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

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

Census also shows that tens of thousands of people in the north do not consider themselves religious

The Islamic Centre of Northern Ontario in Sudbury is one of three mosques in Greater Sudbury, serving a Muslim population of 1,545, according to new figures from the census. (Erik White/CBC )

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

Accordingto 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 exampleseeing 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 Sudburythat 103,785people 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.

The Hindu temple, the Sudbury Prarthana Samaj, has been part of the city for 50 years, but is outgrowing the building its been in since the mid-1980s and is looking for a new temple and community centre. (Erik White/CBC)

Suketu Patelis 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 hesaidthe 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 sixper 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 saidhe 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.

Suketu Patel, a board member of the Sudbury Prarthana Samaj, says he has noticed an increase in people of colour in the city in recent years, despite the census reporting that only 6 per cent identify as a visible minority. (Erik White/CBC )

Oduwole Adejare, thepresident of the Nigerian Community Association of Greater Sudbury, saidmost 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 saidthe community has continued to grow in the last few yearswith 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.

Hundreds of refugees from Nigeria and other African countries arrived in Sudbury just before the pandemic and many were granted status because they worked in essential fields like health care. (Erik White/CBC )

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, saidwhile the numbers are small, this is "another positive indicator that immigration programs are working."

She saidthe census figurethat 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.

Labellesaidall 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.