Changing faces: Chinese, Iranian population continues to grow in Newmarket

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 7, 2019
Teresa Latchford

This is the first in a three-part series about newcomers in Newmarket, the challenges they face, and where they can turn to for help.

The majority of Newmarket’s ethnic origins remain European but as the population continues to grow, so does its diversity.

According to the 2016 census, Newmarket had a population of 84,224 and of that, about 23,235 -- or 28 per cent -- are immigrants. The top five ethnic origins of the population are English, Canadian, Scottish, Irish and Italian.

While a number of ethnic origins aren’t listed in the top five, there are notable numbers that show the upward tick in diversity. Of the 2,290 immigrants who settled in Newmarket between 2011 and 2016, 505 (22 per cent) emigrated from China, 290 (13 per cent) from Iran, and 240 (10 per cent) from the Philippines.

The data suggests Newmarket is on trend with York Region as a whole. The same census shows York Region was home to 51,410 immigrants who settled between 2011 and 2016. Of that, 20,040 (39 per cent) emigrated from China, 6,970 (14 per cent) from Iran and 3,010 (6 per cent) from the Philippines.

In Ontario, 29.3 per cent of the population -- 3.9 million of 13.2 million -- were visible minorities. And 22.3 per cent of Canadians -- 7.7 million of 34.5 million -- fall into that category.

The Newmarket Welcome Centre Immigrant Services, a one-stop service designed to guide and support immigrants in York Region, is experiencing the changing face of local municipalities as its client base continues to grow. It serves about 10,000 clients per year.

“We are seeing an increase in clients,” centre manager Arunthathy Ratnasingham said. “We are seeing many Farsi- and Mandarin-speaking clients.”

Ratnasingham recalls the client base being predominantly Russian when she first started working at the centre, but over the years more immigrants who speak Farsi, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic have been seeking language, settlement and employment services.

“Most clients come to the centre seeking one service and end up using multiples because it’s all in one place,” she said.

There are a variety of reasons immigrants are choosing to live in Newmarket, ranging from having a family member in town, to landing in Toronto and heading north to find housing or employment.

While the Town of Newmarket aims to create an inclusive community rather than target one specific ethnic group, the changing face of the town’s demographics do play a role in how it plans for future needs, according to Mayor John Taylor.

“There is no question that the makeup of Newmarket is changing,” he added.

The annual Cultural Bridge Festival attracts more people every year, and the town hosted its first Menorah lighting at Riverwalk Commons in December. The town has identified which languages are spoken by staff to accommodate customer service and meeting requests. Demographics are also taken into consideration in planning projects, such as the town’s cultural and recreation master plans.

Old Town Hall hosts a number of cultural art exhibits, and Taylor intends to launch a diversity and inclusivity committee at the mayor’s annual roundtable event.