Even before Railway construction began, the Residents of British Columbia were afraid that the Chinese would take away their jobs. A motion was then passed by the BC Legislative Assembly to prevent Chinese from working on Government projects.

As the anti-Chinese feeling grew in British Columbia, Onderdonk assured the community that he would give white laborers preference over the Chinese. He indicated that he would hire Native Americans and Chinese only if he could find no other workers in Eastern Canada or elsewhere. About a month after the construction started, Onderdonk found that many of the white workers that he hired from San Francisco were unreliable. He was forced to hire Chinese Laborers, who were recruited from San Francisco and Portland. It was estimated that approximately 1,500 experienced Chinese railroad workers came to Canada from the United States between 1880 and 1881 to help build the railroad in British Columbia. As more railway workers were needed in 1881, Onderdonk began dealing with the Lian Chang Company to hire 2,000 workers from Hong Kong. In total, 15,700 Chinese were recruited though only 7000 worked directly on the CPR at any given time. The initial tasks given to them involved grading and cutting out hills to fill ravines and gullies. Later they were assigned the more dangerous job of tunneling and handling of explosive. The wages for Chinese workers were $1.00 a day and they had to purchase their own camping and cooking gear. In contrast, white laborers received $1.50 to $2.50 a day and did not have to pay for their gear.

Many Chinese workers often died from exhaustion due to the hard work and long walks between the job site and the work camp. Some perished in rock explosions or were buried in collapsed tunnels. Many others were drowned in the river due to the collapse of unfinished bridges, then the Canadian winter brought another dimension of hardships to the workers. Arriving from a warm temperate climate, none of the Chinese workers expected to suddenly face the severe winter of interior British Columbia in ill-prepared facilities. There were few medical facilities available and many died from scurvy. The Chinese workers were dismissed during the winter of 1882-1883 due to bad weather and again during the mid winter of 1883-1884 when the work was completed in the Fraser Canyon.

The Chinese indeed helped to link Canada from coast to coast, leaving tracks built on hard work, determination and perseverance, for later generations to follow. The last spike of the CPR was driven in November 1885, though none of the Chinese workers were invited to attend this historic ceremony. Instead, most of the Chinese workers were simply let go. Some went back to China while others found work in industries such as forestry, saw mills, fishing canneries, coal mines and domestic services. Most moved to the eastern provinces in search of other job opportunities.

As for those abandoned workers who stayed and could not find employment, the Chinese community did not just sit and watch them die. In Victoria 31, local community groups came together to establish the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association to serve the needs of the abandoned workers and new immigrants. The CCBA looked after the poor, ill and homeless workers. The organization also fought racism, acted as an Ombudsman in dispute between the Chinese and white community, and represented Chinese Canadians community before the Canadian government. The existent of the CBA demonstrates that there was a permanent and stable Chinese force dedicated to the aid of Chinese people in Canada.