Migration to non-metropolitan communities: Community-based perspectives on immigrant settlement and multicultural diversity in a small city in Canada

Immigrants in Canada are increasingly moving into non-metropolitan communities (smaller cities). Non-metropolitan communities are unique contexts of settlement due to a fabric of difference in the physical and social landscape in comparison to larger, multicultural cities that are renowned for immigration and diversity. Policies and immigration pathway programs in Canada are deliberate about promoting non-metropolitan communities as places for immigrant settlement due to the necessity of addressing demographic challenges, such as an aging or declining population. However, less is known about the experiences of settlement in a smaller city from the perspective of immigrants living in the community. This study explored the community-based perspectives about multicultural diversity and the reasons for migration to a non-metropolitan community in Canada. It involved interviews with immigrants from multicultural backgrounds, municipal officials, and a key informant on immigrant settlement and integration. The findings of this study indicated that economic and family-related factors were the primary reasons for migration to and settlement in a non-metropolitan community. This paper contributes to the literature on population and demographic change by emphasizing the importance of understanding place satisfaction from the perspective of diversity in the community as an approach to addressing demographic challenges in non-metropolitan communities.