Immigrant settlement patterns, transit accessibility, and transit use

Abstract

Public transit is immensely important among recent immigrants for enabling daily travel and activity participation. The objectives of this study are to examine whether immigrants settle in areas of high or low transit accessibility and how this affects transit mode share. This is analyzed via a novel comparison of two gateway cities: Sydney, Australia and Toronto, Canada. We find that in both cities, recent immigrants have greater levels of public transit accessibility to jobs, on average, than the overall population, but the geography of immigrant settlement is more suburbanized and less clustered around commuter rail in Toronto than in Sydney. Using logistic regression models with spatial filters, we find significant positive relationships between immigrant settlement patterns and transit mode share for commuting trips, after controlling for transit accessibility and other socio-economic factors, indicating an increased reliance on public transit by recent immigrants. Importantly, via a sensitivity analysis, we find that these effects are greatest in peripheral suburbs and rural areas, indicating that recent immigrants in these areas have more risks of transport-related social exclusion due to reliance on insufficient transit service.

Labour market integration of newcomers to Canada: The perspectives of newcomers in a smaller urban centre

“…In Canada, half a million immigrants live in areas with limited access to public transportation, which may explain why transportation is a significant barrier to employment for the participants (Allen et al, 2021). Smaller cities like Regina have less extensive transit networks compared to larger urban centres (Preston et al, 2022), making transportation challenges even more pronounced.…”

“…This finding is consistent with previous research that highlighted the role of transportation in facilitating employment opportunities for immigrants (Hanson et al, 2021; Kikulwe et al, 2017, 2021). In Canada, half a million immigrants live in areas with limited access to public transportation, which may explain why transportation is a significant barrier to employment for the participants (Allen et al, 2021). Smaller cities like Regina have less extensive transit networks compared to larger urban centres (Preston et al, 2022), making transportation challenges even more pronounced.…”

“…Transportation is an essential factor in facilitating employment opportunities for immigrants. Although the cost of purchasing a car and obtaining a driver's licence presents significant challenges for newcomers (Allen et al, 2021; Heisz & Schellenberg, 2004; Preston et al, 2022), access to a vehicle and having a driver's licence are still essential for employment success. Survey results show that many participants faced transportation challenges, with access to transportation and driver's licences ranked as extremely important by 57% and 47% of respondents, respectively.…”

“…Similarly, immigrants are more reliant on public transportation to find or keep employment than the Canadian‐born population. They experience a complex array of challenges when using public transportation including high cost, long commuting times and distances and poor service and connections (Allen et al, 2021; Amar & Teelucksingh, 2015; Heisz & Schellenberg, 2004; Preston et al, 2022). Studies indicate that immigrant women are more likely to ride the bus to work than men and, consequently, are negatively impacted in terms of securing desirable employment when there is a poor transit infrastructure (Amar & Teelucksingh, 2015; Preston et al, 2022).…”