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Multicultural Diversity in 21st Century Canada

Launched in summer 2006, ”Multicultural Diversity In 21st Century Canada” has been a joint project between the Policy Research Initiative and the Multiculturalism and Human Rights Branch – then housed in the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) – on Canada's approach to multicultural diversity. It has identified opportunities and pressures for fostering inclusive citizenship in a multicultural Canada that is becoming increasingly diverse with successive waves of immigration. Phase one of the project consisted of roundtable consultations in eight cities across the country on the current state of Canada's approach to multicultural diversity and policy research gaps. The results were presented to senior management at PCH responsible for multiculturalism as well as other public servants working in related areas (e.g. the multiculturalism champions of federal departments and agencies). Phase two of the project focused on select topics identified in the roundtable consultations, including integration of second-generation Canadians, dealing with religious diversity in the public sphere, as well as spatial patterns of cultural diversity and their possible implications for policy. In addition, the project fed into another PRI project, Canada 2017, by developing a range of scenarios for Canada's “3M future” (i.e., multicultural, multi-linguistic, and multi-religious).

Research Outcomes

In addition to previous studies, reports and publications under this project, remaining publications to be completed in early 2010 aim to provide policy-makers with a better information base and analytical framework to help guide the design of policies in the wake of increasing ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity.