Attracting Newcomers to Northern Canada: What Makes Them Come, Settle, and Stay?

Would a nurse, an engineer or a young family consider moving North? Could they build a life there? And would they choose to stay?

Those three questions were at the heart of our presentation at the 28th Canadian Ethnic Studies Association (CESA) Biennial Conference, held October 9–10 at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. 🏔️

In Session S24, Rural and Northern Settlement, Retention, and Integration, our team from the TIES Centre for Immigrant Research shared emerging insights from TAIGA RISE (Tailored Attraction, Integration and Retention Strategies for Northern Ecosystem). TAIGA RISE is a three-year, IRCC-funded project working across Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

A few highlights from the journey so far:

🔹 2,207 organizations scanned across 27 northern communities. Attraction was the least visible support, which matters in a region facing population decline.

🔹 200 survey participants, before the move and after arrival

🔹 72 voices in depth through interviews, conversations with Indigenous Elders, and focus groups in English and French

🔹 Practical resources co-developed with communities: Navigator to the North, Welcoming Workplaces in the North, and the Northern Connection family workshop

What the North keeps teaching us is that no single organization can make newcomers come, settle and stay. Employers, service providers, governments, Indigenous communities, neighbours and newcomers themselves each hold a piece. No one can carry this stone alone.

Thank you to CESA, to everyone who joined our session, and to our partners at the Aurora Research Institute and the University of Michigan. Most of all, thank you to the community members, newcomers, Elders and local organizations who shared their knowledge with us.

Presented by Fami Kazemi, Kreisha Hilario, Katerina Palova and Hamed Kazemzadeh.

The project continues to March 2028. Learn more here

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