Page 68 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies Migration to non-metropolitan Canada

places in smaller cities less known for immigration ought also to pursue an understanding of how to retain
to be studied, and perhaps utilizing our conceptualization immigrants in these contexts. The potential of involving
of “non-metropolitan communities” may provide an initial a holistic community perspective from local residents and
basis for inquiry into the place. Further exploration and immigrants from ethnically different backgrounds may
inquiry into different classifications of immigrants (e.g., illuminate the implications of cosmopolitanism in non-
refugees, newcomers, or long-term immigrants) and their metropolitan communities toward belonging and inclusion
experience in non-metropolitan communities should be more comprehensively with nuance. As Banack’s (2023)
further enhanced. ethnographic study of rural Albertan attitudes toward
cultural minorities has indicated, policymakers should
Municipal officials and the key informant in this study
alluded to ongoing work addressing demographic change consider a holistic community perspective of both the host
community and newcomer populations toward fostering a
in the community. Municipal actors should further seek sense of belonging for all in the community, with emphasis
strategies to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion in that each community is contextually unique. If federal
place, as real or perceived experiences of being an outsider and provincial policymakers decide to redistribute the
persist for immigrants settling in non-metropolitan share of immigrants and economic growth toward smaller
communities, as illuminated in this study. Municipalities cities, municipalities must consider and understand the
should further leverage the importance of understanding processes of demographic change and population growth
demographic change through the perspectives of those from a community perspective, with differences in mind.
who are migrating into the community, that is, ethnic and Immigrants’ settlement trajectories are in part economic
cultural diversity and difference, and not merely a growing and subjective decisions, as immigrants in this study have
population, to meaningfully and proactively address migrated to a non-metropolitan community primarily for
demographic change in the community. This requires employment prospects and family reunification. However,
municipalities to be proactive in recognizing immigration to further harness the potential of fostering inclusive and
as a demographic change and the implications of place and equitable communities, municipalities should strive to
cosmopolitanism in non-metropolitan communities. We recognize the value and implications of cosmopolitanism
aspire that initial acknowledgment of the implications of and ethnocultural diversity in the community.
cosmopolitanism in place can be a starting point toward
enhancing the acceptance of diversity and difference in 5. Conclusion
non-metropolitan communities. We hope that thinking
about demographic change, through the lens of diversity Diversity will continue to characterize the demographic
and place satisfaction in a non-metropolitan community, change in communities experiencing a population increase.
can shed light on further work that addresses current and This study involved community-based perspectives about
future processes of demographic change in the community immigrant settlement and multicultural diversity in non-
through immigration as population growth. metropolitan communities in Canada. This study found
that immigrants may migrate to a non-metropolitan
Due to recruitment challenges during the time of the community due to economic and family-related factors.
study, there can be potential sample bias from participants Immigrants’ perspective about a non-metropolitan
in this study, which mainly consisted of the perspectives community is in part shaped by characteristics of ethnic
of young adult immigrants living in non-metropolitan diversity and differences in the community. The small
communities. This limitation points out the importance sample size and the unique demographic composition of
of further research that would more systematically involve Brooks as a highly diverse, non-metropolitan community
a representative population of immigrant perspectives in limit the generalizability or transferability of the findings
non-metropolitan communities. With recognition of these to further contexts. Despite its limitations, this paper
limits, we hope to leverage the importance and value of contributes to the population and demographic literature
community-based perspectives as part of understanding by conceptualizing the construct of a non-metropolitan
processes of demographic and population change. Future community and aspires to use these non-metropolitan
studies should seek to understand the varying lived communities as a foundation for further research.
experiences of immigrants residing in non-metropolitan Furthermore, the findings of this study illuminated
communities across different settlement stages and life community-based perspectives about demographic change
courses. This would be valuable for better understanding in a smaller city through the perspectives of immigrants, a
and critically examining experiences in non-metropolitan key informant, and municipal officials. We hope that the
communities, as researchers and policymakers deem conceptualization of a non-metropolitan community and
it not only to attract immigrants to smaller cities but the community-based perspectives about settlement may

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 62 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.6309