1. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
The housing situation of recent immigrants in the Montréal CMA: insights from Metropolis census data and the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada
Damaris Rose, Annick Germain & Virginie Ferreira (INRS-Urbanisation, Culture et Société, Montréal)
Presentation in workshop “Immigrants and the Housing Markets of Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver”, National Metropolis Conference, Vancouver, March 2006
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

2. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Outline
Immigration and housing in the Montréal CMA: some elements of context
Immigrant households and their housing situation: insights from Metropolis census data
Newcomers’ housing conditions about 6 months after arrival ( ): insights from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (cross-tabular data)
Conclusion
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

3. Immigration and housing in the Montréal CMA: some elements of context
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06/04/2019
Immigration and housing in the Montréal CMA: some elements of context
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

4. Recent immigration flows: size, immigration category
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06/04/2019
Recent immigration flows: size, immigration category
Recent immigrants: relative importance in Mtl
immigr 10 yrs = 6% of CMA popn (vs T&V 17%)
fewer arrivals in than in
cohort diffs vs (QC)…
% refugees, % family reunification, no change in % economic category
new selection criteria (1996-) for skilled workers (youth + human capital…)  46% 30, only 11% >40 (2002 survey: Godin/MRCI 2004)
 lower earnings (beginning of career), probably more single people  what are the housing implications?…
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

5. Immigrant origins, visible minority status
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06/04/2019
Immigrant origins, visible minority status
Immigrant origins much more diverse than in V, and somewhat more so than in T
More even distribution by world regions
Top 10 birth countries = smaller % of total
Share of visible minorities is lower ( 50%, vs >70% in T & V)
Composition of visible minorities is different
fewer S. Asian & Chinese, more Arab & Black
These trends = cumulative result of specific history of immigration to Mtl + recent QC immigration policy
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

6. Housing stock, tenure patterns
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06/04/2019
Housing stock, tenure patterns
Much smaller % single-family dwellings
reflects & reinforces historically-low overall levels of home-ownership
however, condominium boom is now breaking link dwelling type  tenure
Prior to 1986, higher % homeowners among immigrants than Canadian-born
More recently, among under-35s, widening gap in home-ownership rates between immigrants and Canadian-born, in favour of latter (Séguin et al. 2003)
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

7. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Immigrant households and their housing situation: insights from Metropolis census data
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

8. Immigrant household composition, 2001
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06/04/2019
Immigrant household composition, 2001
Much smaller households than in T & V, overall (2.8) & for visible minorities (3.1)
Non-family households more common overall (26%) & for visible minorities (24%)
especially common among Euro-origin hholds – but much variability within Euro and VM categories
e.g. Chinese, S. & SE Asian, 17-18%; Black, 29%
lone parenthood: high not only for Black VM (29%) but also for Latin-American (22%)
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

9. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Home ownership by immigrant status and period of immigration, Montréal, 2001
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

10. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Recent immigrant (10yrs) household incomes, owners’ payments and rents relative to those of all CMA residents, 2001 and 1996
Avg income – total
Avg income - owners
Avg income -renters
Avg owners’ payments
Avg rent
Montreal 2001
67% 
84%
89%  
123%  
97% 
Montréal 1996
62%
83%
80%
113%
99%
Toronto 2001
68% 
74%
87% 
119%  
98% 
Toronto 1996
65%
75%
81%
95%
Vancouver 2001
73%
71% 
90% 
111% 
100%
Vancouver 1996
72%
69%
114%
NB: The comparison is between the 2001 situation of immigrants who arrived and the 1996 situation of immigrants who arrived , i.e. the cohort is included in both comparison groups. This was necessitated by the categories available in the data compilations. Consequently, what the comparison over time is actually comparing is two things simultaneously: 1) the effect of differences between the cohort and the cohort; 2) change in the situation of the cohort.
Additional comments:
As regards the 2001 data on immigrants who arrived in the previous 5 years ( ) – data not shown in this table -, their incomes are only 60% of the average in the case of Mtl (vs. 61% in Tor and 64% in Van.). The income ratio for renters is about the same in all 3 CMAs (83-84%), as is that for rents (between 97% and 102%). For owners, however, the lowest income ratio is found in Van. (63%), the highest in Mtl (84%), with Tor. in between (685). Owners’ payments follow the same pattern. However, we must remember than less than 11% of Mtl’s very recent immigrants are home-owners.
Improving relative situation  deteriorating relative situation
Figures in red italics = CMA with lowest incomes, highest owners’ payments or rents relative to CMA avg
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

11. Housing stress: renters
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06/04/2019
Housing stress: renters
STIR 30%:
42% of immigrants 10yrs (vs 55% in 1996)
STIR 50%:
17% of Canadian-born
20% of all immigrants
Chinese 30%, Arab/W. Asian 27%
23% of recent immigrants (10yrs)
28% of very recent immigrants (5yrs)
Those in stress pay slightly higher rents, but key problem is low income
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

12. Housing stress: homeowners
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06/04/2019
Housing stress: homeowners
STIR 30% (modest incomes)
34% of recent immigrants (10yrs)
amelioration cf equivalent group in 1996 (43%)
vis. min. % vary: highest = Arab/W.Asian (33%)
STIR 50% (low incomes)
5% of Canadian-born
9% of all immigrants
Black, Chinese, Arab/W. Asian, Lat. Am: 12-13%
14% of recent immigrants (10yrs)
Those in stress have both higher payments + low incomes
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

13. Housing core need, Montréal CMA, 2001
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06/04/2019
Housing core need, Montréal CMA, 2001
Source: CMHC (2004) Research Highlight, Socio-Economic Series Issue 7 revised, Appendix Table 3
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

14. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Newcomers’ housing conditions about 6 months after arrival (2001-’02): insights from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (cross-tabular data)
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

15. Montréal newcomers: distinctive characteristics (cf. T & V)
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06/04/2019
Montréal newcomers: distinctive characteristics (cf. T & V)
Human capital
highest % aged (76%)
lowest % with no post-secondary educ. (19%)
highest % with 1 foreign qualification (83%)
highest % with official language skills (90%)
highest % of economic immigrants (73%)
almost all are skilled workers – few business immigrants
Regions of origin
Highest % from Europe (20%)
Highest % from Africa (30%)
Source: StatCan 2005, cat F, Annex A
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

16. Distinctive living arrangements and dwelling types
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06/04/2019
Distinctive living arrangements and dwelling types
Mtl has highest % couples no children (23%) & people living alone (16%)
skilled workers: lowest % arrive with spouse (StatCan 2005, cat XIF, Annexe A)
multifamily living generally uncommon
higher for S. Asian (family reunif.?) & W. Asian (refugees?)
Low-rise apartment living predominates (57%); few live in single-family dwellings (13%)
Policy effects (more points if 35) on household types?
Influence of housing stock on living arrangements?
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

17. Montréal newcomers: housing outcomes after 6 months (1)
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06/04/2019
Montréal newcomers: housing outcomes after 6 months (1)
Tenure: only 5.6% in homeowner household
rises to 20% for business immigrants
Crowding: overall, lower rates cf T and V
except for refugees (65% crowded)
Difficulty finding suitable housing? - much higher % (48%) said yes
Nature of difficulties (cf. T and V)
cost less important
low vacancy rate, discrimination much more important
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

18. Montréal newcomers: housing outcomes after 6 months (2)
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06/04/2019
Montréal newcomers: housing outcomes after 6 months (2)
Mtl has highest rate of housing stress: 60%, with 34% in extreme stress
Stress by entry category: business, 27%; family class, 54%; skilled workers, 61%; refugees, 81%
Extreme stress: W. Asians over-represented
Not in stress: E. Asians over-represented
Why is stress highest in Mtl?
LICO indicator similar to T & V, but is newcomer poverty deeper in Mtl?
Mtl newcomers: lowest employment rate, 31%
youthful age structure  less savings?
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

19. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Conclusion
Mtl’s recent immigrants = the most heterogeneous i.t.o. origins, household type; younger age structure
Homeownership rates falling behind Canadian-born
Improvement in renters’ relative situation …
…but their very low incomes - in spite of high human capital - make newcomers very vulnerable to housing stress (and discrimination?) in tightening housing market since 2000  importance of research to follow LSIC cohort to 2 and 4 yrs
Visible minority/European distinction not very helpful due to great diversity of housing outcomes within each category  need more research
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver

20. Immigrants & housing: Montréal
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06/04/2019
Acknowledgements
This study was partially funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and by the National Homelessness Initiative
project officer: Jim Zamprelli, CMHC
Project director and administrator: Dan Hiebert, UBC
Co-researchers: Valerie Preston & Robert Murdie (York U.); Elvin Wyly (UBC); Jean Renaud (U. de Montréal)
Thanks also to all the graduate assistants who have participated at various stages of this project
06/04/2019
Immigrants & housing: Montréal
Rose, Germain & Ferreira, Metropolis - Vancouver