New research, led by Professor Ka Tat Tsang, explores inter-ethnic relationships in Canada’s settlement sector

Members of the research team for the SSHRC-funded project “Exploring Inter-Ethnic Relationships in the Settlement Sector in Canada”

On March 13th, 2024, SSHRC-funded research, led by FIFSW Professor Ka Tat Tsang, took center stage at the Metropolis Conference in Montreal. Supported by a team of dedicated researchers from across Canada, as well as international collaborators from Hong Kong and Taiwan, the project delved into the complexities of inter-ethnic relationships in Canada’s settlement sector.

The panel at the conference offered a glimpse into the study’s preliminary findings, which challenge traditional assumptions about immigrant adaptation in Canada. To date, the researchers discovered that, rather than conforming to a Euro-American mainstream, newcomers to Canada find themselves navigating a richly diverse tapestry of cultures and ethnicities. The study is also unique in its inclusion of Indigenous communities, whose experiences have often been sidelined in immigration research.

Drawing on data collected from settlement services and extensive outreach efforts within Indigenous communities in Montreal, Sudbury, and Toronto, the research sheds light on the dynamic interactions between various ethnic groups. These findings hold significant implications for Canada’s immigration agenda, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and accommodating the diverse needs of newcomers and Indigenous populations alike in the nation-building process.

Visit the project’s website Inter-Ethnic Relationships in the Settlement Sector to delve deeper into this pioneering research.