Residential Patterns and Housing Choices of Ghanaian Immigrants in Toronto, Canada

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Abstract
This study examines the spatial distribution, intra-urban mobility, and housing choices of Ghanaians in Toronto, to illustrate the residential behaviour of a recent group of African immigrants to Canada. The study finds that the majority of Ghanaian immigrants live in the older and newer suburban districts of the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), with relatively few in the central cities. This finding is consistent with those of recent studies which indicate that the suburbs have become the primary reception areas for new immigrants to Canada. Within the suburbs, Ghanaians exhibit a high degree of concentration in specific areas and even in individual multi-family buildings. Analysis shows that this suburban emphasis as well as the intense local concentration is largely due to their need for affordable housing, the channelling effects of chain migration, the desire for proximity to fellow Ghanaians, and a housing search process that relies heavily on information and help from friends and relatives.