The number of Canada immigrants in same-sex relationships has increased from 900 in 2000 to 20,470 in 2020, with many of them choosing to settle outside of major cities.
A Statistics Canada report explored the socioeconomic profile of working age immigrants in same-sex couples.
It found that while most of these immigrants used to reside in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver (75.4 per cent), that number has fallen to 61 per cent.
Meanwhile, the proportion of those choosing smaller urban centres and rural communities has doubled from 10.7 per cent 21.4 per cent.
Same-sex couples also tend to be younger and more highly educated than those in opposite-sex couples. Moreover, their employment rates and median incomes are higher.
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The top countries of origin for same-sex couples in 2020 were the US, France, the UK, and the Philippines.
The report found that the percentage of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples with a non-immigrant partner went from 23.6% in 2000 to 43.0% in 2006 for females and from 35.5% to 47.6% for males.
However, the percentage of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples with a non-immigrant partner declined and remained steady for males (about 40 pr cent) and females (about 30%) after 2006.
Provincially, Ontario hosted the largest proportion (roughly 40 per cent) of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples.
This was followed by British Columbia, Quebec, the Prairies, Atlantic Canada, and the territories.
The study used five categories for location of residence for the couples. Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal (the three largest census metropolitan areas, or CMAs), medium CMAs (with a population of more than 500,000), small CMAs (population from 100,000 to 500,000), small urban areas (census agglomerations [CAs]) and rural areas (outside a CMA or CA).
In earlier years, the highest proportions of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples were living in Toronto (about 30 per cent), followed by Vancouver (about 20 per cent).
Over time, however, the proportions of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples living in these cities steadily fell while increasing in medium and small CMAs and other areas.
In 2000, for example, 25.8% of working-age immigrants in same-sex couples were living in Vancouver. However, by 2020, this percentage declined to 16.8 per cent.
‘Live Life In Your True Self’
The Toronto Star reported that Lisa Duplessis of The 519 community centre in Toronto’s gay hub expressed her lack of surprise at the growth of the same-sex immigrant population.
She believes Canada’s legalization of gay marriage in 2005 has to do with this change.
“There is marriage equality, cushioned by dignity and the ability to live your life in your true self, your true existence and your true expression,” she said.
“It’s a huge deal. In all the years I’ve lived here, it never ceases to amaze me that in our regular conversation with someone that’s new in my life, when I say my wife is so and so, they just don’t even flinch.”
She cites different reasons for same-sex immigrants’ move to settle outside of big cities, with one of the factor being the high cost of living there.
“It’s economic that people are moving out,” she said.
“One thing that surprises me is the increase in the welcome they are getting in these smaller places. We see queer youth running from those places to come to the city for liberation. To see queer couples going there to settle is absolutely amazing.”
