Toronto’s Pakistani Community: One of North America’s Largest
The Greater Toronto Area is home to one of the largest Pakistani diaspora communities in North America — with estimates ranging from 100,000 to over 200,000 people of Pakistani origin across the GTA. This community is concentrated in a handful of key neighbourhoods and suburbs:
- Mississauga — particularly around Dixie Road, Hurontario, and the Square One area
- Brampton — one of Canada’s fastest-growing South Asian communities
- Scarborough — longstanding desi enclave with established shops and restaurants
- North York — growing Pakistani and South Asian population
This concentration matters for one simple reason: where there’s community, there’s commerce. Toronto has more Pakistani clothing options than almost any other Canadian city, and considerably more than most American cities outside New York and Chicago.
But “more options” is relative. Let’s be honest about what that means.