Housing and Neighbourhood Challenges of Refugee Resettlement in Declining Inner City Neighbourhoods: A Winnipeg Case Study

Most refugees arriving in Winnipeg settle in the inner city, an area of substantive urban decline. The attraction of the area is the affordable, but poor quality, housing and proximity of service agencies. The area is characterized by unemployment, poverty, crime, and safety issues. It is also the destination of a significant influx of Aboriginal people, also seeking affordable housing and services. This study tracks refugee households over a three-year period, documents trajectories in labour force participation, income and poverty trends, neighbourhood experiences, and housing circumstances. It also examines the dynamic related to the competition for affordable housing that exists with a marginalized Aboriginal population. The picture that emerges is one of improving trajectories over time but also very difficult circumstances and sacrifices in housing and neighbourhood choices. The affects of settling in declining neighbourhoods and the competition for affordable housing complicates the resettlement process. The findings suggest a range of policy and program changes that would improve the housing circumstances of newly arrived refugees, and facilitate their resettlement and integration into a new society.