Does the Tendency of Immigrants to Settle in Big Canadian Cities and in Enclaves Within These Cities Help Their Integration into Canadian Society?

The number of immigrants arriving in Canada is bound to either stay the same or increase in the future. Expanding access to services for newcomers remains a big challenge for federal and provincial governments. This challenge has only increased in recent years as newcomers opt to live in concentrated ethnic enclaves. Many immigrants prefer ethnic enclaves because they enjoy greater links to family and community, get to speak their native language, and are able to access ethnically oriented businesses. A large amount of federal funding is needed to create settlement services outside of major Canadian cities in order to attract immigrants beyond their preferred ethnic enclaves. Greater co-ordination between all levels of government, employers, and Non Governmental Organizations is also needed to effectively attract and accommodate immigrants in smaller communities.