The Canadian Neighborhood Project
Neighborhoods determine the characteristics of people with whom we interact and the type of amenities available to us. The Canadian Neighborhood Project examines the role of neighborhoods in shaping our health and wellbeing. It investigates (1) the impact of neighborhood contexts in determining the spread of COVID-19; (2) the causes and consequences of housing vulnerability; and (3) residential segregation patterns in Canada.
Our project was one of the initiatives featured in SSHRC’s Real Insight and Real Impact campaign, the World Economic Forum as an agenda contributor, Western’s COVID-19 Next Project, and Western’s 2020-2021 Sustainable Development Goal Reports (page 12). Our research has also been covered by every major newspaper in Canada (e.g., CBC, Toronto Star). Please see the news page for interviews.
We are currently recruiting undergraduate and graduate students to be part of our team. Must have strong quantitative skills, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to equity.
Our SSHRC-funded research was among those selected for a showcase in Parliament on June 8th, 2023. The event, which was co-hosted by the Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons, and SSHRC president, Dr. Ted Hewitt, highlighted the value of world-class social sciences and humanities research that is being carried out in communities across Canada. Photos: Courtesy of SSHRC
Neighborhood contexts and COVID-19
Explanation: Emerging research from the U.S. suggests the black, immigrant, and low-income communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. We examine how the socioeconomic composition of neighborhoods and availability of physical amenities influence the health and economic vulnerabilities to COVID-19. This project is being funded by the SSHRC Insight Development Grant. This project has yielded the following papers:
Studying the social determinants of COVID-19 in a data vacuum
Visualizing the Geographic and Demographic Distribution of COVID-19.
Neighborhood Social Context and Spread of COVID-19 (R&R in CSiP)
Inclusion, and walkability will be key to rebuilding cities after the COVID-19 pandemic (Agenda contributor in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland).
COVID19 and Housing Vulnerability
We examine how COVID-19 has exacerbated the housing vulnerability of disadvantaged populations in Canada and the United States. This project is being funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant and Western Research Reapplication Grant.
Residential segregation and assimilation of immigrants
This project has three goals: It describes the residential trajectories of immigrant families, (2) assesses how family characteristics (e.g., age of children) affect their decision to stay or leave their community of residence, and (3) examines how their residential choice decisions affect their socioeconomic integration trajectories. This project was supported by the SSHRC Explore Grant. This project has yielded the following papers: