Immigrant Housing Issues in Canada

            The idea of coming to Canada for immigrants and refugees seems like a bright future with new opportunities to create a new life for themselves and their families. In some cases this is true. Other times not so much. The issue of finding suitable employment is a major issue but another issue that faces families is being able to find housing. Most of the immigrants coming to Canada head to one of three major destinations. These three locations are: the greater Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal area. Groups of immigrants with the same nationality tend to form communities together and create a more comfortable environment. Even though this is a positive for them there are even more negatives.

            Some of the problems that face immigrants within their communities are: “adequacy, affordability, imminent notice of eviction, isolation and high crime levels.” (mosaicbc.com) In some areas where immigrants settle the housing conditions can be poor and impoverished. The cost of housing can also be too high for the families to afford or takes up a large percent of their income. Another problem the immigrants have to deal with within their communities are unfair landlords who can be unfair, impatient and sometimes racist. The locations of living can be in a poor location, which can be far away from services that the family might need. Due to poverty and other social issues the communities immigrants settle in can have a high level of crime because of the desperation of its residences.

            A new life in Canada sees very desirable but in some cases it is not everything it seems. There are a lot of challenges that they will have to face in order to find success here in Canada. Once again it seems that Canada is not as great to its immigrants as it presents itself to the world.

-John


References:

Mosaicbc.com, http://www.mosaicbc.com/sites/all/files/publications-public/SCPI%20Summary%20Report_0.pdf

 M, Carlos. A, Chambon. D, Hulchanski. C, Teixieira (1995). The Homeless Hub. http://www.homelesshub.ca/Library/Housing-Issues-Facing-Immigrants-and-Refugees-in-Greater-Toronto-Initial-Findings-From-Jamaican-Polish-and-Somali-Communities-36219.aspx