Punjabi Market Collective Society
Honouring the Past,
Building the Future
Rooted in Community
Punjabi Market has always been powered by people. In the 1970s, the first Punjabi entrepreneurs opened shops here, creating a home away from home for new immigrants and the community. Over time, Main Street became a destination where families found attire for life’s biggest celebrations, where children tasted their first jalebis, and where milestones were marked together. Today, organizers, artists and champions of culture carry that legacy forward, bringing new energy while honouring the past. Punjabi Market is a place of resilience, joy, and pride — and when you walk these blocks, you become part of that story too.
In 1970, Sucha Singh and Harbans Kaur Claire opened Shaan Sarees and Fabrics. The first Indian fabric shop in Vancouver.
Broadcasting pioneer Shushma Datt live on location in Punjabi Market with Radio Rim Jhim in the 1990s.
Punjabi Market streetscape in the 1980s.
Signs of Resilience
Two workers install the Punjabi Market street signs in 1993. Interestingly, the signs were initially installed with a typo in the Punjabi script, a small mistake quickly corrected but now part of the street’s unique history.
The Punjabi Market street signs, unveiled in 1993, were the first in Canada to feature both English and Punjabi (Gurmukhi) script. They were not easily won — the original proposal was rejected by Vancouver City Council and met with racist pushback, reflecting the discrimination the South Asian community faced in many parts of daily life.
Their eventual installation became more than just wayfinding; it was a hard-fought recognition of belonging, and a symbol of resilience for a community that refused to be sidelined.
Murals in the Market
Introduced in 2021, Murals in the Market is the Punjabi Market Collective’s public art initiative to celebrate BIPOC artists, stories and the history of Punjabi Market.
A Canvas for
Community
Since 2020, the Punjabi Market Collective has brought the neighbourhood alive with arts, culture and celebration. From colourful murals and the Punjabi Market LIVE street festival featuring international artists, to the Desi Pride Block Party, Main Street has been filled with music, dance, and joy. The community has come together for acts of service with Khalsa Aid seva, and creativity and storytelling have been celebrated at the Indian Summer Festival’s partnership, and much more.
Through art, storytelling and giving back, Punjabi Market has shown how culture, connection, and community has continued to thrive in South Vancouver.
PM50: A Celebration
50 Years in the Making
Hosted by Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi's Amrit Gill, PM50 is a celebration of North America's oldest Punjabi Market. Featuring poetry, performances, and interviews with celebrated pioneers Shushma Datt, Harinder Singh Toor, Sucha Singh & Harbans Kaur Claire.
