Overview: This project researches refugee settlement and integration in smaller municipalities and secondary cities. The experiences of refugee youth and families of Syrian, Nigerian, and Mexican origin in these smaller centres will be examined, along with the opportunities provided by settlement communities and religious organizations.

Objective: to study the social and cultural integration of refugee youth and families in smaller municipalities and cities, focusing on refugees’ family and living situations, the opportunity structures provided by settlement communities, and the role of religious organizations. 

Research Justification: Quantitative research on migration in Canada often focuses on large metropolitan areas while smaller municipalities and secondary cities are seldom taken into view. At the same time, research suggests that smaller cities may be very effective in integrating newcomers and that their settlement practices and contextual factors may differ in meaningful ways from larger metropolitan areas. This project uses a multidimensional operationalization of integration to study integration of refugees in cities and municipalities of different sizes