The barriers faced by recent immigrant women in Hamilton and Toronto's rental housing markets

The overall purpose of this paper is to add to the existing body of literature on the housing situation and needs of recent immigrant households by placing the unique experiences of recent immigrant women at the centre of the study. It will begin with a review of the existing literature on immigration and housing, with a particular focus on the barriers facing newcomers in the rental housing market. Based on data from Statistics Canada, the Longitudinal Study of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC), studies conducted by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and interviews with persons with demonstrated knowledge of the barriers facing newcomer women searching for adequate, suitable and affordable housing, this paper aims to provide an overview of the difficulties that many newcomer women face in their search for and retention of housing in Hamilton and Toronto. It also includes a series of recommendations addressing some of these barriers.