Sudbury celebrates Chinese New Year with traditional food

Sudbury's Asian community is ringing in a new year by sharing traditions with locals eager to learn more about the celebration. 

Today marks the official start of the Lunar New year and for the Chinese, it's finally the Year of the Monkey. 

Helena Lee has lived in the city for nearly three decades and owns the Tea and Bloom shop downtown with her sister. She said people she serves at her store are curious about the festivities.

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"They want to learn these words. And they want to know what do you eat? What do you prepare?" Lee said. "'Sun leen fai lock.' I teach all my customers to say that. That's happy new year." 

Lee said she's been preparing for weeks for this day and the food she's serving goes deeper than just tasting good. 

"For my menu, we have fish, we have lettuce, we have long noodles, dumplings. Those all symbolize good fortunes, good health and wealth," she explained.

Charles Chiu, the former owner of Canton Chinese Food, said Sudburians don't have to go far to get the ingredients necessary for a traditional Chinese feast. 

"We don't have to go down to Toronto to get it because Loblaws owns one of the biggest Chinese grocery chains. They can bring all the stuff up here so we don't have to shop anywhere else," Chiu said.

For those interested in celebrating the Chinese New Year festivities, the Chinese Association of Northern Ontario will be hosting a potluck Saturday at 6 p.m. at the YMCA's Parkside Centre.