Page 57 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies Migration to non-metropolitan Canada

population of Canada is continuing to become diverse migrate to non-metropolitan communities due to factors
(ethnically and culturally) with immigration, as 23% of such as having a lower cost of living (Kelly & Nguyen,
the population in Canada was born outside of the country, 2023), enhanced opportunities for housing attainability
where 26.5% of the population identifies as part of a “visible (Brown, 2016; Teixeira & Drolet, 2018), life course factors
minority” demographic according to the 2021 Census and considerations including hope for a better future for
(Statistics Canada, 2022a). By 2041, it is projected that family (Kelly & Nguyen, 2023; Rishworth et al., 2023),
just under half (38.2 – 43.0%) of the population in Canada and other place-based reasons such as having access to
will identify as a “visible minority” person compared nature (Zhuang & Lok, 2023). Migration of immigrants
to just over a quarter (26.5%) of the population in 2021 to non-metropolitan communities in Canada can also
(Statistics Canada, 2022b). The term “visible minority” is be determined by provincially managed immigration
used in the Canadian policy context to refer to populations programs (e.g., Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
who are “persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are Program and the Atlantic Immigration Program) (Pandey
non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color” (Statistics & Townsend, 2011; Pottie-Sherman & Graham, 2021).
Canada, 2015). For example, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
Program was designed to facilitate immigrant settlement in
The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity in Canada’s specific municipalities (smaller cities and/or rural regions)
population is not surprising given that Canada has to fulfill in-demand labor by incentivizing a pathway to
historically been a nation of immigrants that is renowned permanent residency for immigrants who apply and are
for its multicultural diversity. In this paper, we refer to selected to work in those municipalities (IRCC, 2025).
“immigrants” as people who were born outside of Canada. Those skilled-targeted immigration programs are aimed at
Immigrant settlement patterns in Canada indicate that attracting immigrants to communities (i.e., municipalities)
immigrants and “visible minority” populations are less seeking economic and demographic growth through
likely to live or prefer to live in rural areas (Finlay & immigration. In contrast, the implications of immigrant
Haan, 2024). Although immigrants are still less likely to retention in smaller cities remain understudied (Kelly &
prefer to live in smaller cities and rural areas, settlement Nguyen, 2023).
patterns indicate that immigrants are increasingly
settling outside of Canada’s three largest cities – Toronto, The settlement of immigrants into non-metropolitan
Montreal, and Vancouver. Immigrant settlement patterns communities is a policy priority known as regionalization.
in Canada are still predominant in larger cities. However, Regionalization is deemed a policy priority because
there are shifting patterns that signify that immigrants municipalities and regions may face population growth
in Canada are also (re)settling into smaller cities and/or issues related to either a declining or aging population.
regions less known for multicultural diversity (Patel et al., Immigrants are viewed as a demographic that would be
2019; Pottie-Sherman & Graham, 2021; Ramsey et al., able to revive population decline through incentives of
2016; Teixeira & Drolet, 2018; Statistics Canada, 2022c). immigration with provincially-managed immigration
We broadly refer to smaller cities in this paper as non- pathway programs, such as the Rural and Northern
metropolitan communities. The term “non-metropolitan” Immigration Pilot Program. However, despite the
that we refer to is premised on the contextual distinction voluntary or incentivized settlement of immigrants to
of settlement locations outside of larger urban centers non-metropolitan communities in Canada, immigrant
(metropolitan areas), which are typically characterized settlement in non-metropolitan communities is a municipal
by histories and geographies of immigrant settlement. and demographic challenge, as municipalities may not
By operationalizing settlement outside of larger urban necessarily have the capacity or infrastructure to support
centers as “non-metropolitan communities,” this paper an increasing influx of population through immigration.
provides an operational definition of settlement locations Immigrants to Canada are more likely to have living
preferences in larger cities than native-born Canadian
that acknowledges the social and physical geographies residents (Statistics Canada, 2022c). However, as a whole,
of immigrant settlement in place with distinction from recent immigrants are increasingly settling in smaller cities
settlement in metropolitan areas (e.g., large cities). Our compared to previous cohorts of immigrants (Statistics
conceptualization of a non-metropolitan community will Canada, 2022c). In comparison, broader factors such as the
be explained in Section 1.2.
rising cost of living in larger urban centers have contributed
The settlement of immigrants outside of larger urban to increasing trends of migration of the general population
centers is both a policy priority and a migration decision at from larger cities to smaller communities (McQuillian,
the autonomy of immigrants in search of place satisfaction. 2024). Hence, smaller communities are growing, but
For example, immigrants in Canada may voluntarily municipalities may not necessarily be experienced with

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 51 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.6309