With the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, thousands of Chinese workers were left without employment or the means to return home. Many moved eastward to the praries. Calgary soon had a sizeable Chinese population, which initially concentrated near the CPR station at 9th Avenue and Centre Street.

Strong public opinion against the Chinese kept the community segregated from mainstream society. Restrictive immigration laws prevented families from joining their male relatives in Canada. THe Chinese population in Calgary wokred mainly at menial jobs in laundries, cafes, groceries, and as domestic servants. By 1911, however, there were almost 60 Chinese-owned businesses, including market gardens, restaurants and tobacco stores.