in the Atlantic Canadian province have seen declining attendance and ageing congregations, the communities with minority religious affiliations have more community and family involvement.
This results in large attendance across the age board.
As per Shammy Sohal, who is temple president of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Halifax, increasing numbers of people are coming to temple gatherings to meet new friends and make contacts to help them find a job or navigate life in Canada.
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“It’s no longer that we’re coming and praying together, but we’re coming and we’re building a partnership in some ways and that’s what we’ve noticed.”
There has also been a rising trend of interfaith consolidation and cooperation.
For example, Fort Massey United Church has been geared toward the south end Christian community for more than 150 years, and now includes Muslim prayers in its calendar.
This is because more students at Dalhousie University have been demanding this accommodation.
Religious data has been collected in Canada every 10 years since 1871. StatsCan reported that the trend of decline in Christianity and an increase in other religions is not unique to Canada, and is being noticed in other predominantly Christian countries such as the US, Australia, and many European states.