Researchers investigated legal problems faced by new immigrants living in London and Toronto
A recent study from Western University has shown that some immigrants in London and Toronto suffer from legal problems in Canada and need better assistance in accessing legal services.
The recent study primarily focuses on legal problems experienced by immigrants living in Canadian provinces for the last three years. Researchers Alina Sutter and Victoria Esses from the Western University and Pathways to Prosperity conducted 21 interviews of new immigrants living in London and Toronto.
Based on the study, some of these legal problems include immigration, housing, family issues and relationship breakdowns, employment and access to government assistance and services. The study showed that most interviewees had experienced more than one legal problem.
The study also identified numerous relevant factors contributing to these problems, including unfamiliarity with Canadian laws, individual rights and basic customs and norms, self-reported discrimination, lack of communication with government agencies, and other significant factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The interviewees often did not know where to go to obtain help,” Western University’s Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST) said. “They reported having limited networks in Canada that could help them navigate the system to resolve their problems.”
The study revealed that at least 60 per cent of the interviewees had already sought legal advice and representation from legal aid, paralegals, immigration consultants and lawyers.
“Those who chose not to seek legal advice or to resolve their problems through the legal system indicated that they feared the consequences of pursuing legal actions and worried about the financial costs of obtaining legal advice,” NEST said.
The study concluded with a set of recommendations focused on providing information about where and how to obtain legal advice and increasing the availability of affordable professional legal services for immigrants.
