Discrimination Experienced by Immigrants, Visible Minorities, and Indigenous Peoples in Huron-Perth: An Empirical Study

Key findings: 

• Indigenous People and Immigrants and Visible Minorities disproportionately reported experiencing discrimination in Huron and Perth Counties in one or more contexts in the past three years
  • 80.6% of Indigenous People reported experiencing discrimination
  • 68.7% of Immigrants and Visible Minorities reported experiencing discrimination
  • 48.7% of White Non-immigrants reported experiencing discrimination
• Work environments were the most commonly cited places where discrimination occurred for Immigrants and Visible Minorities and white Non-Immigrants
• Indigenous People reported experiencing discrimination in public spaces most frequently
• The most frequent types of discrimination experienced were inappropriate jokes and derogatory language
• People who experience discrimination were more likely to report experiencing anxiety or depression, and less likely to report feeling like they were accepted or welcomed in Huron or Perth Counties

Background:

In March 2021, the Huron County Immigration Partnership worked with a team of Western University researchers to produce a survey and study that investigated discrimination as experienced by immigrants, visible minorities, and Indigenous people in comparison to people who are not members of these groups. The research was funded with support from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.

The research team randomly called thousands of Huron and Perth residents, including Stratford and St Mary’s, with 595 people taking part in the survey. Among the participants:

• 62 identified as Indigenous
• 297 identified as a visible minority or immigrant
• 236 identified as white non-immigrants

Recommendations:

The research provides three key recommendations to address discrimination in Huron and Perth Counties. They include:

1. Develop a mechanism where acts of discrimination can be reported.
2. Support victims of discrimination to access appropriate mental health support.
3. Create anti-discrimination strategies that addresses discrimination in places where it frequently occurs, the forms it is most often relayed, and to the people who most frequently perpetuate it.​