The Impact of Syrian Refugee Arrivals on Local Systems of Support in Canada

This article reports on the findings of a 10-month study designed to collaboratively explore the impact of the arrival of Syrian refugee newcomers in 2015–2016 on the way local communities support newcomers. Waterloo Region, a mid-size urban centre in Ontario, Canada, was the focus of study. The study used a mixed-method design involving four methods (document review, key informant interviews, organisational survey focus groups). Findings are presented following a systems change analytical framework that included (1) an emerging vision for local refugee support in the Waterloo Region, (2) the adaptation of local structures, (3) the emergence of collaborative processes and (4) an overall assessment of impact. Three main lessons are discussed. The first lesson demonstrates how local systems change is negotiated within a broader migration landscape (contextualizing local systems change). The second lesson acknowledges that a community’s historical migration response can be a springboard for local change (initiating local systems change). The third lesson suggests that expanding and coordinating community engagement in the refugee support system is integral for lasting change (sustaining local systems change). Combined, these lessons provide a comprehensive analysis into how local communities can be adaptive in supporting refugee newcomers.