Top 10 Places in Canada to Live for Immigrants

It’s no surprise why Canada is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants in the world. We are very accepting of others and have so much land to accommodate immigrants. Immigrants are essential for the success of Canada’s economy so it’s a no brainer why they allow so many immigrants to enter the country. John McCallum, the Minister of Immigration, declared that there will be between 280,000 and 305,000 permanent residents admitted into Canada in 2016. This projected level is the highest ever in decades.

Canada is such a large country so there are so many different places where these immigrants can live. However, they cannot all live in the same place due to numerous restrictions. Not everyone can afford to live in Toronto or Vancouver, especially with the sky rocketing real estate prices, so they must look elsewhere to start their lives in Canada. There are so many other cities where these immigrants can prosper based on unemployment rates, the price of apartments for rent, and the number of immigrants as a percentage of the population.

Here is the top 10 places for new Canadians to live in (Stats were gathered from Environics Analytics, Statistics Canada, IHS Automotive, driven by Polk, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Environment Canada)

• Guelph, Ontario

Guelph is often referred to as a University city, meaning that once the school year is over, the city becomes dead. This may no longer be the case as it is gaining popularity among new Canadians. The unemployment rate is low in Guelph (4.8%), making it an attractive destination for immigrants looking to start a new life. In Guelph, immigrants make up about 17% of the total population which is a rather high number. Another thing about Guelph that draws new Canadians in is the relatively cheap rent. An average cost of rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is about $1,027. Landlords take advantage of services made available to them by purchasing flat fee mls listing packages to give their listings more exposure, so consider checking realtor.ca for rental properties.

• St. Albert, Alberta

Roughly half the size of Guelph in population (Guelph is about 120,000 and St. Albert is over 60,000), and with a similar unemployment rate (5.1%), St Albert is becoming a very popular city for immigrants to settle in. With a lower number of immigrants as a percentage of total population (9%), St Albert is still a great place for immigrants to live in due to the significantly cheap rent. An average 2 bedroom apartment costs about $1,383 a month.

• Regina, Saskatchewan

With a population of over 200,000, Regina is much larger than the cities listed above, but the rent is still very close to the rental price in Guelph ($1,097 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment). Regina has a very similar unemployment rate (5.2%). Immigrants in Regina make up 12% of the total population.

• Burlington, Ontario

Located just outside the city of Toronto, Burlington has a population of about 200,000 and roughly 18% of that number is made up of immigrants. Rent is slightly more expensive (at $1,267 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment), but has a low unemployment rate of 4.9%, making it a very appealing location for immigrants to live in.

• Saanich, British Columbia

Located on Vancouver Island, and part of the Greater Victoria Area, Saanich has a population of over 110,000 and is a great place for new Canadians to start their life in Canada. Not only will they be able to enjoy the beautiful sights and gorgeous beaches, they will also benefit from a low unemployment rate of 5.2. In addition, 17% of Saanich’s population are immigrants and the rent here is once again fairly cheap at $1,144 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment.

• Delta, British Columbia

Situated in the Greater Vancouver Area, Delta allows residents to live near the city while avoiding exorbitant rental prices. Renting a 2 bedroom apartment costs about $1,051 a month on average. The unemployment rate in Delta is 4.9% which, similarly to the other cities mentioned above, is low. In addition to these benefits, immigrants represent 27% of the total population in Delta!

• Brossard, Quebec

Similarly to Delta, Brossard gives immigrants a chance to live near a big city (Montreal) without having to pay a lot of money for rent. In Brossard, an average 2 bedroom apartment costs around $789 a month! With a relatively low unemployment rate (5.3%), and a ridiculously high number of immigrants (36% of the total population), it’s no surprise that Brossard is so high on this list of best places to live for new Canadians.

• Waterloo, Ontario

With a population of over 100,000, Waterloo ranks in at number 3 for best places to live for new Canadians. It has an unemployment rate of 5.2% and rent costs about $1,081 for an average 2 bedroom apartment. Immigrants in Waterloo represent about 25% of the total population!

• Gatineau, Quebec

Although the unemployment rate is the highest of any city on this list (5.5%), Gatineau is still the second best place to live for new Canadians. While only 9% of the near 300,000 residents is made up of immigrants, an average rent price for a 2 bedroom apartment is only $752! This is a very reasonably priced area, meaning that immigrants may even be able to afford homes for sale in this region.  

•  Ottawa, Ontario

While the unemployment rate in Ottawa is much higher than any other city of this list (6.6%), this is by far the biggest city on the list (over 900,000 population). So immigrants choosing to live in Ottawa can experience big city living, but only have to pay $1,176 a month for an average 2 bedroom apartment. Another benefit to living in Ottawa is that immigrants represent 20% of the total population.