Current Research

The list of current projects includes research undertaken by the Welcoming Communities Initiative which is now the Ontario Node of the P2P.  Clicking Read More offers research overviews, project leaders, timelines, and deliverables.


Settlement and Housing Experiences of Recent Immigrants in Small- and Mid-sized Cities in the Interior of British Columbia

In Canada, we know relatively little about immigrants' settlement experiences, including their access to local services and their housing experiences/outcomes – both of which are key factors in successful integration in small and mid-sized cities or in rural regions. This study considered immigrants’ settlement experiences, including their access to local services and their housing experiences and outcomes in the cities of Kelowna and Kamloops. This study also assessed the state of community services and the role of the latter in attracting and retaining immigrants to these areas. The results of the study include recommendations for improving immigrants’ settlement and integration in the interior of British Columbia.

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Recruitment and Retention in the Atlantic Provinces

Atlantic Canadian provinces are relatively new to recruiting and retaining immigrants and, consequently, do not generally have a well-developed knowledge base around best practices, return on investment in settlement services, or even on basic success levels. The research aims to help Atlantic Provinces improve their policies to recruit and retain immigrants.

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Fostering Research Partnerships for Improved Labour Market Integration and Employment of Skilled Immigrants and Refugees in Edmonton, Calgary, and Fort McMurray

The integration and utilization of immigrants’ skills in the labour market has emerged as a significant issue for Canadian immigration policy. With an increasing number of immigrants arriving in Alberta to live and to work, there is a need to better understand how social services and immigrant settlement sector agencies contribute to the labour market integration of recent skilled immigrants and refugees.

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International Students as Future Citizens: Understanding the Relation between Universities and Cities

The Canadian government has set an ambitious goal to double the number of international students in Canada by 2022. Most of the research bearing on new policies and student flows addresses the transition of international students to permanent residency and the contribution of these highly skilled individuals to the Canadian economy and society. Less attention has been focused on the interactions of international students with their environment.

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The Art of Immigration

The research will explore how newcomer experiences, and experiences of immigration, including trauma, memory, longing and belonging, are expressed through the creative arts and become factors or motivators of innovation and creation. Immigrant artists, as they work through issues of cultural identity and social and political justice, define and re-define the essence of artistic practice, creating a new language in the process.

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The Image Of Muslims In Canadian Parliamentary Debates – Some Preliminary Results

Adoption of a ‘Muslim exceptionalism’ perspective by policy-makers could result in misinformed policies and informal practices, such as restricting immigration from Muslim countries, treating religiosity as a (negative) criterion for admission, or raising the level of surveillance of Muslim immigrant communities. The research project aims to assess the validity of assumptions about ‘Muslim exceptionalism’. To achieve this, the study will attempt to develop a better understanding of: (a) the thoughts of Muslims on their immigration and post-migration experiences, as well as their views on their future in Canada; (b) the role of, and experiences with, religion in relation to these views and the processes that produce them; and (c) possible differences in the experiences of 2nd generation Muslim immigrants.

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