A BSTRACT This study exam ines the spatial distribution, intra-urban m obility, and housing choices of G hanaians in Toronto, to illustrate the residential behaviour of a recent group of A frican im m igrants to Canada. The stud y ® nd s that the m ajority of G hana ian im m igrants live in the older and ne wer suburban districts of the Toronto Census M etropolitan A rea (CM A ), w ith relatively few in the central cities. This ® nding is consistent w ith those of recent studies w hich indicate that the suburbs have becom e the prim ary reception areas for ne w im m igrants to C anada. W ithin the suburbs, G hana ians exhibit a h igh de gree of concentration in spe ci® c areas and even in individua l m ulti-fam ily buildings. A nalysis show s that this suburban em phasis as well as theintense local concentration is large ly due to their need for affordable housing, the channelling effects of chain m igration, the de sire for proxim ity to fellow G hanaians, and a housing search process that relies heavily on inform ation and help from friends and relatives.
Using information collected in a questionnaire survey, this study investigates the factors influencing the housing tenure of Ghanaian immigrants in Toronto. The study finds that Ghanaian immigrants have a low home‐ownership rate compared to the Canadian‐born population and other immigrant groups. This is partly attributable to the recency of their migration, their relatively low incomes, and their small household sizes. Analysis also shows that social and personal factors, notably the initial motives of the immigrants, their back‐home ties, their desire for home ownership back home, and their intention to return there permanently, are critical in shaping their decisions with respect to home ownership in Canada. Dans cette étude, nous examinons, à l'aide d'un sondage, les facteurs portant sur les modes de logement des immigrants ghanéens à Toronto. Nous démontrons que les Ghanéens sont propriétaires de leurs logements moins souvent que ne le sont les personnes nées au Canada ou les membres d'autres groupes d'immigrants. Le sondage révèle que la taille inférieure des ménages, les faibles revenus, et les dates d'immigration récentes des immigrants ghanéens sont parmi les causes principales de ce phénomène. L'analyse démontre aussi que des éléments sociaux ou personnels, tels les raisons initiales de l'immigration, les liaisons avec le lieu d'origine, le désir d'être propriétaire dans le lieu d'origine et l'intention ou non des immigrants de retourner au Ghana, sont d'une importance fondamentale lorsque les immigrants ghanéens prennent une décision à l'égard de l'achat d'un logement.
Using information collected in a questionnaire survey, this article investigates the role of Ghanaian immigrant associations in Toronto to illustrate how a group of recent African immigrants organizes itself to address needs related to their settlement in a new country. The study finds that Ghanaians have established a relatively large network of township, ethnic, and national associations. The associations fulfill a wide variety of economic, cultural, social and political functions related to the needs of the immigrants in the new country. At the same time, the associations serve their needs in the homeland: the immigrants use them to contribute to community development efforts, fight for certain political rights, and maintain ties to the homeland. Analysis showed that length of residence, level of education, income, and residential location were the most important determinants of membership in Ghanaian associations.
This paper explores the types and stn'ngth q( transnational tics between Ghanaian immi~ants in Canadaand their count~t qf origin. The study.finds that Ghanaians maintain various types q( ties to Ghana including communication by telephone, repeat migration, cultural activities, and investments, especially in home ownership. The desire for home ownership in Ghana is rehTted to the immigrants' intentions to return there permanently in the future. The immigrants also maintain collective ties to the homeland through a netwc~rk q( ethnic associations in Canada. These associations ptvvide financial support for local economic development in Ghana. They als(~ provide apz or~,,anizational stFlletlltg t/lrol4~h ~12hic]l the immigrattts seek to addt~'ss tJl{,ir poZitical Hee& i,t Ghana. Cet artich" p~ttte sur h7 nature et la qualitd des liens transnationaux entre les immi-~?'aHts ghatugtzs au Canada et leur pays d'origine. Los r~;sultats de l'dtude indiquent que les Ghandens entretiemzent dif(drents types de relations avec le Ghana, par des co,zmunications tdh;phopffques, entre autres, par des allers et retours rdpdt&, par des activit~;s culturelles, ailzsi qae par des investissements, en particulier dans l'habitation ptivde. Le d~Vsir de poss&h'r zinc maison au Ghana t&ioigne de/'intention de ces immigra~lG de Jwltrer phls tard au pays de mani&v permatlente. Ceux-ci ont aussi des ~WJports collecti(s avec leur pattie S,+,~ce hun rdseau d'associations ethniques aH Canada qui qfj?elzt uH soutien fim7~zcier au d&,eloppement local du Ghatla. Elles soHt aussi oG,+mis~;es de J~zatlig+re ~} ce que h's i,zmi:.{rants puissent:zire part de/curs reve~u~licatiot~s politiques au Gtuzna. Kev words/Mots clefs: Immigrants; Transnationalism/Transnationalisme; Ghanaians/Ghandens; Afi:icans/Africains; Canada. 9 2003 by PCIIR[[+ All rights reset~.,ed./Thus droits r6scFv,~s. ISSN: 1488-3473 JIMI/RIMI Volume 4 Numbcr/num6ro 3 (Summer/6tO 2003): 395-413 OWUSU JourJ~al of hltenlatiollal Migration and Integration ,l(~urnal oflnternatk~na[ Migration and lntegrati~m Revt e de "nteg ~at ottet de la mi~rat km inte "lat ionale 41"1_
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