This report draws on data from the 2021 Canadian Census of Population and an original online survey (n=423) to explore the economic standing and employment and labour market experiences of Muslims in Canada. As a pilot study, the research in this report is restricted in its analysis to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The GTHA is a region of rich economic activity in Canada and home to 39.1% of Canada’s Muslim population. The project design adopted an intersectional framework to account for the varying experiences of members of the Muslim community who are shaped by multiple social identities such as gender, race, and immigrant status.
Data from the 2021 Census suggest significant disparities between Muslims and non-Muslims in terms of labour force status, income (both total and employment income), and employment segmentation. Muslims have higher unemployment rates than non-Muslims, experience what we describe as a “Muslim wage gap”, and tend to be overrepresented in industries such as transportation and warehousing, and accommodation and food services. Calculations of economic standing also indicate that Muslims in the GTHA are almost twice as likely than non-Muslims to be classified as ‘low-income’.
Data from the original survey helped provide insight into experiences of discrimination, violence and harassment, in addition to other barriers, faced by Muslims in their places of work and in job searching. Survey data helped provide context into the lived experiences of Muslim workers and identify patterns of systemic discrimination that may be adversely affecting their economic standing and job retention.
Based on the analysis of data from the Census and the original survey, this report has identified a series of blueprints for an action plan. These blueprints identify areas for further research and investigation in order to develop robust, evidence-based, interventions toward supporting the economic wellbeing of Muslims in the GTHA.