Racialized, Migrant and Indigenous Community Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Peel Region

Details to be added

Project website: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/peelcovid19/

Exploring Perceived Walkability Among Arab Communities in the Toronto Metropolitan Areas (2025 - 2026)

Walkability significantly shapes individuals’ mobility, community interaction, and access to health-promoting resources; yet, existing research often overlooks how racialized populations —including Arabs— experience their neighbourhood environments. While objective walkability captures measurable infrastructure elements (e.g., residential density and connectivity), perceived walkability involves subjective experiences related to safety, accessibility, and cultural relevance, and is underrepresented in current urban health studies. This research aims to bridge this gap through exploring how Arab residents in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area perceive walkability in their neighbourhoods, and how these perceptions align or diverge from objective measures. By examining Arab-specific priorities and barriers (e.g., proximity to cultural spaces and ethnic stores), the study seeks to support inclusive urban planning and public health policies that account for diverse experiences. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach beginning with participatory mapping sessions, where participants collaboratively define neighbourhood boundaries and identify walking facilitators and barriers. Qualitative insights gathered from these sessions will inform the cultural adaptation of the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) survey, with its validation via individual interviews. This tailored survey will subsequently be distributed across 20-30 neighbourhoods to capture quantitative perceptions of walkability among a sample of Arab residents. Perceived walkability scores derived from survey responses will then be systematically compared to objective metrics to determine areas of alignment or divergence. The research project is expected to uncover how racialized populations engage with areas around them through walking, as a form an active transportation. The findings can inform urban planning strategies that address cultural and social preferences, and creation of equitable and walkable neighbourhoods.

For more information on these and other research projects, please contact Professor Kathi Wilson.  kathi.wilson @ utoronto.ca or (905) 828-3864.