Geographies of Discrimination: Variations in Perceived Discomfort and Discrimination in Canada's Gateway Cities

Discomfort and discrimination experienced by racial minorities is of growing concern. Perceived racial discrimination and discomfort raise questions about social cohesion in pluralist democracies such as Canada and the United States, particularly in immigrant gateway cities that are increasingly heterogeneous. Little research has examined metropolitan variations in perceived discomfort or discrimination despite their distinct social, economic, and housing characteristics and varied histories of inter-group relations. Using the Ethnic Diversity Survey, a population survey that provides detailed information about individuals’ experiences of racial discrimination and discomfort, we describe the frequency of racial discomfort and discrimination reported by Canadian- and foreign-born ethnic and racial minority groups living in major gateway cities. Using logistic regression, we investigate how social and demographic characteristics such as ethnoracial identity and behaviours such as involvement in ethnic organisations influence experiences of discrimination and discomfort in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The determinants of perceived discrimination and discomfort vary across metropolitan areas. Consequently, we suggest that an appreciation of geographies of discrimination should inform public policy responses.