Neighborhood change within the Canadian ethnic mosaic, 1986-1991

Abstract

This paper examines the neighborhood patterns in three major Canadian metropolitan areas between 1986 and 1991. Data are obtained from 1986 and 1991 profile census files and two Special Tabulations of 1986 and 1991 Canaldian census. The data indicate that the first pathway of neighborhood change is the diversification that takes place among charter-only neighborhoods with the introduction of a sizable European presence, followed by Asians and then blacks. The second pathway featuring racial uniformity primarily takes place in multiethnic neighborhoods containing one or more visible minority groups. Multivariate analysis suggests that the increase in racial and ethnic diversity in neighborhoods is related to the efforts of visible minorities, especially Asians, seeking out neighborhoods with Europeans.