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Housing Experiences of Recent Immigrants to Canada’s Small Cities: the Case of North Bay, Ontario

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Abstract

Adequate, suitable and affordable housing is one of the basic needs that must be successfully attained in the process of immigrant integration into a community. This case study consisting of semi-structured interviews and focus groups with new immigrants and landlords centres particularly on the housing experiences of immigrants in North Bay, a small city in Northeast Ontario. North Bay, like many small urban centres in Canada, has undertaken an immigration strategy in order to counter demographic challenges and boost economic development. The housing experiences were examined in terms of suitability given household size and composition, affordability relative to the immigrants’ financial resources as well as ownership and dwelling type. The connection between the immigrant’s housing experiences, their interactions with neighbours and landlords and their perceptions of the city as a welcoming community were also explored. Generally, the immigrants who participated in the study were satisfied with their current housing situation. Several participants were surprised to find a limited and older housing stock in North Bay and rental prices that were not significantly different from the larger cities they had left. Their housing experiences tended to either have a positive impact on their perceptions of the city or not at all. Policy implications and recommendations are also discussed.

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Notes

  1. Net internal migration = (interprovincial in − interprovincial out) + (intraprovincial in − intraprovincial out). Net international migration = (immigrants − emigrants) − net temporary emigrants + returning immigrants + net non-permanent residents.

  2. Kijiji is a centralized network for posting local online classified advertisements.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Don Curry, Vindra Sahadeo, Deborah Robertson, Shaye Belanger and the North Bay and District Multicultural Centre for their assistance with data collection and for providing context and background information. I would also like to thank Melanie McVeety, members of the North Bay Newcomer Network, and the staff of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board for their assistance and insights.

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  1. Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada

    Natalya R. Brown

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Brown, N.R. Housing Experiences of Recent Immigrants to Canada’s Small Cities: the Case of North Bay, Ontario. Int. Migration & Integration 18, 719–747 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-016-0498-5

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