Wong Association of Ontario ??????? plaque, 2015. Photo by Herman Custodio.  

Plaque Text

The Wong Association of Ontario (Wong Kun Har Sun Association) traces its origins to one of the oldest Chinese family associations in Canada - Wong Kun Har Tong, established in 1912. It was originally located in Toronto's first Chinatown, near present-day Bay and Dundas Streets. Family associations were important to the lives of early Chinese immigrants and their descendants, as they provided or assisted with employment, housing, immigration services, financial loans, and health care.

During the years of the Chinese Immigration Act (1923-1947), Chinese immigration was barred by the Canadian Government, and the membership of Wong Kun Har Tong declined. The organization ceased operation, re-emerging in the early 1950s in partnership with Wong Wun Sun (founded in 1930). The two groups purchased a building for joint use in 1952, and moved to this location on Spadina Avenue in 1988.

In 2011, the Wong Kun Wun Sun Association became the first Chinese-Canadian family association to receive a coat of arms from the Canadian Heraldic Authority.