“Men who immigrate to Vancouver are twice as likely to report poor health compared to males who choose Toronto.
Female immigrants are 1.5 times more inclined to struggle with their health in Vancouver compared to women who end up in Ontario’s largest city.
The figures are not much better for immigrant males who choose Vancouver instead of Montreal.
The StatsCan longitudinal study suggested the findings about Vancouver needed further research. Yet, after consulting with noted Vancouver immigration specialist Richard Kurland, we have come up with four possible reasons why Vancouver is unusually rough on immigrants’ physical and mental health.
The first reason is actually hinted at in the report, written by StatsCan official Edward Ng, as well as Kevin Pottie and Denise Spitzer, both of the University of Ottawa.
It relates to housing. The report inadvertently linked the two by cryptically reporting “declining health” among new immigrants “who were not satisfied with their housing, and who lived in Vancouver.”
Although the statisticians didn’t draw a direct connection, Kurland is among those who recognize that Metro Vancouver’s inflated housing prices are hard on the health of everyone, immigrant and non-immigrant.
“Housing is always a Vancouver problem,” he said.
It’s not hard to imagine how expensive housing can lead to cramped living, extended families being forced to tensely live together and long commutes to work.”
– from ‘Why is Vancouver so bad for immigrants’ health?’, by Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, 7 Jan 2011[hat-tip Loon]
The described relationship is an association, rather than a proven causative link.
Regardless, it is of note to see a mainstream local article even suggesting that “inflated housing prices” may be linked to “poor health”. The article suggests possible mechanisms of (1) cramped living (with physical and mental health risks) and (2) long commutes. Other factors possibly making the link causative would be the long term psychological stress of financial overcommitment to housing.
– vreaa
Vancouver Real Estate Anecdote Archive 
Vancouver does attract a larger percentage of Asian immigrants so there could be some lifestyle issues at play, for instance changes in diet, year-round temperate — but still cold — weather means less physical exercise, and potentially the need to work more (and for less pay) to afford Vancouver’s lifestyle. Just some speculation, as it were.
The association could be completely non-causative.
For instance, immigrants who are sicky before immigrating to Canada could preferentially choose Vancouver’s mild climate. This would represent selection bias.
However, the article mentions the study is ‘longitudinal’, so it may look at change in health once in Canada. That’d be a far more persuasive methodology.
Higher societal inequality is associated with worse health outcomes (British Medical Journal, 2007, links below). The idea is that relative wealth is what matters and that disparate income/wealth tears a community apart destroying everyone’s health. In this case it will likely destroy their wealth too, but that’s a separate point.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_G._Wilkinson
Thanks for those links; watched the first half of that talk (will watch rest later today)… remarkable, fascinating and potentially very important data.
Must watch, all.
perhaps new immigrants whose primary reason for coming to this country feel an obligation to use it.
There is something about this stat that needs dissection. West coast overreported? Asian population have more interest in being health care users? Interesting though
The paper appears to look at health itself rather than use of the health care system, but, good point, one would have to tease the two apart.
Except for the fact that healthcare is so much cheaper in Asia that it’s worth the airfare much of the time.
My son is married to an Asian and, as an example, her parents (professionals) chose to immigrate to Vancouver rather than the US because of their health problems. Although they were accepted for full immigration status to the US (California where the other daughter is a doctor) they chose Canada because of the health care. Being well-off pretty well anywhere in Asia could quickly turn into being poor due to a health crisis is one chose to live in the US.
Family members of mine who immigrated to Canada have opted to return to Asia for some treatments due to long waiting times in Canada. For people throwing multi-millions on property it’s odd they would move to Canada when decent health care in, say, Taiwan is available at a reasonably affordable rate. Chronic or longer-term treatment is probably a different story.
I know it’s cynical but from my experience if you know doctors on a personal level you will be granted better care from the public system than if you don’t. For immigrants moving to areas of Vancouver rather rich with doctors — say Van West — it’s sad we’re hearing reports of new residents refusing to socialize with their neighbours and community members more; in the end it pays off. Cynicism off.
Having trouble finding the study online, but it seems like country of origin, education level, and age upon entry should be added to the set of controlled variables if they aren’t already.
BC has a high life expectancy compared to other parts of the country.
F.Y.I Not all “Asian” countries are China (or Taiwan) and, for what it’s worth, health care in China is very expensive for the average person.
… and not all immigrants are Asian.
Also, it’s a little odd that an immigration lawyer is being asked their opinion on health and housing matters.
yes,
as I mentioned many times, asian immigrants are coming here for the health care. They put their kids in private schools so our education system is of little use to them.
If governments want to change our immigration #’s they simply need to change health care qualification guidelines. I think it’s coming
if immigrants are coming for healthcare, they aren’t the ones buying up $1.5M teardowns. those people mostly do not need nor want the local public healthcare or schools.
F1, it already happened to some degree. Look at the large decrease in family class immigrant intake and the introduction of a 10-year multiple-entry visa in its wake. The government has basically said, you can immigrate to Canada but if you want your relatives to move to Canada too for reunification reasons, they can apply like everyone else based on their own qualities, or pay their own way for social services.
For a family looking to immigrate to Canada, the math changes when you have to pay the bill for an aging relative with Canadian medical system charge-out rates.
“They put their kids in private schools so our education system is of little use to them.”
This is one of the most retarded comments on this board.
IMHO, the healthcare in Taiwan is much better then Canada. It even includes dental.
Health care in China is expensive, that is why they have such a high personal savings rate. They have no social net to fall back on.
But for well off Chinese, whom we are assuming that are immigrating here, I doubt it is a big issue. If you have the money you can travel for your serious medical needs. My friends in Shanghai had their baby in HK. It is just all about the yuans baby.
“For a family looking to immigrate to Canada, the math changes when you have to pay the bill for an aging relative with Canadian medical system charge-out rates”.
Ministry of Health is waiving wait times and fees for sponsored relatives for many programs. This does not support the government “getting tough” on immigrants as you are suggesting.
“This does not support the government “getting tough” on immigrants as you are suggesting.”
If you’re going to use quotations use them properly. I never stated they were “getting tough”, you did. I simply stated they are reducing family class immigration intake, meaning many immigrant families will find it more difficult to give relatives residency status.
This is off-topic… How desperate do you have to be to need to rent your house for 2 weeks while you go on vacations?
Check this ad on Craigslist…
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/nvn/apa/2776145287.html
wow, and they want $1700 for two weeks! Clowns.
Re: coming to Canada for the health care.
All landed immigrants have to pass a health exam. Chest X-ray, blood work, and a physical exam. It’s very difficult to become a landed immigrant if your (or your children) are physically or mentally unhealthy.
I would guess the weather in Vancouver is an important contributing factor to poor mental and physical health for immigrants and non alike.
I moved to Vancouver from Toronto and when I started working downtown what struck me was that I’d never met such a bunch of chronically ill people in my life; back problems, knee problems, arthiritis, lung problems, generally feeling unhealthy. I think it’s the dampness and the lack of sun. So as said above, the weather is a major contributor. Toronto might be colder, but dry cold is very different.
According to Environment Canada, Toronto has only 109 hours more sunshine per year than Vancouver. Not exactly a sunny place either.
Define ‘sunshine’.
Environment Canada calls it “bright sunshine”, but I am not so sure…
OTOH, no place in Canada gets much sunshine in general, compared to most of the US.