Research Brief No. 21 - Academic Performance And Educational Pathways Of Allophone Youth: A Comparative Analysis Of Montreal, Toronto, And Vancouver,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 21 - Academic Performance And Educational Pathways Of Allophone Youth: A Comparative Analysis Of Montreal, Toronto, And Vancouver, Jacques Ledent
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
This study examines the academic performance and educational pathways of students who do not speak the language of schooling at home—that is, French in Montreal and English in Toronto and Vancouver. Overall, we discover that these students, who consist of almost exclusively allophones, graduate more or less as other students but, when their personal characteristics are controlled, they appear to succeed much better, especially in Vancouver. However, there are substantial differences in performance between linguistic subgroups of allophones. Further, these subgroups tend to show varied results by city. Educational authorities should therefore pay special attention to the criteria used to …
Research Brief No. 20 - Population Growth, Energy Use, And Environmental Impact: Comparing Canadian And Swedish Records On Co2 Emissions,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 20 - Population Growth, Energy Use, And Environmental Impact: Comparing Canadian And Swedish Records On Co2 Emissions, Don Kerr
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Canada and Sweden are both northern countries with predominantly export-oriented economies that have recently witnessed demographic growth and climbing affluence. However, there is a stark contrast in their respective records on greenhouse gas emissions: Sweden is often considered a world leader in emission reduction, while Canada has largely failed to meet international commitments. This study aims to understand the factors responsible for their differing records. It demonstrates that Canada’s relatively rapid population growth, persistent reliance on fossil fuels, and heavy demand for energy have contributed to its increasing level of CO2 emissions. On the other hand, Sweden has man-aged to …
Research Brief No. 19 - Homeownership Trends Among Immigrants,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 19 - Homeownership Trends Among Immigrants, Barry Edmonston, Sharon L. Lee
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
This study compares homeownership rates for immigrants and the Canadian-born. Homeownership is a particularly useful indicator of immigrants’ economic progress and long-term commitment to Canada. In general, immigrant households achieve rapid gains in homeownership with longer residence in Canada. Immigrants who have lived in Canada for 20 years or longer have homeownership rates similar to the Canadian-born. Recent immigrants face some initial challenges, but are moving into homeownership and closing the gap in home-ownership rates with the Canadian-born and earlier immigrant cohorts. There are socioeconomic and ethnic differences, however, in immigrants’ homeowner-ship rates.
Dossier De Recherche No. 22 - De Nouvelles Pistes Sur Le Vieillissement Démographique Et Les Coûts Des Soins De Santé Au Québec,
2016
Western University
Dossier De Recherche No. 22 - De Nouvelles Pistes Sur Le Vieillissement Démographique Et Les Coûts Des Soins De Santé Au Québec, Michaël Boissonneault, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Cette recherche s'intéresse aux déterminants individuels associés à la variation des coûts publics des soins de santé, chez les Québécois de 65 ans et plus, vivant en ménage privé, avec incapacités. À l'aide de données administratives, la variation des coûts pour la consultation de professionnels de la santé et la consommation de produits pharmaceutiques a été analysée en fonction du nombre d’incapacités ainsi que de la nature de celles-ci. Les résultats montrent que des coûts plus élevés sont associés à un nombre plus élevé d'incapacités ainsi qu'à certains types particuliers d'incapacité, soient celles liées à l’agilité, la mobilité et, plus …
Dossier De Recherche No. 18 - Mariage Ou Union Libre: Aucun Impact Sur La Réussite,
2016
Université de Montréal
Dossier De Recherche No. 18 - Mariage Ou Union Libre: Aucun Impact Sur La Réussite, Solène Lardoux, David Pelletier
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Dans la société québécoise, l’union libre est devenue une alternative au mariage comme cadre de formation des familles. Cependant, très peu de recherches ont comparé le développement des enfants de parents en union libre et de parents mariés. De même, les effets de la séparation d’une union libre et d’un mariage ont rarement été distingués les uns des autres. Avec un échantillon représentatif de 1347 enfants provenant de l’Étude longitudinale du développement des enfants du Québec (ÉLDEQ), cette étude regarde les liens entre l’état matrimonial des parents à la naissance de l’enfant, la survenue d’une rupture conjugale et le rendement …
Policy Brief No. 19 - Caregiver Assessment: An Essential Component Of Continuing Care Policy,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 19 - Caregiver Assessment: An Essential Component Of Continuing Care Policy, Janice Keefe, Nancy Guberman, Pamela Fancey, Lucy Barylak
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Family and friend caregivers are the backbone of Canada’s health and social care systems. The support they provide is indispensable in enabling individuals with long-term health issues to remain in their communities. Caregivers take on a challenging role—one that can impact their physical and mental health, social activities, personal finances, employment and relationships (Health Council of Canada, 2012; Keefe, 2011). Caregivers’ health and wellbeing has repercussions for the care recipient, their family, their communities and the health care system. To support this critical role, caregivers need to be understood as partners in care, but also as potential individual clients of …
Policy Brief No. 18 - The Dynamics Of Inequality Among Canadian Children,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 18 - The Dynamics Of Inequality Among Canadian Children, Peter Burton, Shelley Phipps, Lihui Zhang
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
This study characterizes income inequality and mobility of Canadian children between the ages of 4/5 and 14/15. There is considerable inequality of family income. Moreover, income position is especially persistent for children at the bottom and top of the distribution; this is unfair and may be perpetuated into adulthood. Finally, family structure is very important for children’s material well-being; for example, they experience a considerable drop in income position upon parental separation/ divorce. It is recommended that such children be protected, perhaps through advance maintenance payments.
Policy Brief No. 17 - Language Training And Education Help Adult New Immigrants Exit Poverty,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 17 - Language Training And Education Help Adult New Immigrants Exit Poverty, Lisa Kaida
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
New immigrants to Canada are particularly vulnerable to poverty, but a study of data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada finds participation in English/French language training has a positive impact. The federally-funded official language training, a unique feature of Canada’s immigrant settlement policy, helps new immigrants overcome their initial economic hardships. In addition, education in Canada helps low-income adult newcomers with international postsecondary credentials lift their families out of poverty. As the highly educated comprise a majority of entering immigrants, facilitating their ability to return to school is a promising policy option for their economic well-being.
Policy Brief No. 16 - Annual Levels Of Immigration And Immigrant Entry Earnings In Canada,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 16 - Annual Levels Of Immigration And Immigrant Entry Earnings In Canada, Feng Hou, Garnett Picot
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
The annual level of immigration is a critical component of a country’s immigration policy. This study considers the influence of immigration levels on immigrant entry earnings in Canada. We find that from 1982-2010, a 10% increase in the size of a cohort of entering immigrants is associated with a 0.8% decline in entry earnings among immigrant men from that cohort, and a 0.3% earnings decline among immigrant women.
Policy Brief No. 15 - Quebec, Daycare, And Household Strategies Of Couples With Young Children,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 15 - Quebec, Daycare, And Household Strategies Of Couples With Young Children, Glenn Stalker, Michael Ornstein
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
In 1997, Quebec adopted a policy providing universal pre-school daycare for five dollars per day. Comparing Quebec to the rest of Canada, we use 1996, 2001, and 2006 Canadian census data to determine the impact of this policy on couples’ strategies for combining employment and child care. We find that, in addition to increasing mothers’ labour force participation, the policy reduced the number of families in Quebec with a traditional division of labour, particularly for common-law couples. However, we also find that the policy does not increase the proportion of families with egalitarian work and child care arrangements.
Policy Brief No. 14 - The Underutilization Of Immigrant Skills: Trends And Policy Issues,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 14 - The Underutilization Of Immigrant Skills: Trends And Policy Issues, Jeffrey G. Reitz, Josh Curtis, Jennifer Elrick
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Since 1996, the problem of underutilization of immigrant skills in Canada has grown significantly. University-educated immigrants are more numerous, yet our census analysis shows that their access to skilled occupations in the professions and management declined between 1996 and 2006. In these years, the value of work lost to the Canadian economy from immigrant skill underutilization grew from about $4.80 billion to $11.37 billion, annually. Given the significance of immigration for economic development, the evaluation of current policies and consideration of future directions seem urgent.
Research Brief No. 17 - Rethinking Retirement,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 17 - Rethinking Retirement, David K. Foot, Rosemary A. Venne
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Current pension policies in Canada do not take into account rising life expectancy. A Canadian worker in 1950 who retired at age 65 could expect to live 4 years in retirement. In 2006, a Canadian retiring at age 65 can now expect to have 16 years in retirement. Older workers can be a valuable resource with their years of experience that can be used to train younger replacement workers through the use of partial retirement schemes. Since many older workers would prefer to keep working after age 65, employers would benefit by offering flexible retirement schemes, such as a reduced …
Research Brief No. 16 - The Effects Of Age And Background On The Fertility Patterns Of Child Migrants,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 16 - The Effects Of Age And Background On The Fertility Patterns Of Child Migrants, Alícia Adserà, Ana M. Ferrer, Wendy Sigle-Rushton, Ben Wilson
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
This paper challenges the common notion that immigrants have more children than the native-born population. More specifically, immigrants who arrived in Canada, England or France at an early age have about the same number of children as the native-born. By examining child immigrants, the paper is able to attribute this finding to the hypothesis that, with time, immigrants adopt the destination country’s norms. The results also show that the relationship between age at migration and number of children differs for immigrants from certain countries. Likewise, the fertility patterns of child migrants also depend on their destination country.
Research Brief No. 15 - Visible Minority Groups Vary In Social Integration,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 15 - Visible Minority Groups Vary In Social Integration, Zheng Wu, Christoph M. Schimmele, Feng Hou
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
On the basis of the 2001 Ethnic Diversity Survey, this study examines relationship between generation of Canadian residence and social integration. Two subjective (self-reported) measures of integration are used: sense of belonging to Canada and feelings of discomfort living in the host society. The study finds that the relationship between immigrant generation and social integration depends upon demographic and neighbourhood characteristics, as well as upon the city of settlement. The study also illustrates that while sense of belonging does not change across immigrant generations, it is higher for South Asians, lower among Chinese and French Canadians, and similar to the …
Dossier De Recherche No. 14 - Trajectoires Familiales Et Réseau De Soutien Des Canadiens Âgés De Demain,
2016
l’Université McGill
Dossier De Recherche No. 14 - Trajectoires Familiales Et Réseau De Soutien Des Canadiens Âgés De Demain, France-Pascale Ménard, Céline Le Bourdais
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
Depuis quelques décennies, les comportements touchant la vie en couple et la parenta-lité ont considérablement changé, bouleversant par la même occasion les réseaux fami-liaux des Canadiens. Ces changements auront indéniablement des répercussions sur l’apport d’aide aux personnes âgées dans l’avenir. Dans cette optique, on observe comment les étapes marquant la vie conjugale et la parentalité ont évolué chez les personnes étant nées entre 1923 et 1972. On compare ainsi les personnes âgées d’aujourd-’hui à celles de demain, ces dernières correspondant aux baby-boomers. Les résultats montrent que les comportements de ces derniers se sont diversifiés et complexifiés face à ceux de …
Research Brief No. 13 - The Social And Health Service Needs Of Aboriginal Peoples In Urban Southern Ontario,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 13 - The Social And Health Service Needs Of Aboriginal Peoples In Urban Southern Ontario, Martin Cooke, Julia Woodhall, Jennifer Mcwhirter
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
The disproportionate needs of urban Aboriginal people make it important for urban social and health service providers to understand the conditions faced by this population. This synthesis paper reviews recent literature on urban Aboriginal populations in order to identify their characteristics and main areas of need. It is meant to inform those who work in health and social service planning and delivery in smaller urban centers, particularly non-Aboriginal service agencies in Southern Ontario. The existing research shows that urbanized First Nations, Métis and Inuit have greater needs for specific health, cultural, justice, financial, and educational services. Further-more, the literature indicates …
Research Brief No. 12 - The Effect Of Work Arrangements On Perceived Work-Family Balance,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 12 - The Effect Of Work Arrangements On Perceived Work-Family Balance, Karen A. Duncan, Rachael N. Pettigrew
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
The combined demands of the modern work world and raising a healthy family have many Canadian struggling to find enough time. Canadians are working more and more hours while wages largely remain stagnant. In order to address this growing concern, alternate work arrangements have been increasingly used to help employees strike some degree of work-family balance and decrease related issues of absenteeism and turnover in the workplace. This research explores the effect of three unique work strategies — flexible schedules, shift work and self-employment — on men and women in dual-earner families. It examines each arrangement’s impact on reported satisfaction …
Research Brief No. 11 - How Costs Affect Student Choice Of University,
2016
Western University
Research Brief No. 11 - How Costs Affect Student Choice Of University, Martin D. Dooley, A. Abigail Payne, A. Leslie Robb
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
This study delves into the link between the cost to attain an undergraduate degree and the choice of university among academically stronger students. By looking at Ontario Undergraduate Application Centre data as well as the average family income in the student’s neighbourhood, researchers were able to conclude that the number of strong registrants at a university does not change substantially when there is a change in the net cost (tuition minus entry scholarship) of attending the institution. Entry scholar-ships usually are granted solely on the basis of high school grades and are guaranteed to any qualified applicant. There are, however, …
Policy Brief No. 12 - Quebec’S Family Policies Benefit Childbearing And Work,
2016
University of Western Ontario
Policy Brief No. 12 - Quebec’S Family Policies Benefit Childbearing And Work, Roderic Beaujot, Du Ching Jiangqin, Zenaida Ravanera
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
The uniqueness of Quebec in Canada, and its attempt to be in control of its own destiny, also applies to family policy. Specifically, Quebec family policies have helped to increase fertility rates, promote more favourable attitudes toward child care, led to more people using child care in Quebec than the rest of Canada, improved people’s satisfaction with child care, and allowed more women with young children to participate in paid work than the rest of Canada. However, the child development indicators have not progressed as positively in Quebec when compared to the rest of Canada. This suggests that universal programs …
Policy Brief No. 11 - British Columbia Esl Policy Reform: Reduces Costs And Maintains Student Outcomes,
2016
Western University
Policy Brief No. 11 - British Columbia Esl Policy Reform: Reduces Costs And Maintains Student Outcomes, Martin Dooley, Cesar Furtado
Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief
English as a Second Language (ESL) reform in British Columbia (BC) has led to a slight increase in standardized tests reading scores of students from Kindergarten to Grade12, while also reducing costs. ESL is a program aimed at helping young immigrants whose home language is not English to improve their language skills in order to do better at school. Students' relative standings in standardized tests in the province were compared before and after the implementation of the reform. The prediction that the reform would have adverse effects was not supported. The reform, implemented in 1999 in BC, limited supplementary funding …
