Overview

Abstract (English)

With a public perception that Inuit youth are leaving the North, it is important to improve our understanding of migration in the Circumpolar North. The purpose of this pilot study is to identify, investigate and critically evaluate the different motivations behind youth migration, interpreting the problems, opportunities and effects that these trends will have on the youth, focusing primarily on movement between Iqaluit, NU and Ottawa, ON. Through eight qualitative face-to-face interviews with youth (15 – 29 years old) in both Iqaluit and Ottawa, the motivations for migration are identified and discussed. The Ottawa component included a quantitative Census data analysis to compare migration trends between these regions, as well as provide statistical evidence to the aforementioned migratory motivations. The interviews showed that the top five motivations for migration were education, employment, family-related reasons, to ‘get away’ and access to amenities. The Census data analysis supports these findings, while contradicting the popular belief that the Northern population is expanding rather than decreasing. With the Census data showing that adults between 30 and 44 years of age migrate more than youth, it negates the concern that out-migration from the North is a major social issue and shows that the idea of an aging Arctic population is inconsequential.

Abstract (French)

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