Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Regina—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census

Part F: Housing

Crowded accommodations more common for recent immigrants

In Regina, the number of persons per room in recent immigrant households is well above the overall average. As many as 13% of recent immigrant households live in crowded conditions (that is, there are more persons than rooms in the home). The incidence of crowding is even higher among households consisting only of very recent immigrants. In contrast, crowding is very rare among Canadian-born households and earlier immigrant households.

Table F-1: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—persons per room, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
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 46,450 16,980 2,550 1,650 67,630
Earlier immigrants 4,530 1,490 220 180 6,410
Recent immigrants 960 920 230 320 2,410
 1986-1995 immigrants 620 590 150 160 1,510
 1996-2001 immigrants with others 170 200 60 60 450
 1996-2001 immigrants only 190 140 30 100 460
All households 52,020 19,440 3,010 2,190 76,660
 
Canadian-born 69% 25% 4% 2% 100%
Earlier immigrants 71% 23% 3% 3% 100%
Recent immigrants 40% 38% 10% 13% 100%
 1986-1995 immigrants 41% 39% 10% 11% 100%
 1996-2001 immigrants with others 37% 43% 12% 12% 100%
 1996-2001 immigrants only 40% 30% 7% 22% 100%
All households 68% 25% 4% 3% 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.

Table F-2: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—persons per room, by size of household, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
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 42,140 8,440 670 610 51,850
Earlier immigrants 4,090 690 70 70 4,880
Recent immigrants 820 470 70 50 1,410
4 to 5 persons
Canadian-born 4,260 7,960 1,400 690 14,310
Earlier immigrants 460 740 120 70 1,390
Recent immigrants 150 410 130 190 870
6 or more persons
Canadian-born 70 570 490 360 1,480
Earlier immigrants 0 80 40 50 150
Recent immigrants 0 40 40 60 140

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.

As shown earlier, households of immigrants who landed 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.

One in five recent immigrant households face high housing costs

Like Canadian-born households, one in five recent immigrant households in Regina spend more than 30% of their income on accommodations. For one-half of these households, the cost of accommodations exceeds 50% of their household income. Households consisting exclusively of very recent immigrants are even more likely to have relatively high housing costs, with one-third spending 30% or more of their income on accommodations. Only one in five Canadian-born households in Regina spend more than 30% of household on accommodations.

Table F-3: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—cost of accommodations as a share of household income, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
  Cost of accommodation
Households Less than 30% 30% to 50% 50% or more
Canadian-born 52,980 78% 7,680 11% 6,360 9%
Earlier immigrants 5,510 86% 580 9% 300 5%
Recent immigrants 1,660 78% 250 11% 250 11%
 1986-1995 immigrants 1,200 80% 140 9% 150 10%
 1996-1999 immigrants with others 230 74% 40 11% 40 13%
 1996-1999 immigrants only 210 65% 60 18% 50 15%
All households 60,380 79% 8,550 11% 7,050 9%

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.

Housing costs of more than 30% of income are considered burdensome, and households facing that level of cost as a rule have low incomes. In Regina, an almost equal share of recent immigrant and Canadian-born households face "burdensome" housing costs. Earlier immigrant households are less likely to spend 30% of their household income on housing.

Housing of very recent immigrants in similar state of repair

Recent immigrant households in Regina are just as likely to live in housing that was built after 1970 as the Canadian-born and earlier immigrants. However, a higher proportion of very recent immigrant households live in housing built before 1971.

Table F-4: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—period of construction of household dwelling, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
  Period of construction
Households Before 1971 1971-1990 1991-2001
Canadian-born 33,190 49% 29,950 44% 4,490 7%
Earlier immigrants 3,230 50% 2,750 43% 440 7%
Recent immigrants 1,200 49% 1,070 44% 160 7%
 1986-1995 immigrants 690 46% 710 47% 110 7%
 1996-2001 immigrants with others 260 57% 170 37% 20 4%
 1996-2001 immigrants only 260 56% 180 38% 20 4%
All households 37,720 49% 33,850 44% 5,090 7%

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.

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.

Table F-5: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—quality of housing, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
  Quality of housing
Households Regular maintenance Minor repairs Major repairs
Canadian-born 43,260 64% 18,860 28% 5,510 8%
Earlier immigrants 4,240 66% 1,690 26% 500 8%
Recent immigrants 1,620 67% 610 25% 190 8%
 1986-1995 immigrants 950 63% 450 30% 100 7%
 1996-2001 immigrants with others 310 68% 100 21% 60 12%
 1996-2001 immigrants only 360 79% 60 13% 40 8%
All households 49,290 64% 21,190 28% 6,190 8%

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.

Home ownership low among very recent immigrants

In Regina, only 22% of households comprised entirely of very recent immigrants own their home compared to 60% of households of very recent immigrants who live with others, almost 70% of Canadian-born households and 80% of earlier immigrant households.

Figure F-1: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—home ownership, by household type, Regina Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage)

Figure F-1

Note: For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.

Home-ownership is much higher among earlier immigrants than the Canadian-born. This probably reflects the higher average age of earlier immigrants, but it may also point to different choices.

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