Thunder Bay & Environics Research – Welcoming Communities Analysis

Environics Research, on behalf of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), the City of Thunder Bay Community Services Department, and the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, has released findings from a multi-phased Welcoming Communities Analysis examining newcomer integration and long-term retention in Thunder Bay.

The Importance of Newcomer Retention in Thunder Bay

Communities across Ontario are evolving, and there’s a hunger for nuanced, community-level insight. We’re excited to share our Welcoming Communities Analysis, conducted on behalf of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), the City of Thunder Bay (Community Services) ,and the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association). In addition to this study providing valuable local context, our Performance & Impact Matrix highlights how various aspects of life in Thunder Bay affect newcomer integration and retention. In other words, factors that strongly shape whether people feel like they belong.

When priorities compete for attention, a data-driven approach like this brings focus. In taking this step, Thunder Bay is setting a thoughtful precedent for communities navigating growth and change, by asking the right questions.

Maysa Husseini

Senior Research Associate – Public Affairs

This report shares findings from this multi-phased Welcoming Communities Analysis which included pre-consultation interviews with city stakeholders, as well as a survey and series of focus groups with recent newcomers to Thunder Bay, providing a strong foundation for understanding key themes and trends.

Read Case Study

The work focused on uncovering newcomers’ experiences with housing, transit, healthcare, childcare, and community services, and offering practical recommendations to help strengthen Thunder Bay’s welcoming environment and support long-term newcomer integration.

When everything feels urgent and important, having a data-driven way to prioritize is invaluable.

The most important finding from this research: social connection is huge. When people struggle to build connections, isolation sets in quickly and that can become one of the strongest push factors driving newcomers toward larger centres.

CBC Article

TB News Watch

What This Means for Your Community

If you’re curious about this type of work, learn more about our Newcomer Retention Research.

Design your own consultation to uncover key drivers and barriers to integration and retainment, all grounded in your local reality. With consultative evidence, policy and strategy become rooted in local insights, creating a foundation for smarter planning, stronger community buy-in, and long-term newcomer success and well-being.

Contact us to learn more about the Welcoming Communities Analysis Initiative.