Discrimination and Other Challenges Experienced by Racialized Newcomers When Accessing Settlement Services in Southwestern Ontario
The Western Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST) and the Pathways to Prosperity Partnership (P2P) are pleased to be releasing their joint report, Discrimination and Other Challenges Experienced by Racialized Newcomers When Accessing Settlement Services in Southwestern Ontario. This report is based on a project that explores the barriers faced by racialized newcomers in accessing settlement services — including the racism and discrimination they may experience — in small and mid-sized communities in Southwestern Ontario.
Through interviews with 94 newcomers and 15 key informants in eight regions of Southwestern Ontario, the project identifies barriers that racialized (versus non-racialized) newcomers face when accessing settlement services in these communities and proposes evidence-based recommendations to address these barriers, with potential applications in similar communities across Canada. An intersectional Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) approach was adopted throughout the research process.
The project fills a gap in existing research by focusing on the specific experiences of racism and discrimination that newcomers may face in accessing settlement services and by focusing on communities outside of the large metropolises in Canada. The increasing diversity of Canada’s immigrant population and the regionalization of immigration in Canada underscore the significance of this report.
