Toronto -- It used to be the neighbourhoods of Jane and Steeles and Panorama.

But these are now the old Assyrian spots in Toronto. The new 'Assyria Town' is right here in Woodbridge.

Assyrians are the indigenous Aramaic-speaking descendants of the ancient Assyrian people, one of the earliest civilizations to emerge in the Middle East. They have a history spanning more than 6,750 years.

A big wave of the Assyrian population has been relocating to Woodbridge since 2000.

That is the year when urban sprawl really started to happen here. If you go back just 10 years, this area held nothing more than a few houses here and there, and lots of farms.

Now, it's amazing to note that Woodbridge and the city of Vaughan in general, is undergoing some major construction and development.

It is one of the fastest growing cities in all of Canada.

Woodbridge, as well as Maple, have some of the biggest theatres, theme parks and malls in all of Canada. This includes Vaughan Mills, Canada's Wonderland, Colossus Theatre and much more.

So it is no wonder that many Assyrians have been moving north and settling in this great, developing city, taking advantage of its diverse and multicultural population and a booming economy and job market.

I wouldn't say that Vaughan is the new 'Assyria Town' based solely on the ever-increasing population of Assyrians here. There are also socioeconomic factors and trends that help explain this.

Woodbridge is home to some of the most popular Assyrian hangouts, which include Tim Horton's coffee shops and several area restaurants. The main spot being the Tim's at Weston and Rutherford, followed by the Weston and 407 location, and many others.

There are also many new Assyrian stores and retail businesses in the area.

Baghdad Food Market was the first, which opened in Vaughan Mills in 2005. It was followed by Sam's Food Market in Woodbridge. Kristine Hair Salon, Alexandria Boutique, Gril4U Shawerma Restaurant, and, most recently, a new restaurant in which you can smoke a hookah.

When Iraq won the Asia Soccer Cup in summer 2007, most of the celebrations for the Iraqi Assyrian community was centered in and around Vaughan.

People came from Toronto and other cities to celebrate here.

These celebrations clearly stamped the city as the new Assyrian front and its major new hub in the GTA.

The Assyrian Church has taken some interest in Woodbridge and held its summer picnics in a beautiful spot in Woodbridge. The Ancient Assyrian Church of the East also has a branch in Woodbridge, while another, Assyrian Catholic Church, is located just on the outskirts of Vaughan.

Given all this interest and visible presence by the Assyrian community in this city, it would be natural that more and more Assyrian businesses and organizations will relocate here.

Consensus and urban trends in the GTA point to the fact that people keep moving north. More and more 416ers are turning into 905ers.

Of course, this is not to suggest that Assyrian communities elsewhere in the GTA, such as in Toronto itself and Mississauga, are becoming a thing of the past. They are very established and have been rooted in their areas for decades.

But Vaughan and its daughter towns, including Woodbridge and Maple, remain the hottest new destinations for Assyrians in the city at this moment.

Assyrians' visibility, influence and loyalty to the 'City above Toronto' will only grow stronger and stronger.

By Ashur Sada
www.georginaadvocate.com

Ashur Sada lives in Vaughan. He is webmaster of Assyrian Voice. Go to www.AssyrianVoice.net to find out more about the Assyrian people, their history, language and more.