A new study from Publicis Media Canada has found that one in every four women newcomers to Canada experience intense loneliness and isolation.

The findings were included in a new study, “Roots & Wings,” based on a national survey of newcomer women that provides a comprehensive look at their journey in Canada. The agency polled 500 BIPOC women who relocated or have lived in the country for five years or less.

The study also found that 25% feel this way, with South Asians and Arabs reporting 35% each. Furthermore, 21% of overall respondents report feeling detached or lacking a sense of belonging.

Another challenge is participating in winter activities (24%), as well as building strong friendships, with the majority (23%) believing that Canadians are polite but less inclined to meaningful friendships. The survey also found that 23% say they have problems with public transportation and 22% struggle with winter clothing.

The survey shows that finding appropriate beauty product substitutes for skin, hair and face is extremely difficult, and that walking into a store full of unfamiliar products might be overwhelming. This is particularly true for Chinese and South Asian women. When it comes to buying beauty and fashion products, 22% of respondents prioritize price-quality balance. In Canada, 33% like to shop at cheap or fast-fashion retailers, while 39% seek value and quality, as well as reasonably priced products.

But despite all the challenges women face, the study indicates that they are looking for ways to connect with the country and people.

One in four participate in hobby groups or volunteer in local initiatives, while 27% also say they attend work-related meetings and 24% say they participate in hobby groups.

Chinese women also reported using more apps focused on friendship and community building, such as Nextdoor and Bumble’s recent Friends feature, than all other immigrant women. Instagram is 77% more popular among South Asian women, while dating apps like Tinder and Hinge are 87% more popular with Chinese women than all other respondents combined.

Media is very important to the settlement of BIPOC women in Canada. The report says they spend 22% more time per week on media than other Canadians. They are also 41% more likely to consume entertainment content, such as short clips, music and movies than other Canadians. They use a variety of social platforms, as do many other people their age. Facebook is the most popular social media network (78%), followed by Instagram (67%), Facebook Messenger (55%), and WhatsApp (49%).

Typically, respondents said they don’t opt for a cable TV subscription when they arrive in Canada, leaning towards more subscription-based services. In the audio arena, they prefer streaming, with the majority opting for ad-based platforms (42%), such Spotify, YouTube Music and iHeartRadio.

The survey also discovered that women viewed eating as one of the most significant ways to integrate into Canadian life. Nearly one-third of them like to bond by sharing traditional cuisine from their home country with their new Canadian acquaintances. They also enjoy visiting food markets and grocery stores. Walmart has a 38% higher preference rate among South Asian women (80% vs. 58% of total respondents), while Costco has a 35% higher choice rate among Black women (54% vs. 40%). T&T  is frequented by 25% of Chinese shoppers, and smaller ethnic supermarkets performed better when shoppers prepared traditional ethnic dishes.

Participating in non-Christian celebrations is another opportunity for women to build a sense of belonging. Canada Day is the most popular holiday for female respondents to connect with their new home (51%), followed by Thanksgiving (40%), Family Day (37%), Halloween (34%) and Christmas (32%).

Finally, Publicis asked them which type of advertising they liked. The results showed they want to see ads that provide practical advice or tips for life in Canada (22%), provide information on resources and support services available to immigrants (20%), showcase products or services that are relevant to their cultural background and preferences (18%), emphasize the importance of community and belonging for immigrants (18%), feature stories and experiences of other newly Canadian women (14%), and represent diverse groups of people (12%).

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