Census shows more immigrants coming to northern Ontario, but still small numbers

More immigrants moved to northern Ontario in the last five years, but it's still a trickle compared to other parts of the country.

According to the latest figures from the 2021 census released Wednesday, 3,830 immigrants moved to the five major cities of northern Ontario between 2016 and 2021, about 1,600 more than the previous five years.

Greater Sudbury saw 635 more immigrants settle in the city over that time period, while in Sault Ste. Marie the number doubled from 260 to 590.

Most cities saw a notable increase in newcomers from India and Africa, with Greater Sudbury for example seeing its total population of African immigrants jump from 585 to 1,350 over the last five years.

The census also released some figures about religion, showing for example in Greater Sudbury that 103,785 people identify as Christian, while some 54,065 are not tied to any organized religion.

The census also shows that 1,545 people in Greater Sudbury identify as Muslim, while 1,325 are Hindu. 

Suketu Patel is on the board of the Sudbury Prarathana Samaj, the city's only Hindu temple, which has been around for 50 years. Since the mid-1980s it has been housed in an old church in the Elm West neighbourhood.

But he said the massive growth in the community in recent years is prompting them to look for a new location, which he sees as vital for preserving mental health.

The census shows that only six per cent of people in Greater Sudbury identify as a member of a visible minority, compared with four per cent in Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay and Timmins and 23 per cent nationally.

But Patel said he has definitely noticed a difference since moving to the north 15 years ago. 

"Every store you go, every transit you travel, you see people of colours. There's so much multiculturalism here. It's very good. People are open, accepting," he said.

Several hundred refugees from Africa arrived in Greater Sudbury just before the pandemic hit in 2020 and waited for months and in some cases years for their refugee claims to be heard.

Oduwole Adejare, the president of the Nigerian Community Association of Greater Sudbury, said most eventually had their claims accepted, many through a federal government program offering status to refugees working in health care and other essential fields during COVID-19.

He said the community has continued to grow in the last few years with more Nigerians coming to Sudbury for school or work 

"As it is comfortable, it also gives you more pressure, because we have more people to actually look after," said Adejare, adding that they too are planning a community centre where the next generation can learn about Nigerian culture and language. 

We are a few years into a federal pilot program specifically aimed at attracting newcomers to northern Ontario, by matching them with jobs in the region. 

Mercedes Labelle, the lead policy analyst with Northern Policy Institute, said while the numbers are small, this is "another positive indicator that immigration programs are working."

She said the census figure that jumped out most for her was that the number of temporary residents, mostly international students and short-term workers, is up 600 per cent in some corners of the north.

Labelle said all levels of government should be looking for ways to convince this group to put down roots in the region, including welcoming initiatives, faster routes to citizenship or by recognizing more foreign credentials.