The Canadian Tamils of Sri Lankan origin ("Tamils") are one of the fasterst growing visible minority groups in the Greater Toronto Area. Canada is now home to more than 250, 000 Tamils, of which approximately 200, 000 live in the GTA.

The history of Tamils in Canada goes back to the 1940s, when a few hundred Tamils migrated to Canada. The 1983 communal riots in Sri Lanka precipitated the mass exodus of Tamils, with over 500, 000 finding refuge in countries such as Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Switzerland.

The vast majority of Tamils immigrated to Canada in the last 20 years. Canada is now home to the largest Tamil population outside of Sri Lanka. Within this short period of time, Tamils have established a mounting presence in multiple aspects of Canadian life: business, academic, political and social. The Tamil business community has grown in leaps and bounds, with over 2,000 Tamil-owned businesses in the GTA.