PLACE MATTERS: The impact of Local Immigration Partnerships on immigrant integration in small and medium-sized Canadian cities

More than 140 municipalities in Canada fall within the population bracket typically classified as small and mid-sized cities (SMCs), defined as 10,000–500,000 residents. SMCs face uneven preparedness for the future, compounded by migration patterns: while 53.4% of newcomers settle in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, only 16.6% choose SMCs, limiting their immigration-driven growth. This pattern continues despite proactive regionalization policies promoted by the federal government that aim to distribute immigrants into small and medium sized communities to address economic and demographic challenges.

Immigration is mandated under federal jurisdiction yet immigrant settlement and integration happens at the local level. It raises critical questions about the readiness of local municipalities, who have no jurisdictional authority over federal immigration policies, but are nevertheless responsible for the provision of services and social and physical infrastructure to support immigrant settlement and integration. 

While employment, housing, and language are undoubtedly critical dimensions of migrant settlement and integration, existing research notably lacks more localized, place-based contexts to understand small communities, where settlement experiences are shaped not only by economic and social resources but also by historical legacies, geographical conditions, governance structure, and physical environments. Greater attention to these place-based dynamics—and to the ways people interact with space and community (e.g., the spaces they inhabit, the landscapes they walk through, and the communities they encounter) can provide a deeper understanding of what makes certain localities more welcoming and inclusive than others.

This research specifically asks: 

1. How do SMCs position themselves as welcoming destinations through the Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs)?
2. Do space and place matter in shaping newcomers’ settlement and integration experiences?
3. What factors contribute to enhancing a more welcoming infrastructure in SMCs?

A nation-wide online survey was first distributed to 77 existing LIPs and their partner organizations; 62 survey responses representing communities of various sizes were received. To further understand the local context and LIP initiatives, 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key LIP informants from municipalities across the Atlantic region, Ontario, the Prairies, and British Columbia, which provided a good overview of the local and regional perspectives. Secondary research on these communities’ socio-economic profiles and municipal policies and initiatives was also conducted. Comparisons between large and smaller municipalities were drawn in terms of LIP governance, place-based initiatives, and COVID-19 recovery. Following the LIPs study, the research team interviewed 17 immigrants, refugees, and temporary foreign workers who were residing in 9 SMCs across Canada. 13 participants contributed their Photovoice to document their lived experiences in SMCs.

Exhibition

Place Matters: Building Welcoming Communities in Small and Medium Sized Canadian Cities Photovoice Exhibit (external link) 

Publications

Zhuang, Z. C. (2023). A Place-based Approach to Understanding Immigrant Retention and Integration in Canadian and American Non-traditional Gateway Cities: A Scoping Literature Review. Journal of International Migration & Integration. 24 (Suppl 6), 1029–1053. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-023-01052-6 (external link) 

Zhuang, Z.C. (2024). Suburban Migration: Interrogating the Intersections of Global Migration and Suburban Transformation. In: Triandafyllidou, A., Moghadam, A., Kelly, M., Şahin-Mencütek, Z. (eds) Migration and Cities. Conceptual and Policy Advances. 227-240. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55680-7_12 (external link) 

Zhuang, Z. C., & Lok, R. T. (2023). Exploring the Wellbeing of Migrants in Third Places: An Empirical Study of Smaller Canadian Cities, Wellbeing, Space & Society. Volume 4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2023.100146 (external link) 

Presentations

Zhuang, Z. C. (2025). Invited Speaker. Research Matters: Exploring immigrant experiences and integration in small and mid-sized cities. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

Zhuang, Z. C. (2025). Migrant agency at the urban fringe: Third places as welcoming infrastructure. Special Session: Placemaking and Infrastructure for Inclusive Cities: Migration, Housing, and Urban Futures in Canada. The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) World Planning Congress, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Zhuang, Z. C. (2025). Fostering a sense of belonging and wellbeing for newcomers in non-gateway cities. Panel Session: Regionalization policies and newcomer retention in smaller communities. Metropolis Canada Conference. Toronto.

Zhuang, Z. C. (2024). Stories Matter: Using Photovoice to Amplify Migrants’ Lived Experiences in Small and Mid-sized Canadian Cities. Canadian Association of Geographers, CAG conference, St. John’s, NL.

Zhuang, Z. C. (2024). Comparative Place-based Approaches in Immigrant Integration: Unveiling Insights from Non-Traditional Gateway Cities in Canada and the US. Metropolis Canada Conference. Montreal.

Zhuang, Z. C. (2024). Building Welcoming Communities: Towards a Framework for Understanding Immigrants’ Lived Experiences in Small and Mid-sized Canadian cities. Urban Affairs Association, UAA Conference. New York City.