Social Planning And Research Council Of Hamilton: Riverdale

Arrival City Dept: According to a report last year from the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton, the area boasts the largest proportion of recent immigrants to the city. In the report, which dubbed the neighbourhood "Hamilton's arrival city," almost half of the neighbourhood's residents identify themselves as a visible minority 43 per cent compared to only 16 per cent for the rest of the city, according to CBC. It makes for a vibrant community that brings the richness of many different cultures to one area, but it also creates a unique set of challenges that Riverdale residents face moreso than any other community in the city. According to the SPRC, 35 per cent of Riverdale s population is living in poverty, nearly double the18 per cent in the rest of the city and hamilton's immigrant population is constantly growing and changing, nowhere moreso than in the east end neighbourhood of Riverdale. It's a diverse community that's largely made up of young families who have recently arrived in Canada: 28 per cent of the Riverdale population is under the age of 20, compared to 25 per cent for the city. While only 3 per cent of residents in the city at large have immigrated to Canada between 2001 and 2006, 16 per cent of the Riverdale population arrived during that time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.