Pisterzani, like the larger Italian-Canadian population, first immigrated to Canada just before the turn of the century. This first wave of immigration continued until the early l900’s. The second period of immigration occurred during the 1950’s and l960’s and into the l970’s. Italians immigrated to Canada to improve their economic status and better their quality of life.

Between l908 to 1914 most Pisterzani, like the larger Italo-Canadian immigrant Population, came to Canada to work in the mines or railroads to earn wages, send money back home to their families and return to Italy themselves. Most of the early immigrants were not settlers. They found work in Northern Ontario in such cities as Sudbury, North Bay, Capreol, Timmins, and Thunder Bay.

The Pisterzani left their small village and immigrated to Canada for the following reasons. In Pisterzo, the residents were mainly poor farmers and livestock herders. They worked long hours in the field and experienced hardship, such as lack of money and food scarcity. External markets were hard to get to because Pisterzo’s situation on top of a small mountain isolated it from surrounding towns and cities. In addition, lack of suitable land area to support an expanding population were other contributing factors for Pisterzani to leave and immigrate to Canada.

The second wave of immigrants to Canada came after the Second World War. Favourable immigration policies and desire of Italians, particularly from the South, to leave the depressed areas of Italy resulted in a large increase of Italian immigrants. During this post war period, Toronto was a major destination for these immigrants. Canada was searching for unskilled labour to work in its cities. There, post war immigrants became industrial workers, factory workers, stonemasons, construction workers, bricklayers, excavators, etc. The immigrants, who were largely from an agrarian society, had to adjust to an industrial economy in Canadian cities.

Pisterzani, like other Italians, relied heavily on kinship and sponsorship in their immigration process. Italians generally immigrated to Canada as a family unit, and were sponsored by a relative who agreed to provide economic, social and emotional support. Family members and paesani served to house and provide clothes, food, and assist in obtaining jobs. Pisterzani rented and boarded with paesani or other Italians. They married Italians, lived in Italian neighborhoods, shopped in Italian stores, worked with other Italians, made use of services, and participated in Italian cultural activities. Family and community (paesani-fellow townsmen) were important factors in helping to adjust to the host society.

The immigrants sought to re-create the social structure of the small village and created within major urban centres like Toronto, Little Italies. Pisterzani looked into this larger Italian community (Little Italy), which was diverse enough to support and sustain them and help them form personal associations. Pisterzani settled in the same geographic areas as their Paesani (street by street). The reasons for settling close together were for emotional and physical support as well as to preserve their manners, customs, dialect and values that preserved their sense of identity and provided a sense of personal security. Pisterzani in Toronto settled in two major areas, in the Dufferin-St. Clair area and in the Jane-Sheppard area. There was little need for the immigrants to learn English because they could shop in Italian stores where Italian was spoken; they could speak to professionals such as doctors, lawyers, real estate agents and insurance brokers in Italian. Therefore they had little need to deal with the English population. Although Pisterzani have lived in Canada for a number of years, for the immigrant parent and first generation, the predominant language spoken at home was and is still the Italian language.

Social Clubs emerged within the Italian community to also preserve culture. Similarly with the Pisterzani, The Pisterzo Social and Cultural Club was founded in l980 by various Pisterzani. (a list names to be inserted in the future) to preserves and maintain social contacts, customs and values. Regional dialects were preserved to the present day in Canada even though the Italian language is spoken throughout Italy.

Since Italians value home ownership, they bought homes and in this way they have experienced a concrete example of economic advancement. They have bought homes within the city of Toronto and north of the city i.e. Woodbridge. Pisterzani, like the larger immigrant community, have advanced their economic status and their offspring have obtained higher levels of education and have a higher proportion of professional jobs among them. The Pisterzani have created a better future for themselves and their children in Canada by working very hard, saving their money and valuing the family.

Many Pisterzani continue to have an emotional and physical link to the small town, Pisterzo. This is seen by the number of visits that Pisterzani take to go back to re-visit the small town. They also stay connected with Pisterzo through the Web-link.

Special thanks to Paul Gorys for the above information obtained from his Master's Thesis in Sociology and to Elida Farelli for condensing the thesis information into this short version.