Public Attitudes toward Immigrants and Immigration in Smaller Canadian Communities


Victoria Esses, Western University; Alina Sutter, Western University; Leah Hamilton, Mount Royal University; Antoine Bilodeau, Concordia University; Paolo Palma, Western University; Aurélie Lacassagne, Université Saint-Paul; Keith Neuman, Environics Institute; & Danielle Gaucher, University of Manitoba

In an effort to promote balanced demographic and economic growth, Canada is committed to increasing immigration to smaller communities outside of Canada’s large cities. This strategy aims to revitalize areas that struggle to maintain population levels and to spread the benefits of immigration across the country. Recent research by Esses et al. (2024) surveying residents of 11 smaller Canadian communities sheds light on their attitudes toward immigrants and immigration, and offers practical implications for community leaders and policy-makers.

The representative survey took place in 2022 in a diverse range of communities, including Kamloops (BC), Wood Buffalo (AB), Prince Albert (SK), Brandon (MB), Thunder Bay (ON), Greater Sudbury (ON), Saint-Hyacinthe (QC), Bathurst (NB), Charlottetown (PEI), Cape Breton (NS), and St. John’s (NL). On average, residents in these communities tended not to perceive immigration levels as too high, were quite willing to believe that those claiming to be refugees are genuine, and that the Federal Government has not lost control over immigration. Residents supported bringing in immigrants with the work skills needed in Canada, reflecting widely held attitudes and policies promoting economic immigration. However, there was more uncertainty about how well immigrants integrate into Canadian society, specifically regarding the adoption of Canadian values.

The study revealed interesting differences between communities and predictors of attitudes. In particular, immigrant share of the community population, and not the community size, predicted attitudes toward immigration and refugees. In communities with higher shares of immigrants in the population, such as Wood Buffalo (AB) with 21% of the population being immigrants, residents were more likely to be concerned about the level of immigration, the genuineness of refugees, and were more likely to think that the Federal Government has lost control over immigration. Another interesting case was St-Hyacinthe (QC), where despite immigrants being a lower share of the population (7%), residents expressed concerns that perhaps reflected the ongoing debate regarding immigration in Quebec. Apart from that, the overall tendency generally held, and attitudes were quite positive in St. John’s (NL) in which immigrants constitute 5% of the population, and Cape Breton in which immigrants constitute 2% of the population.

In terms of demographics, younger, female, White and highly educated residents of these communities were more likely to hold positive immigration attitudes. Furthermore, immigrant respondents were more likely to hold positive attitudes toward immigration and less likely to believe that immigrants are not adopting Canadian values and that the government has lost control over who can immigrate.  Income did not significantly predict attitudes.

The study highlights opportunities for targeted actions to promote and maintain positive attitudes in smaller Canadian communities. These include, for example, creating programs that promote positive interactions between local residents and immigrants in areas with immigrants constituting high shares of the population. In addition, initiatives may tap into the more positive attitudes among women, younger individuals and immigrants to advocate for the benefits of immigration. Similarly, community leaders may consider implementing educational campaigns to highlight the economic and social benefits of immigration to reduce residents’ concerns. By promoting positive attitudes, smaller communities can become more welcoming, which in turn has a positive impact on their ability to attract and retain newcomers.

The full article can be found here: Esses, V. M., Sutter, A., Hamilton, L. K., Bilodeau, A., Palma, P., Lacassagne, A., Neuman, K., & Gaucher, D. (2024). Public Attitudes Toward Immigrants and Immigration in Smaller Canadian Communities. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 56(3), 43-67. https://doi.org//10.1353/ces.2024.a939615