Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Later-Life Migrations in Canada in 2001: A Multilevel Approach

  • Published:
Journal of Population Ageing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Canada is an aging society; with over 13% of the population 65 and over in 2008 and with this population growing at a rate more than double the overall population. Moreover, the aging of the Canada population varies geographically across the nation. Using data drawn from the 2001 Census of Canada Master files (20% sample), the objectives of this analysis are twofold. First, the analysis examines the internal migration behavior of the older population, distinguishing between the native-born and foreign-born. Second, the analysis examines how residential attributes at the census subdivision (CSD) and census metropolitan levels influence the migration decision. This analysis examines the later-life migrations of Canada’s older population at the census subdivision level in 2001.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bergob, M. J. (1992). Where have all the old folks gone? Interprovincial migration of the elderly in Canada: 1981–1986. Canadian Studies in Population, 19(1), 17–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergob, M. J. (1995). Destination preferences and motives of senior and non-senior inter-provincial migration in Canada. Canadian Studies in Population, 22(1), 31–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. A., & Moore, E. G. (1970). The intra-urban process: a perspective. Geografiska Annaler Series B Human Geography., 52(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, W. J., Rasbash, J., Ng, E. S. W. (2005). MCMC estimation in MLwiN Version 2.0. University of Bristol. http://www.cmm.bristol.ac.uk/MLwiN/download/MCMC%20est_2005.pdf. Accessed 4 March 2008.

  • Burr, J. A., & Mutchler, J. E. (2007). Residential independence among older persons: community and individual factors. Population Research Policy Review, 26, 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carriere, Y., & Pelletier, L. (1995). Factors underlying the institutionalization of elderly persons in Canada. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 50(3), S164–S172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casado-Díaz, M. A., Kaiser, C., & Warnes, A. M. (2004). Northern European retired residents in nine Southern European areas: characteristics, motivations and adjustment. Ageing & Society, 24, 353–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Che-Alford, J., & Stevenson, K. (1998). Older Canadians on the move. Canadian Social Trends, pp 15–18, Spring.

  • Cheung, H. Y., & Liaw, K. L. (1987). Metropolitan out-migration of elderly females in Canada: characterization and explanation. Environment and Planning A, 19(12), 1659–1671.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. E., & Hunter, W. J. (1992). The impact of economic opportunity, amenities and fiscal factors on age-specific migration rates. Journal of Regional Science, 32(3), 349–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, W. A. V., & Onaka, J. L. (1983). Life cycle and housing adjustment as explanations of residential mobility. Urban Studies, 20, 47–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coates, K. S., Healy, R., & Morrison, W. R. (2002). Tracking the snowbirds: seasonal migration from Canada to the U.S.A. and Mexico. American Review of Canadian Studies, 32(3), 433–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conway, K. S., & Houtenville, A. J. (2001). Elderly migration and state fiscal policy: evidence from the 1990 census migration flows. National Tax Journal, LIV, 1, 103–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, F. A., & Barlett, J. M. (2000). Economic impact of retirement migration on the Texas Hill Country. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 19(1), 78–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duncombe, W., Robbins, M., & Wolf, D. A. (2003). Place characteristics and residential location choice among the retirement-age population. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 58B(4), S244–S252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erickson, M., Krout, J., Ewen, H., & Robison, J. (2006). Should I stay or should I go? Moving plans of older adults. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 20(3), 5–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ermisch, J. F., & Jenkins, S. P. (1999). Retirement and housing adjustment in later life: evidence from the British household panel survey. Labour Economics, 6, 311–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Everitt, J., & Gfellner, B. (1996). Elderly mobility in a rural area: the example of Southwest Manitoba. The Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe Canadien, 40(4), 338–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fokkema, T., & Gierveld, J. N. (1996). Big cities, big problems: reason for the elderly to move? Urban Studies, 33(2), 353–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frey, W. H., Lee, K. L., & Lin, G. (2000). State magnets for different elderly migrant types in the United States. International Journal of Population Geography, 6, 21–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, K., & Warnes, A. M. (2000). Understanding contrasts in later life migration patterns. Erdunde, 54, 108–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gale, L. R., & Heath, W. C. (2000). Elderly internal migration in the United States revisited. Public Finance Review, 28(2), 153–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golant, S. M., & LaGreca, A. J. (1994). Housing quality of U.S. Elderly households: does aging in place matter? The Gerontologist, 34(6), 803–814.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanlon, N., & Halseth, G. (2005). The greying of resource communities in Northern British Columbia: implications for health care delivery in already under-serviced communities. The Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe Canadien, 49(1), 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hazelrigg, L. E., & Hardy, M. A. (1995). Older adult migration to the Sunbelt: Assessing income and related characteristics of recent migrants. Research on Aging, 17(2), 209–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, K. & Billari, F. C. (2006). Migration to urban and rural destinations in post-Soviet Estonia: a multilevel event-history analysis. Environment and Planning A, 38, 749–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooimeijer, P., Dieleman, F., & Kuijpers-Linde. (1993). Is elderly migration absent in the Netherlands? Espace, Population, Societies, 3, 465–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, A. E., & Cloutier, D. S. (1991). Elderly migration and its implications for service provision in rural communities: an Ontario perspective. Journal of Rural Studies, 7(4), 433–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kallan, J. E. (1993). A multilevel analysis of elderly migration. Social Science Quarterly, 74(2), 403–416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J., & Lauderdale, D. S. (2002). The role of community context in immigrant elderly living arrangements: Korean American elderly. Research on Aging, 24(6), 630–653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, R., Warnes, A. M., & Williams, A. M. (1998). International retirement migration in Europe. International Journal of Population Geography, 4, 91–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kupiszewski, M., Schuler, M., Reichle, M., Durham, H., & Rees, Ph. (2000). Internal migration and regional population dynamics in Europe: Switzerland case study. Working Paper, School of Geography, University of Leeds. http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/5026/1/00-2.pdf (Last Accessed 15 April 2009).

  • Kupiszewski, M., Illeris, S., Durham, H. & Rees, Ph. (2001a). Internal migration and regional population dynamics in Europe: Denmark case study. Working Paper, School of Geography, University of Leeds. http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/5018/1/01-2.pdf (Last Accessed 15 April 2009).

  • Kupiszewski, M., Borgegard, L., Fransson, U., Hakansson, J., Durham, H. & Rees, Ph. (2001b). Internal migration and regional population dynamics in Europe: Sweden Case Study. Working Paper, School of Geography, University of Leeds. http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/5019/1/01-1.pdf (Last Accessed 15 April 2009).

  • Ledent, J., & Liaw, K. L. (1989). Provincial out-migration patterns of Canadian elderly: characterization and explanation. Environment and Planning A, 21(8), 1093–1111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, E. S. (1966). A theory of migration. Demography, 3(1), 47–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, F., Fisher, K. J., Brownson, R. C., & Bosworth, M. (2005). Multilevel modeling of built environment characteristics related to neighbourhood walking activity in older adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 59, 558–564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liaw, K. L., & Kanaroglou, P. (1986). Metropolitan elderly out-migration in Canada, 1971–1976: characterization and explanation. Research on Aging, 8(2), 201–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liaw, K. L., & Qi, M. (2004). Lifetime interprovincial migration in Canada: looking beyond short-run fluctuations. The Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe Canadien, 48(2), 168–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, J. (2005). The housing transition of seniors. Canadian Social Trends, 79, 22–28. Statistics Canada. http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/11-008-XIE/2005003/articles/8969.pdf. Accessed 4 April 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litwak, E., & Longino, C. F., Jr. (1987). Migration patterns among the elderly: A developmental perspective. The Gerontologist, 27(3), 266–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Longino, C. F., Jr. (1985). Returning from the sunbelt. A., Mond (Ed.), Returning from the Sunbelt: Myths and realities of migratory patterns among the elderly (pp. 7–12). Columbia University, New York: Brookdale Institute on Aging and Human Development.

  • Longino, C. F., Jr., Marshall, V. W., Mullins, L. C., & Tucker, R. D. (1991). On the nesting of snowbirds: a question about seasonal and permanent migrants. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 10(2), 157–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, A., & Chow, N. W. S. (2006). Determinants of elderly residentail mobility in Southern China: exploration and implications. Ageing International, 31(1), 59–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHugh, K. E., & Mings, R. C. (1994). Seasonal migration and health care. Journal of Aging and Health, 6(1), 111–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmood, A., Yamamoto, T., Lee, M., & Steggell, C. (2008). Perceptions and use of gerotechnology: implications for aging in place. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 22(1/2), 104–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marr, W., & Millerd, F. (2004). Migration of elderly households in Canada, 1991–1996: determinants and differences. Population, Space and Place, 10, 435–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J. W., & Speare, A., Jr. (1985). Distinctively elderly mobility: types and determinants. Economic Geography, 61, 79–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michelson, W., Belgue, D., & Stewart, J. (1973). Intentions and expectations in differential residential selection. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 35(2), 189–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, E. G., & Pacey, M. A. (2003). Geographical dimensions of aging in Canada 1991–2001, Research paper No. 97, Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population (SEDAP), McMaster University. http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~sedap/p/sedap97.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2008.

  • Moore, E. G., Rosenberg, M. W., & McGuiness, D. (1997). Growing old in Canada: Demographic and geographic perspectives. Toronto: ITP Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, E. G., McGuinness, D., Pacey, M. A. & Rosenberg, M. W. (2000). Geographical dimensions of aging: the Canadian experience 1991–1996, Research paper No. 23 Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population (SEDAP), McMaster University. http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~sedap/p/sedap23.pdf. Accessed 4 March 2008.

  • Newbold, K. B. (1996). Determinants of elderly interstate migration in the United States, 1985–1990. Research on Aging, 18(4), 451–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newbold, K. B. (2007). Return and onwards migration among older Canadians: findings from the 2001 census, Research Paper No. 171, Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population (SEDAP), McMaster University. http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~sedap/p/sedap171.pdf. Accessed 8 March 2008.

  • Northcott, H. C. (1988). Changing residence: The geographic mobility of elderly Canadians. Toronto: Butterworths.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oswald, F., Wahl, W., Schilling, O., Nygren, C., Fange, A., Sixsmith, A., et al. (2007). Relationships between Housing and Aging in Very Old Age. The Gerontologist, 47(1), 96–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patel, K. V., Eschback, K., Rudkin, L. L., Peek, M. K., & Markides, K. S. (2003). Neighborhood context and self-rated health in older Mexican Americans. Annals of Epidemiology, 13, 620–628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raymer, J., Abel, G., & Smith, P. W. F. (2007). Combining census and rgistreation data to estimate detailed elderly migration flows in England and Wales. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society A, 170(4), 891–908.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, A., & Raymer, J. (1999). The regional demographics of the elderly foreign-born and native-born populations in the United States since 1950. Research on Aging, 21(1), 3–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, P. H. (1955). Why families move: A study in the social psychology of urban residential mobility. Glencoe: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito, T. L., Lee, H., & Kai, I. (2007). Health and motivation of elderly relocating to a suburban area in Japan. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 45, 217–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schellenberg, G. (2004). Immigrants in Canada’s census metropolitan areas, Statistics Canada Business and Labour Market Analysis Division. Ottawa: Catalogue No. 89-613-MIE, No. 003. http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/89-613-MIE/2004003/89-613-MIE2004003.pdf. Accessed 2 April 2008.

  • Serow, W. J., Friedrich, K., & Haas, W. H. (1996). Residential relocation and regional redistribution of the elderly in the USA and Germany. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 11, 293–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, S. K., & House, M. (2006). Snowbirds, sunbirds, and stayers: seasonal migration of elderly adults in Florida. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 61(5), S232–S239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speare, A., Jr., & Meyer, J. (1988). Types of elderly residential mobility and their determinants. Journal of Gerontology, 43, S74–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speare, A. J. R., Avery, R., & Lawton, L. (1991). Disability, residential mobility, and changes in living arrangements. Journal of Gerontology, 46(3), S133–S142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2008a). Report on the demographic situation in Canada: 2005 and 2006 edition. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/91-209-XIE/91-209-XIE2004000.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2008b). 2006 census dictionary. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/reference/dictionary/index.cfm. Accessed 2 April 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolnay, S. E., & Crowder, K. D. (1999). Regional origin and family stability in northern cities: the role of context. American Sociological Review, 64(1), 97–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, W. H. (1994). Climate and U.S. elderly migration rates. Papers in Regional Science, 73, 309–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, W. H. (2002a). Later-life migration in the United States: a review of recent research. Journal of Planning Literature, 17(1), 37–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, W. H. (2002b). Place characteristics and later-life migration. Research on Aging, 24(2), 243–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warnes, A. M., & Williams, A. (2006). Older migrants in Europe: a new focus for migration studies. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 32(8), 1257–1281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wight, R. G., Cummings, J. R., Miller-Martinez, D., Karlamangla, A. S., Seeman, T. E. & Aneshensel, C. S. (2008). A multilevel analysis of urban neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and health in late life. Social Science & Medicine, 66(4), 862–872.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winchester Brown, J., Liang, J., Krause, N., Akiyama, J., Sugisawa, J., & Fukaya, T. (2002). Transitions in living arrangements among elders in Japan: does health make a difference? Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 57B(4), S209–S220l.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was completed while the first author was a Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population (SEDAP) postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University. She gratefully acknowledges the funding support of this program and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) for this research. The authors would like to acknowledge assistance from Dr. Ruben Mercado with multilevel modeling in MLwiN.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Martin Prosperity Institute, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Suite 420, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 1L7

    Karen M. King

  2. School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada

    K. Bruce Newbold

Authors
  1. Karen M. King
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Bruce Newbold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen M. King.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

King, K.M., Newbold, K.B. Later-Life Migrations in Canada in 2001: A Multilevel Approach. Population Ageing 2, 161–181 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12062-010-9020-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12062-010-9020-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation