The author of a study on the Resettlement and Integration of Syrian Refugees into Canada says there are advantages for refugees in choosing a rural community for their new home.
Stacey Haugen points to the availability of affordable housing, especially for large families, and the close sense of community that exists in rural communities as some selling points. Safety, lower cost of living, and the ability learn English faster are also considered advantages for refugees living in rural areas.
She says even people who lived in what we might consider an urban centre in Syria, say they want a garden like they had at home and they want to drive again.
Haugen adds even if a large group of refugees come to a rural community, they tend to learn English faster because they have to use services, such as shopping and getting gas. She says it's also unlikely anyone else in the community speaks Arabic.
Haugen was a recent guest of the Local Immigration Partnership in Huron County.
Stacey Haugen - author of a study on the Resettlement and Integration of Syrian Refugees into Canada (photo by Bob Montgomery)