Huron County Local Immigration Partnership shares results of newcomer housing study for Huron-Perth

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Among the findings from a recent study conducted by the Huron County Local Immigration Partnership, entitled “Newcomer Experiences of Housing in Huron and Perth,” the cost of renting and access to housing information were identified as barriers to permanent newcomer settlement in small, rural communities.

At the Aug. 7 Perth County council meeting, Mark Nonkes, manager of the Huron County Local Immigration Partnership, presented all 10 of the study’s findings. The study, he explained, was conducted after finding an affordable place to live was identified as a top challenge for immigrants in the 2023 Huron-Perth Immigrant Survey. As there is little information available about rural immigrant experiences of housing across Canada and housing is known to have a significant impact on overall settlement outcomes for newcomers, the study is intended to begin a conversation around how to improve access to appropriate, affordable and sustainable housing for newcomers.

“Our partners, who work across both Huron and Perth, often ask us to do more work in Perth as there’s no immigration partnership there,” Nonkes said. “So, this research study spanned the two geographies.

“… Why is it important to study newcomer experiences of housing? … There’s no fall-back; they don’t have family or friends to go back to or rely on. There’s no credit or rental history in Canada which may be a barrier. Understanding the experiences of diverse groups allows decision-makers to keep things in mind like development and infill planning. Representation from different groups is important to break down barriers to enhance people settling in our community. A lack of knowledge of local rental markets or housing support available is often experienced by newcomers. Rural areas often rely on social-connection referrals to rentals; newcomers may not have those networks. And finally, one of the big challenges that newcomers face is racism and xenophobia that other groups may not.”

The study comprised four hour-and-a-half-long focus groups held in Goderich, Exeter, Listowel and St. Marys with a total of 40 newcomers who arrived in Canada since 2018 and live in communities of 10,000 people or less participating. Sixty-two per cent of participants were female while 38 per cent were male.

As for their countries of origin, 15 were from Ukraine, five from Philippines, five each from Mexico and Syria, three each from India and Ghana, two from Guatemala, and one each from Iran, Russia and Ivory Coast. All of the participants rented – 23 lived in houses and 17 in apartment buildings – and 31 live with children in their homes.

The following are the study’s findings:

• Housing is only one part of settlement experiences: It is entwined with employment and transportation. Other factors impacting housing for newcomers include English language classes, education for children, access to health care, programming for newcomers at community libraries and proximity to grocery stores.

• Newcomers face multiple barriers to housing: Nearly half of the participants pay more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, with those fleeing war paying as high as 40-80 per cent of their incomes. Other barriers include a lack of credit history in Canada, which limits rental options; lengthy wait times after submitted rental applications; and difficulties finding suitable rental housing for larger families. Living with roommates allowed eight participants to allocate only 20-30 per cent of their monthly income to housing, while some participants were assisted in finding housing by their employers.

• Multiple moves: Of the participants, 10 remained in the place where they arrived; 16 moved to new homes once; and six moved twice or more.

• Suitable housing determinants: According to participants, the factors that make housing suitable include having enough bedrooms, having enough bathrooms, having a place where everyone in the home can find privacy and that those living in the home can express themselves freely.

• Housing conditions vary: Seven participants lived in houses that were in good condition and renovated while four participants highlighted challenges with older buildings. Participants reported their repair requests were often delayed and shared laundry could be difficult to access with equipment in various states of repair.

• Landlord-tenant relationships: While participants said the hallmark of a good landlord was their responsiveness to requests, some voiced concerns about their landlords’ views about immigrants.

• Housing information: Of the 40 participants, 15 found housing through family or friends, 12 through Facebook, two using a search engine like Google and two with the help of a real estate agent. Participants also noted they had no access to official housing information sources, they are not familiar with government supports for affordable housing and they lack knowledge around tenant rights. Twenty-two participants, over half, said there is not enough information on housing for newcomers in Huron-Perth.

• Newcomers appreciate small communities: Of the 40 participants, 33 felt accepted in their communities and they appreciate the slower pace, connection to nature and feeling safe and appreciated.

• Newcomers find local residents friendly and helpful: Of the participants, 17 said they have good and helpful neighbours, five have troubling neighbours, five do not know their neighbours, one does not have neighbours, and two did not answer the question. Overall, the participants described locals as welcoming, generous, empathetic and willing to help by sharing information, and they praised volunteers and neighbours who supported their adjustment to their new surroundings.

• Newcomers unsure if they will stay where they are: Of the participants, 11 said they plan to remain where they are for the next five years, three said they would move elsewhere, nine said they were unsure and 17 did not answer. The participants said housing affordability and proximity to essential services is a key deciding factor. Many who wished to stay hoped to purchase their own home but recognized the need for permanent residency to do so. They also pointed to limited job options as a factor in whether or not they would stay.

“Now that we have all this information, what we’re doing with it is we’re rolling it out to the people who participated and we’ve organized meetings with immigrant-service providers, community organizations and housing-focused organizations. We’ve been doing consultations with newcomers to share the findings and identify additional solutions, and we’re working towards developing a second publication to highlight ways newcomer experiences with housing can be strengthened locally,” Nonkes said.

Community conversations have already been held in Goderich, Listowel and St. Marys, while the final conversation was scheduled in Exeter for Aug. 13, after press time.