A Qualitative Analysis of the Resettlement Experiences of Refugee Claimants in Hamilton, Ontario

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between restrictive screening techniques imposed by landlords and the ability of refugee claimants to access housing in a medium-sized Canadian city. While existing research has explored refugees’ experiences with resettlement, few have focused specifically on refugee claimants who arrive in their destination country with specific health needs, limited resources, and access to different services compared to other entry categories. Using qualitative research techniques, this study sought to better understand the experiences of refugee claimants as they search for housing in a medium-sized Canadian city. Through interviews with service providers, volunteers, and refugee claimants themselves, three main themes were identified. First, we explore the relationship between a competitive housing market and the ability of landlords to be selective about who they rent to. Our findings suggest that the power imbalance between landlords, tenants and applicants is only amplified in a competitive market and allows landlords to choose applicants based on their own personal biases. Second, participants identified strict rental applications as the primary mechanism used by landlords to filter applications and identify tenants that they deemed to be “desirable”, while excluding other groups. In many cases, refugee claimants were found to be uniquely (and negatively) impacted by this practice because they often do not have the personal or financial resources available to successfully fill out these applications. Finally, participants identified two structural barriers which hindered a refugee claimants’ ability to access housing and, when combined with strict rental applications, often resulted in their exclusion from housing. This thesis is relevant to the current Canadian context, given the government’s continued commitment to resettling refugees and the increasingly competitive housing markets across Canada. Overall, this thesis adds to the existing literature regarding the resettlement experiences of refugee claimants and their ability to access housing in a medium-sized Canadian city.