Why Refugees Are Leading Community Participation
New research from the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership with Western University’s Network for Economic and Social Trends reveals who's actually among the most engaged in their communities, and it might surprise you.
The data flips a fundamental assumption about newcomer integration. When we picture the most civically engaged temporary residents, we might imagine international students plugged into campus life or temporary workers established in their careers. Instead, refugee claimants, often portrayed as the most vulnerable and uncertain group, demonstrate the strongest civic drive of all temporary residents in our region.
The Numbers
The London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership's comprehensive survey of 125 temporary residents reveals a striking pattern. Refugees have a strikingly high rate of volunteering among groups of temporary residents.
Note. Based on the responses of 125 temporary residents. Likelihood of voting in elections if eligible
was reported on a 7-point scale (1 = Not at all likely to 7 = Extremely likely). Group size varied by
current status such that percentages do not represent equal numbers of respondents for the different
groups.
"Refugee claimants are the most likely to plan to vote in elections and participate in volunteer work," the research concludes. Specifically, 62.5% of refugee claimants volunteer compared to much lower rates among other temporary resident groups.
Even more telling is their level of commitment. Refugee claimants volunteer an average of 40.4 hours per month, more than 10 hours per week, compared to an average of 8.1 hours monthly. When it comes to voting intentions, refugee claimants score 6.0 on a 7-point likelihood scale, compared to temporary workers at 3.7.
This reflects a deep, sustained civic engagement that challenges every assumption about refugees.
Why This Matters for Welcoming Communities
When public discourse suggests refugee claimants are somehow less committed to Canadian communities, the data tells us the opposite is true.
The research reveals that refugee claimants would be "more likely to stay due to proximity to friends and family". This suggests refugee claimants are building the deep social connections that create thriving, interconnected communities; exactly what welcoming communities need.
However, the flip side is concerning. Refugee claimants "would be more likely to leave due to discrimination (62.5%) compared to the other groups". The very people most committed to civic participation are also most vulnerable to being driven away by unwelcoming attitudes.
The Paradox
What explains this civic engagement paradox? The answer lies in understanding different pathways to community connection.
International students "often seek connections through educational institutions" whilst "temporary workers rely primarily on their employers for social engagement," the research notes. These are structured, institution-based connections that may not translate into broader community engagement.
Refugee claimants, by contrast, must build community connections from the ground up. Without built-in institutional scaffolding, they create their own networks through volunteer work, community organisations, and civic participation. What appears to be a vulnerability actually becomes a driver for deeper community investment.
Rethinking Community Support
These findings demand we reconsider how we support newcomer integration. Currently, we might assume temporary workers and students need the most community connection support because they seem most "established." The data suggests otherwise.
The research reveals that while temporary workers comprised 48.0% of respondents and international students 45.6%, refugee claimants made up just 6.4% of the sample. Yet this smallest group shows the highest civic engagement, suggesting we may be under-investing in supporting and amplifying their community contributions.
Rather than viewing refugee claimants solely as service recipients, we should recognise them as community builders whose engagement strengthens our entire social fabric. Their volunteer hours and civic participation create the opportunities to form and join social and community networks that benefit all newcomers.
The Path Forward
London-Middlesex has an opportunity to lead in recognising and supporting the civic assets that refugee claimants bring to our communities. This means:
Challenging harmful narratives with concrete data showing refugee claimants' commitment to community participation.
Investing in civic engagement infrastructure that builds on refugee claimants' existing high participation rather than starting from scratch.
Creating bridge-building opportunities between refugee claimants and other community members, including Indigenous peoples, around shared civic goals.
Ensuring our community efforts protect and amplify the voices of those committed to civic participation.
Conclusion
The refugee claimants volunteering 40 hours monthly in London-Middlesex are building the community connections that make our region more welcoming for everyone. The data is clear: refugee claimants are already here, engaged, and contributing.
The question isn't whether refugee claimants want to participate in Canadian communities. The question is whether Canadian communities are ready to recognise, support, and learn from their civic leadership.
Read the full Survey of Newcomers to London-Middlesex research to explore more findings about temporary resident experiences in our region.