Page 66 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies Migration to non-metropolitan Canada

that recognize multicultural diversity, there is a lack of demographic change in community?,” the key informant
everyday gathering space in the community to engage the identified the importance of municipal recognition of
diverse population, promote intercultural interactions, and diversity: “(I) believe that the municipal government has
enhance a sense of belonging. a significant role here, even more than the provincial and
the federal government. Because, at the end of the day, this
3.4. Importance of municipal and community is their community. This is the well-being of their citizens.”
partnerships Municipal officials acknowledged the role of collaborative
Interviews with municipal officials and a key informant in partnerships with community stakeholders and settlement
Brooks highlighted the importance of building partnerships agencies toward building a welcoming and inclusive
between municipalities and communities. When asked, community. When asked, “How does the municipality
“Has the municipality focused on any policies in attracting of Brooks understand the needs and challenges of ethnic
and retaining immigrants?,” a municipal official in Brooks communities and immigrants?,” the municipal official (A)
emphasized that the municipality’s approach was not to focus emphasized the importance of welcoming newcomers
on strategies toward attracting or retaining immigrants. along with local immigration agencies. Another municipal
Instead, their focus was on being responsive to demographic official (B) pointed out that funding constraints act as
changes, without necessarily giving special consideration to a barrier to creating spaces conducive to intercultural
the ethnocultural demographics of the population. interactions, as they elaborated: “…at the conclusion (the
community and municipality do recognize that), ‘yes, your
Regarding collaboration between local immigration
agencies and the municipality, the key informant community does need a space for the community.’ But
there is no funding currently to fund the actual space for
highlighted the importance of their professional role in
supporting immigrant settlement in the community. When the community.”
asked, “How does your organization collaborate with 4. Discussion
other stakeholders in the community?,” the importance of
collaboration was suggested toward effective integration of This study is exploratory in scope as it seeks to understand
immigrants into the local community, as noted by the key experiences that contribute to the perspectives of immigrants
informant in Brooks: “…we work very closely…we believe living in a non-metropolitan community in Canada. This
that although we are an agency we are providing services study explored two research questions: (i) what are the
(which) cannot be provided in a silo. Because at the end of reasons for immigrant settlement into a non-metropolitan
the day, what we are trying to do is to integrate newcomers community? and (ii) how do immigrants experience
into the community.” Interviews with municipal officials settlement in a non-metropolitan community? Building on
and the key informant suggested an acknowledgment of a our conceptualization of a non-metropolitan community
proactive duty in addressing immigrant settlements in the which has three community attributes – a socially close-
community. knit culture in the community, less cosmopolitan, and fewer
amenities and services in the community – the findings of
When asked, “What is the role of immigration and this study highlight the implications of cosmopolitanism and
settlement agencies in working with municipal programs the implications of amenities and services in the community,
and organizations?,” the key informant in Brooks as aspects which have a role in shaping immigrants’
mentioned the importance of community partnerships perspectives about community as place satisfaction. The
and the strategic need for better approaches to welcoming interviews with immigrants, the key informant, and
immigrants and representing diversity in the community: municipal officials in Brooks point out that the experiences
“I do believe that Brooks has done a lot in terms of and challenges of population growth in the community were
becoming a welcoming community…I think if there is related to the process of demographic change pertaining to
some improvement, we need to look into maybe some ethnic differences in the community. The interviews with
sort of systemic policy-level improvement that may immigrants suggested that migration decisions are in part
address some of the long-term goals. Yes, we celebrate our related to the autonomy of immigrants’ decision-making
diversity. Yes, we have these (cultural) events, we have these based on economic and family considerations. Nevertheless,
education programs, we have these celebrations. But what the interviews with the immigrants in this study point out
are we doing, for example, to address some of the systemic an imperative toward addressing demographic change in
issues? Whether it is around representation, whether it is the community, as ethnic diversity and differences in the
around changing attitudes of some people?” community have an impact on their perspective about the
When asked, “What should be the role of the community and their experience being in the community,
municipality that can make Brooks a place to support as well as place satisfaction.

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 60 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.6309