Search

Segregation of visible minorities has persisted throughout time in Toronto. In examining these concentrations, the literature has been heavily focused on the notion that visible minorities are choosing to live in proximity to their respective ethno‐racial groups and that these are spaces of aspiration rather than marginalization in Canada. This paper raises questions about the assertion of "self‐segregation" by emphasizing affordability constraints on residential choices that are often rooted in discrimination in the labour market. Census data from 2016 and an adopted neighbourhood classification scheme were used to understand the spatial patterning of visible minorities in the Toronto census metropolitan area and highlight differences in the socio‐economic characteristics of visible minority dominant and white dominant census tracts. The findings invite the inference that economic opportunities play a critical role in the residential choices of visible minorities and raise concerns about the quality of life in visible minority neighbourhoods. This research contributes to our understanding of how social inequalities have impacted the socio‐spatial organization of the city of Toronto. Key messages: Visible minority dominant neighbourhoods have lower labour market participation, educational attainment, and income, as well as higher unemployment rates than white dominant neighbourhoods.Although homeownership rates are high in visible minority concentrations, the data indicate that visible minority groups may be making sacrifices in terms of suitability, space, and location due to financial constraints.Housing prices are a likely factor propelling visible minority concentrations in the Toronto census metropolitan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]