If you are a Canadian citizen, you may have asked yourself what is a visible minority? A visible minority is any group of people that is not part of the majority of a population, usually due to a visible or non-visible trait. For example, people of African descent are considered a visible minority. In Canada, there are many different visible minorities. However, this article focuses on the distribution of these groups in Ontario, especially Toronto. It will also look at the employment equity act and the mental health services offered to these groups.
Toronto’s visible minority population
The City of Toronto’s visible minority population is increasing, according to the 2006 census. One quarter of the city’s residents identified as such in the 2011 survey.
Toronto is Canada’s most diverse city, with individuals from 216 different ethnicities. It has one of the world’s largest immigrant populations. Among the many languages spoken in the city are Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hindi.
In addition, the city’s ethnic diversity is reflected in its neighbourhoods. Ethnic neighborhoods in Toronto include Chinatown, Little Portugal, and Koreatown. There are also Greektown, Little Jamaica, Roncesvalles, and Corso Italia.
Distribution of visible minorities in Ontario
Ontario is home to Canada’s largest city, Toronto, and is one of the top ten most populous provinces in the country. It is also the second largest in terms of land area. The province is located in the east-central region of the country.
According to Statistics Canada, Ontario has nearly 40 percent of the Canadian population. Most people in the province are European in ancestry. In addition to this, some Inuit people live in the province.
In 2016, the visible minority population in Ontario was relatively small compared to the rest of the country. Nonetheless, the city of Toronto had the highest percentage of visible minorities.
First Nations and African Canadians at the bottom of Canada’s social ladder
While the vast majority of Canadians are Caucasians, there are a number of other ethnic groups in Canada. These include First Nations and African Canadians. The socioeconomic conditions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians have varied, but a persistent gap in income, education, employment, health care, and other areas of life remains.
Aboriginal Canadians have a long history of poverty. In 2006, the average income for Indigenous people was 30% lower than the average for the rest of the country. This is due in part to long-term unemployment and a lack of proper education.
A number of institutions have been created to deal with this issue. One example is the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). It was founded in 1982. Although it is not used by Indigenous peoples outside Canada, it reflects the continuing quest for self-government among many communities.
Mental health services for visible minorities
A growing number of visible minority immigrants are coming to Canada. As a result, new demands are being raised for the well-being of these individuals. Research on the mental health of these individuals is also in its infancy.
To investigate the mental health of these immigrants, a cross-sectional analysis was carried out. The data were drawn from a pilot investigation of the Ontario Health Study.
Participants completed a questionnaire that included sociodemographic items and scales assessing mental health service use. These scales assessed anxiety, depression, and stressful life events. Moreover, a questionnaire assessing social support was included.
Employment equity act
The Employment Equity Act is a federal legislation that is aimed at improving the representation of four groups of employees in federally regulated private industries. These are visible minorities, women, aboriginal people and people with disabilities.
This legislation is intended to address systemic inequities and eliminate discrimination. In order to achieve this goal, federally regulated employers are required to analyze their workforces, develop employment equity plans, and take special measures to achieve equitable representation in the workplace.
One of the most significant pieces of the Employment Equity Act is the provision of reasonable accommodation. While the act provides no specific definition of “reasonable accommodation”, most employers use the term to mean a policy aimed at eliminating or minimizing a specific employment barrier.
Representation of visible minorities in the population as a whole
While Canada is a diverse nation, most Canadians are Caucasians. The government estimates that between 29 and 32 percent of the population will be a visible minority by 2031. A burgeoning number of immigrants have also arrived over the last several years. Many areas of the country are seeing an influx of colour. In particular, Toronto and Vancouver are the envy of the rest of the country. Despite these developments, there are still major differences between the cities. For example, in some areas, visible minorities make up more than 60 percent of the population, whereas in others they make up less than 20 percent.
