HIPC Reports

Newcomers and Immigrants in the Hamilton Labour Market: Outcomes and Opportunities for Improvement

This spring we have witnessed some parts of our economy and society brake suddenly while others go into overdrive. Canada is now in sharp recession, significantly affecting the livelihoods of too many of our immigrants, especially recent immigrants, as well as Canada’s ability to return to robust immigration levels this year.

Employment is a hallmark of settlement for many newcomers, many of whom struggle to find work suitable to their skills at the best of times. Immigration is a positive for our economy, but it often takes a toll on individual immigrants who are unable to find work that suits the skills they brought with them. Hamilton has approximately 15,000 immigrants who have arrived since 2011, many of whom are in the labour market or wish to be. (May 2020)

Mapping Newcomer Services in Hamilton

Initiated by HIPC’s Coordination of Services Committee, this project was driven by the question of whether Hamilton’s newcomers would benefit from the addition of mobile services. The starting point was to increase our understanding of where newcomers live with respect to where services are located. To this end, HIPC staff undertook an engagement exercise with local service providers to identifynewcomer-focused services and then worked with a student team from McMaster to categorize and map these services. HIPC staff also examined alternatives to the predominant 9-to-5, in-person model of service delivery for newcomers, including examples from settlement services in other cities and from various local service providers. (April 2020)

Finding a Place to Call Home

This report presents the results of a McMaster Research Shop project for the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC). Through this project, a review of affordable
housing initiatives across Canada was conducted in order to provide recommendations
for future newcomer housing efforts in Hamilton. Data sources for this project include a
literature review and an environmental scan. (February 2020)

Migration and Mobility in Hamilton

This report was commissioned by HIPC to acquire data on the number of immigrants
living in Hamilton, Ontario, their admission categories, and occupational and
employment characteristics. Of particular interest is their mobility, including whether
they arrived directly from overseas, lived elsewhere in Canada before relocating to
Hamilton, or left Hamilton for other Canadian cities. (August 2019)

Exploring Informal Settlement Services in Hamilton

Immigrants arrive and find their way in Hamilton thanks to the concerted efforts of many
individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions. This oft-hidden array of supports came to the
fore in late 2015 when Hamilton began to receive hundreds of refugees fleeing war in
Syria. With initiatives such as the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Syrian Newcomers, Hamilton
witnessed the gathering and leveraging of partners from local government, service provider
organizations, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, faith-based groups,
ethnocultural associations, and individuals—all of whom worked together to welcome
newcomers into our community. (April 2019)

A Demographic Profile of Immigrants in Hamilton

Immigrants have been central to Hamilton’s growth and identity for two centuries, and the economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrants have been invaluable to this city. Today, Hamilton is characterized by an established and aging immigrant population that continues to be supplemented by new arrivals. (March 2019)