Extension Chinatown

Chinatowns and Coal Mines Nanaimo Chinatown, established in the 1860s, served as a hub for smaller nearby Chinese communities. The coal industry was a significant employer in Nanaimo and the surrounding region, and coal mining communities with Chinatowns sprung up in nearby Wellington, South Wellington, and Extension. In Extension, Chinese workers were integral members of the coal industry’s labour force, and they also worked in logging and sawmilling and operated essential businesses like stores, restaurants, boarding houses, laundries, and barber shops. Extension Chinatown had a significant population that demonstrated resilience and resistance to racism, as well as adaptability to major changes in the labour market when the local economy shifted from mining to the forest industry. Extension Chinatown The Extension mines were established in 1897, and the population grew from…