Immigration and Homelessness Research in Toronto, Peel Region, and Hamilton

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Immigration and HomelessnessResearch in
Toronto, Peel Region, and Hamilton

• Dr. Kenise Murphy Kilbride, Co-Principal
  Investigator
• Dr. Steven Webber, Co-Principal Investigator
• Etta Baichman-Anisef, Project Director
• Nelson Amaral, Graduate Research Assistant
• Cecilia Wong, Research Assistant
• Dr. Sabin Mukkath, Lead Researcher, Hamilton

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Research Questions

• Who are most vulnerable to homelessness among
  immigrant and refugee populations?
• What are the links between international
  migration and homelessness?
• What are the experiences of the foreign born
  homeless and hidden homeless in trying to find
  affordable, appropriate accommodation?
• What have they found to be helpful, and where
  have they found it?

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Methodology

• Formulate a dynamic approach to identify the
  factors contributing to homelessness among
  newcomers
• Literature Review
• Key Informant Focus Groups with service
  providers, housing workers and shelter staff in
  Toronto, Hamilton and Peel Region
• Individual In-depth interviews with foreign born
  homeless and hidden homeless individuals

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Individual in-depth interviews

• 100 individuals selected using a stratified
  non-random selection process
• Sample included at least 30 hidden homeless
• Sample quota by regional proportion of immigrants
• Toronto 60
• Peel 25
• Hamilton 15
• 50 Males and 50 Females were interviewed

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Key Informant Focus Groups

• Factors contributing to problems experienced by
  newcomers in seeking housing
• Rent Too High and Social Assistance Too Low
• Unfamiliarity with How the System Works and Lack
  of Information
• Difficulty Finding Employment
• Mental and Physical Problems and Breakdown
• Lack of Appropriate Documentation
• Cultural Barriers Lack of Cultural Sensitivity
  and Understanding
• Racism and Discrimination by Landlords
• Size of Family (Landlords wont rent to large
  families)
• Lack of Links to their Community

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Trends identified by Key Informants

• The number of multiple families sharing
  apartments has increased tremendously.
  Homelessness in general is higher.
• An increase in the number of sponsored immigrant
  seniors brought to Canada by their children to
  look after their grandchildren.
• An increase in the number of children coming to
  Canada on their own as refugee claimants.
• More difficulty in finding housing.
• The waiting lists for shelter use are getting
  longer.

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Best Practices in Services to Newcomers

• Key informants identified best practices - i.e.
  practices that have been found most effective
  among the services offered, to alleviate
  vulnerability to homelessness.
• An Open Door Policy
• A Patterned Model Shelter
• Wrap-around Services
• Second-Stage Housing
• Peer Support Program

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Who Are The Homeless
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Where are the Homeless

• Toronto is a major immigrant reception centre,
  and the distribution of homeless immigrants
  reflects this.
• Hamilton, and to a lesser extent Peel Region, are
  targets of secondary migration.
• When you first came to Canada, did you come to
  this city?

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Housing History

• Prior to arriving in Canada did you ever
• live in a residence that you owned or rented
  yourself?

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Individual Interviews
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Individual Interviews
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Common Threads To Three Sites

• Overall Lack of Social Capital
• Participants had
• Limited integration with people or institutions
  that could provide valuable support
• Difficulty entering chosen profession
• Economic difficulties from an inability to earn a
  living in their field
• Difficulty interacting with Canadians
• Difficulty finding or interacting with others
  from their own ethnic group