Digital Equity for Newcomer Services: Research and Innovation in Addressing Access and Challenges in Peel Region

In the Peel region, newcomers face a variety of challenges when navigating settlement services, particularly when it comes to digital access. A recent study, conducted by a coalition of organizations—Peel Newcomer Strategy Group (PNSG), Peel Multicultural Council (PMC), and Peel Children’s Aid Society's Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE) — set out to explore these barriers and identify solutions to improve access to digital services. The research, which employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, provides valuable insights into key questions, such as identifying which newcomer groups are not accessing digital services and exploring the factors that may hinder their access.

The study gathered data through a combination of surveys of 30 service providers from 17 agencies, demographic data collected from PMC’s Digital Literacy Exchange Program, document scan of existing studies and interviews with 25 newcomers. The newcomers interviewed represented various demographics, including a broad age range (18 to 70 years), with the majority (36%) between 30-39 years old. Of these newcomers, 64% were South Asian, 12% were Latin American, 12% East Asian, and 4% were Black, Middle Eastern, or multi-racial. In terms of education, 36% had post-graduate degrees, 44% held undergraduate degrees, 16% had completed some college, and 4% had finished high school. Men and women were nearly equally represented, with 48% of participants being male and 52% female.

This robust methodology allowed the research team to analyze both individual and organizational perspectives on the barriers to digital access. The findings from these sources revealed key challenges related to digital literacy. It also revealed the complex intersection of technology access and support systems for newcomers.

The research identified three distinct newcomer groups who are not currently accessing digital services. Many newcomers, particularly those who are older or from low-income households, struggled to navigate digital tools, such as smartphones and computers, which are essential for accessing settlement services. These individuals often relied on in-person services for their settlement needs, as they felt unprepared to use digital platforms. For others, language posed a major challenge. Since most digital services are primarily available in English or French, those who are not fluent in the language found it difficult to access information or engage with services online. The research also uncovered a third group of newcomers—those who arrived as family members, such as spouses or children of individuals already settled in Peel. These newcomers often received support from their family members to navigate their settlement journey, reducing their need for digital services. However, some in this group did later seek digital support, particularly for employment-related services, once they were more settled. These findings suggest that family networks play a crucial role in supporting newcomers but also highlight that digital services could still play an important role as their settlement needs evolve.

An analysis of the demographic data from PMC’s Digital Literacy Exchange Program added another layer of insight. The data revealed that individuals who did not speak English as their first language were the largest group lacking access to digital settlement services, with this cohort making up a significant portion of program participants. Other groups identified as more vulnerable included seniors, women, individuals from low-income households, and those with disabilities. The demographic analysis showed a clear overlap between digital literacy issues and other factors such as economic status, gender, and disability, which together compounded the challenges faced by these groups. The study also identified several factors that hindered access to digital services, such as a lack of awareness about the available tools and accessibility to digital literacy, language problems, fear of online scams, and concerns about privacy and security. Additionally, issues like immigration status, childcare responsibilities, interaction, connection for professional networks, quality of information, and the timing of services also played a role in shaping how newcomers were able to engage with digital resources.

Service providers also highlighted several barriers in their ability to offer effective digital services to newcomers. According to a survey of 17 service provider organizations, over 80% of service providers expressed confidence that newcomers were satisfied with the accessibility and quality of the digital services they provided, but there remains room for improvement in terms of addressing these key barriers. As a result of the survey, 73% reported that newcomers frequently utilized digital services, choosing them over face-to-face services. However, many service providers reported that the lack of digital literacy and access to devices were the most significant obstacles.

While some organizations made strides to mitigate these issues by offering multilingual content and digital literacy training, the findings also pointed to the importance of offering ongoing support for newcomers as they navigate digital platforms. In fact, many service providers reported using a variety of digital tools, from SPOs’ own websites (70%), video conferencing platforms to social media (57%) and AI-based chatbots, to interact with newcomers. Despite these efforts, a lack of reliable internet and privacy concerns remained persistent barriers. These issues were also reflected in the feedback from service providers, where the largest reported challenges included technology barriers, privacy concerns, and low levels of digital literacy.

To address these barriers, the study put forward several key recommendations. First, expanding digital literacy training and offering support for language learning were seen as critical to improving access. Providing more comprehensive information about available services and increasing awareness of digital tools could also help newcomers make better use of these resources. The research emphasized the importance of ensuring privacy and security in digital platforms, as well as fostering trust among users. Furthermore, the study suggested that hybrid service delivery models—offering both digital and in-person options—could provide more flexibility for newcomers and better cater to their diverse needs. Finally, the study advocated for the creation of feedback loops, allowing newcomers to share their experiences and provide input on how services could be improved over time.

Overall, the research highlights that while digital services are becoming an essential resource for newcomers in the Peel Region, significant gaps remain in terms of accessibility and inclusion. By addressing these gaps through targeted interventions such as enhanced digital literacy programs, better language support, and increased awareness of available services, the Peel region can move toward a more equitable and effective service delivery model. These changes would not only improve digital access for newcomers but also ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to fully participate in their settlement journey.

This research was presented at the P2P 2024 and Metropolis Canada 2025 Conferences.

To read the full report: Digital Equity in Settlement Research_2025

About the author:

Ghezal Wallid is a Data and Research Coordinator at Peel CAS in the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE). She holds a Master of Development Policy from the Korea Development Institute (KDI). Ghezal has over 5 years of experience in the humanitarian and social services sectors. She has experience working with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and CORDAID to create a safe, positive, and caring environment for the community, with expertise in coordinating program and response plans and researching evidence-based practices and interventions to improve the quality of services to the vulnerable. In her current role, Ghezal focuses on leveraging data-driven solutions to enhance child welfare practices and outcomes at Peel CAS.