Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Québec—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census
Part F: Housing
Crowded accommodations more common for recent immigrants
In Québec, the number of persons per room in households of recent immigrants is well above the overall average. One in ten recent immigrant households lives in crowded conditions (that is, there are more persons than rooms in the home). The incidence of crowding is twice as high among households consisting only of very recent immigrants. In contrast, crowding is very rare among Canadian-born households and earlier immigrant households.
| Households | Fewer than 0.5 persons | 0.5 to 0.74 persons | 0.75 to 0.99 persons | 1 or more persons | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian-born | 182,270 | 81,090 | 13,360 | 5,730 | 282,440 |
| Earlier immigrants | 4,410 | 1,960 | 280 | 110 | 6,750 |
| Recent immigrants | 2,000 | 2,160 | 730 | 510 | 5,380 |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 1,270 | 1,250 | 360 | 210 | 3,070 |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 340 | 430 | 110 | 70 | 930 |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 400 | 480 | 260 | 250 | 1,370 |
| All households | 188,880 | 85,390 | 14,390 | 6,450 | 295,110 |
| Canadian-born | 65% | 29% | 5% | 2% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 65% | 29% | 4% | 2% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 37% | 40% | 14% | 9% | 100% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 41% | 41% | 12% | 7% | 100% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 37% | 46% | 12% | 8% | 100% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 29% | 35% | 19% | 18% | 100% |
| All households | 64% | 29% | 5% | 2% | 100% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Large households likely to have crowded accommodations
Crowding is related to size of household. The larger the household, the greater the chance that there are more persons than rooms in the dwelling. This pattern is found among households of the Canadian-born as well as immigrants, despite the fact that there is much less crowding in households of the Canadian-born than in households of recent immigrants.
As shown earlier, households of immigrants who arrived before 1986 are similar to the households of the Canadian-born in size. They also have accommodations that are similar in size to that of the Canadian-born.
| Size of household | Fewer than 0.5 persons | 0.5 to 0.74 persons | 0.75 to 0.99 persons | 1 or more persons | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 173,770 | 50,600 | 4,700 | 2,770 | 231,830 |
| Earlier immigrants | 4,010 | 1,110 | 80 | 50 | 5,230 |
| Recent immigrants | 1,830 | 1,360 | 290 | 140 | 3,590 |
| 4 to 5 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 8,400 | 29,480 | 7,810 | 2,350 | 48,030 |
| Earlier immigrants | 380 | 790 | 160 | 50 | 1,360 |
| Recent immigrants | 180 | 780 | 380 | 280 | 1,620 |
| 6 or more persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 120 | 1,010 | 850 | 610 | 2,590 |
| Earlier immigrants | 40 | 70 | 50 | 30 | 160 |
| Recent immigrants | 10 | 20 | 60 | 100 | 180 |
| 1 to 3 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 75% | 22% | 2% | 1% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 77% | 21% | 2% | 1% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 51% | 38% | 8% | 4% | 100% |
| 4 to 5 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 17% | 61% | 16% | 5% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 28% | 58% | 11% | 3% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 11% | 48% | 23% | 17% | 100% |
| 6 or more persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 5% | 39% | 33% | 24% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 22% | 41% | 28% | 16% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 6% | 9% | 31% | 57% | 100% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
One in five recent immigrant households face high housing costs
More than one in five recent immigrant households in the Québec CMA spends more than 30% of their income on accommodations. For a little less than one-half of these households, the cost of accommodations exceeds 50% of their household income. These shares are very similar to those for the Canadian-born households. Housing costs of more than 30% of income are considered burdensome, and households facing that level of cost as a rule have low incomes.
| Cost of accommodations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Less than 30% | 30% to 50% | 50% or more | |||
| Canadian-born | 220,060 | 78% | 32,480 | 11% | 28,800 | 10% |
| Earlier immigrants | 5,480 | 81% | 640 | 9% | 630 | 9% |
| Recent immigrants | 3,720 | 78% | 600 | 13% | 460 | 10% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 2,410 | 78% | 360 | 12% | 280 | 9% |
| 1996-1999 immigrants with others | 570 | 86% | 80 | 11% | 30 | 4% |
| 1996-1999 immigrants only | 730 | 71% | 160 | 15% | 150 | 14% |
| All households | 229,780 | 78% | 33,900 | 11% | 30,160 | 10% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary. Totals do not add to 100% due to some non-reporting households.
Housing of very recent immigrants in similar state of repair
Recent immigrant households in the Québec CMA are more likely to live in housing that was built before 1971 in comparison to Canadian-born households. Approximately one-half of recent immigrant households and earlier immigrant households live in dwellings that were constructed prior to 1971 compared to 43 % of Canadian-born households.
| Period of construction | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Before 1971 | 1971-1990 | 1991-2001 | |||
| Canadian-born | 120,120 | 43% | 121,360 | 43% | 40,970 | 15% |
| Earlier immigrants | 3,360 | 50% | 2,730 | 40% | 670 | 10% |
| Recent immigrants | 2,830 | 52% | 1,990 | 37% | 580 | 11% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 1,630 | 53% | 1,150 | 37% | 300 | 10% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 540 | 57% | 300 | 31% | 120 | 13% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 680 | 49% | 550 | 40% | 150 | 11% |
| All households | 126,590 | 43% | 126,280 | 43% | 42,240 | 14% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.
| Quality of housing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Regular maintenance | Minor repairs | Major repairs | |||
| Canadian-born | 198,340 | 70% | 67,430 | 24% | 16,680 | 6% |
| Earlier immigrants | 4,320 | 64% | 1,900 | 28% | 540 | 8% |
| Recent immigrants | 3,580 | 66% | 1,490 | 28% | 300 | 6% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 1,960 | 64% | 880 | 29% | 240 | 8% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 590 | 62% | 310 | 32% | 50 | 5% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 1,020 | 74% | 320 | 23% | 30 | 2% |
| All households | 206,610 | 70% | 70,960 | 24% | 17,540 | 6% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.
The state of repair of the housing stock for both recent immigrant and earlier immigrant households is nearly identical to that of Canadian-born households.
Very few home owners among very recent immigrants
In the Québec CMA, only 10% of households comprised entirely of very recent immigrants own their home compared to 38% of households of very recent immigrants who live with others, 56% of Canadian-born households and 68% of earlier immigrant households.
Figure F-1: Immigrant households(by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—home ownership, by household type, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage)
Note: For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Home-ownership is much higher among earlier immigrants than among the Canadian-born. This probably reflects the higher average age and incomes of earlier immigrants, but it may also point to different choices.
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