Online Dating in Canada: An Immigrant-Native Born Comparison
Sub-Theme: Placemaking and Relationship Formation
Through studying and redesigning public spaces and social infrastructure, this sub-theme will enhance our understanding of building better places that foster friendship and relationship within communities, as well as between Indigenous people and the newcomer population.
Objective
When talking about settlement and integration, we often focus on helping immigrants get jobs, but what about their needs for love and companionship? Forming a satisfying intimate relationship benefits immigrants’ mental and physical health, sense of belonging, and social integration in the host society. As digital technologies penetrate people’s lives, online dating has become a primary way couples meet.
This project will collect original data from a large-scale national survey to investigate the use and implications of online dating in Canada, with a focus on the immigrant-native born comparison.
Research Questions
- Has online dating precipitated a “dating apocalypse” characterized by diminished relationship quality, as feared by the public?
- Has online dating become more popular, compared with pre-pandemic?
- As online dating is particularly effective in bringing same-sex couples together, is this benefit of dating technologies reaped by both foreign-born and Canadian-born sexual minorities?
Methodology
The research design adopts statistical analysis and surveys.
Status
The project is active and currently in the data collection phase.
Expected completion date: September 2026
Outcomes
Publications:
“‘Efficiency Trap’: Can online blind dating help users find a partner quickly?” WeChat, June 3, 2025, https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jf7XSzGIw3W_wwiIzMn6cA (external link)
Cai M, Qian Y, Hu Y. The efficiency paradox: A temporal lens into online dating among Chinese immigrants in Canada. J Soc Pers Relat. 2025 Aug;42(8):2167-2187. doi: 10.1177/02654075251339257 (external link) . Epub 2025 Apr 28. PMID: 40538890; PMCID: PMC12176279.
Rolfsen, Erik. “Dating in the digital age: How online dating changes our partner selection.” UBC News, February 12, 2024, https://news.ubc.ca/2024/02/online-dating-partner-selection/ (external link)
Keywords
Immigrant integration; online dating; digital technologies; intimate relationships; mental health and belonging
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